Topic: New Athlete/Family Information Meeting – West Madison NICA Teams
Time: May 4, 2021 07:00 PM Central Time (US and Canada)
Join Zoom Meeting
https://us02web.zoom.us/j/88205448405?pwd=dVRtQ2Zrc2Rkcy9iT0FXQlVZS0VNQT09
Meeting ID: 882 0544 8405
Passcode: 667321
Even during a global pandemic the 2020 season was our largest year yet, with approximately 130 riders from 6th-12th grade participating. We’re gearing up again for our 2021 season. Stay tuned for updates on May Try it Out events.
Practice will begin July 5, starting with bike skills sessions and building up to trail riding after mastering (or reviewing) the basics.
We encourage new riders and parents who are interested in learning more about the team to sign up here for more information.
Last fall, the NICA Wisconsin League hosted an essay contest for student athletes to describe how mountain biking has made an impact on them during the COVID-19 pandemic. Here’s an excerpt from one of our students essays:
Thanks to the dedication of our coaches and parent volunteers, and the patience and positivity of our student athletes, our mountain bike team had a great 2020 season. Rather than racing and riding as a whole team like we have in the past, we tried new things. We formed small pods of athletes in similar grades and at similar skill levels, with several coaches per pod. Our pods met to ride to practice at area mountain bike trails. We also piloted a new idea that was so successful and popular, we’re making it an integral part of our team: adventure rides! Pods met at mountain bike trails throughout the Madison area and beyond to ride on dirt together for a morning or afternoon. We look forward to using the great ideas that emerged from our “pandemic season” and getting more kids on bikes to join us this year!
The Girls Riding Together (GRiT) initiative is an effort by the National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA) to recruit and retain more girls and female coaches in NICA programs. The goal of the NICA GRiT initiative is to increase the overall participation rate to 33% female riders (coaches and student-athletes each) by 2023. #moregirlsonbikes!
Stay tuned for updates on our GRiT programs for 2021!
Check out this great video of the 2018 WI MTB State Championship. We are SO LUCKY to have Trek in our home state (and as a major sponsor for NICA in general). The video gives a great overview of what a race weekend looks like. Keep an eye out for West MTB Head Coach Mike McGarry and riders Lily, Opal and Jake giving interviews. Cameos by the ghostbusters, bacon, biggest cowbell ever and so much more….
The 2018 season was our largest year yet with approximately 80 riders from 6th – 12th grade participating. We are gearing up again to being our 2019 season and plan for a few spring activities such as a girl specific try it out camp in June (details will be available soon).
Practice will begin in early July after the 4th of July holiday starting with bike skills sessions on the practice fields near West High School and building up to trail riding after mastering (or reviewing) the basics.
New riders (or parents) interested in learning more about the team are encouraged to sign up here for more information.
Kick butt, Coach Bob
West Madison Area MTB Teams 