Start a Team


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Most mountain bike teams start small and grow quickly; it’s a tremendous challenge but highly rewarding! The first step for many successful coaches is attending out spring coaches conference, AKA the Leaders’ Summit. If you miss the spring Summit and want to coach this year, you can register as a general volunteer. You will need to attend the conference next spring. Skilled and dedicated coaches are the most important aspect of our program.  A Tennessee League coach puts the safety and overall well-being of their student-athletes as the first priority. NICA-licensed coaches are role models and teachers who are open to learning the best practices of youth mountain bike coaching and actively working to hone their leadership skills.

  • No experience is necessary to become an Tennessee League coach. We provide training.
  • We have several coach supporters you can reach out to for mentoring.
  • We have the tools to help all coaches succeed.
  • We offer comprehensive training at our annual Leaders’ Summit in the Spring.

WHO?

Administrators, teachers, parents, and community members can start a mountain bike club at their local high school. While it is not necessary that the person who initiates the club to be a school “insider” (teacher or administrator), this can be very useful. A teacher, administrator or school volunteer within the school possesses certain advantages, such as knowledge of the school community, bureaucratic systems and channels, and how to access potential team members. Extensive cycling experience is not necessary. One should simply have the desire to introduce kids to the sport of mountain biking. Once you have decided to create a team, the League can help educate you and provide you with all the tools necessary to be an excellent coach.

WHAT?

A Tennessee League mountain bike team can be any size. Teams are broken into Division 1 and Division 2 categories based on their team size (not school size). Please see the NICA rulebook (PDF) for more information about types of teams.

When?

If you are a coach and interested in starting a team, please contact your League director to be invited to register through our Pit Zone. At this time anyone who intends to coach a team should register with the League so that they are covered under our insurance. League teams are limited to the number of weeks they can have pre-season practice. In addition, teams are not insured outside of these limits. Teams can commence limited pre-season activities on April 1st. Allowable pre-season activities are bike checks, fun rides, mechanical workshops or skills clinics. Between May 1st and June 30th, teams are allowed to have up to 6 scheduled pre-season activities. Regular training practice (3-4 times a week) can commence on July 1st. All team rides or other training activities must end within two weeks of the final League race. A more detailed description can be found in the NICA rulebook.

More Resources:

Check out the Educational Resources including the Team Starter Kit Page, provided by NICA National. These free webinars are very useful – ranging from information on the NICA Rulebook and How Manage a Team – NICA WEBINAR SERIES SCHEDULE

For more information about the NICA coach licensing program, please click here. Coaches on new teams need only obtain a NICA General Volunteer License, but the Team Director does need to take steps toward obtaining a NICA Head Coach License.  sure to sign up for the Tennessee League Newsletter and stay up to date on Tennessee League events, clinics, camps and news! Please contact email your League director with any questions, Katherine Williams.

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