A League as Big as Texas
About Us
The Texas Interscholastic Mountain Bike League serves Texas youth in grades 6-12 with recreational and competitive mountain biking programs. We are a project league of NICA, the National Interscholastic Cycling Association, a 501(c)3 nonprofit. Organized in 2011, we have grown from a few dozen athletes to nearly 1,000. We provide education, training, licensing, and insurance for coaches and volunteers and facilitate the development of teams across Texas. We provide a safe and supportive environment for youth to develop strong bodies, minds, and character through the lifelong sport of mountain biking.
Our Mission
The Texas Interscholastic Mountain Bike League works to establish and maintain safe, quality middle and high school mountain bike programs.
Our Values
- Fun: NICA inspires friendship, joy, and adventure.
- Inclusivity: NICA believes everyone should be able to participate in our programs and feel welcomed, respected and supported.
- Equity: NICA is committed to fair treatment, equal access, opportunity, advancement and elimination of barriers to encourage participation for all.
- Respect: NICA expects consideration for all others, oneself, and the outdoors.
- Community: NICA unites diverse people, families and communities through cycling by creating fun and welcoming experiences.
Our Community
- Provide students who have the desire to mountain bike with the coaching and camaraderie that will help them achieve both competitive and non-competitive goals in a safe and enjoyable manner.
- Develop an awareness of what it is to be an athlete that is both gracious and respectful to their community.
- Create an environment in which students may discover new friendships and find role models.
- Guide students to learn new skills and disciplines, and establish the foundations of mountain bike racing.
- Foster a responsible attitude toward the use of trails and wilderness.
- Promote the value of cycling to our community as a mode of transportation and a life-long sport.
Racing
We offer professionally produced races across Texas for all interested athletes in grades 6-12. Our race weekends have something for everyone, from our varsity class to our non-competitive fun lap. The most important thing? We want kids to be safe and have fun riding their bikes.
Texas NICA racers earn USAC points for their performance in league races. USAC points allow athletes to qualify for national-level competition. Learn more about our partnership and join USAC here.
Beyond Racing
The Teen Trail Corps Program teaches student-athletes to give back to their sport by helping to maintain trails and develop relationships with land owners. Athletes can earn badges for stewarding or advocating for mountain biking in different ways.
NICA Adventure programming helps students discover the joy of biking and outdoor adventures. We use games and experiential education to help students challenge themselves at their own pace and develop a lifelong love of cycling.
Girls Riding Together, a.k.a GRiT Texas is an outreach program focused on recruiting, developing, and retaining female athletes, coaches, ride leaders, and volunteers. GRiT Texas is part of the NICA National GRiT outreach program.
Contact
Texas League questions
Fill out the form below or email us directly at info@texasmtb.org
National Interscholastic Cycling Association Questions
For NICA Coaches Licensing Program questions:
Mike McGarry mike@nationalmtb.org
For National Interscholastic Cycling Association questions:
General Inquiries: info@nationalmtb.org
The Texas NICA Team
Where Passion Meets Bikes
We’re a group of passionate people who love to ride bikes and are inspired by the NICA mission to get more kids on bikes. We work hard, play harder and love what we do. Texas NICA is run almost entirely by volunteers.
Board of Directors
Leading the Way
The Advisory Board of the Texas Interscholastic Mountain Bike League is made up of 13 members from various teams across the League. The Board oversees the strategic leadership and long-term sustainability of the League. They advise the League Director and represent many fields of expertise.
Board Committees Include:
- Finance and Fundraising
- Rules
- Race and Venue
- Safety
- Team Enhancement
Yessenia Benavides
TwoTen
Rick McGrath
North Texas
Rick Margiotta
Lake Travis
John Flynn
College Station
Donald Davis
Hays County
Josh Bailey
Independent
Rick Mabus
Highland Park Scots
Annie Tutoki
San Marcos
Mike Smith
San Marcos
Ginger Hall
Utah League
Partners
Collaboration at its finest
The International Mountain Bicycling Association (IMBA) is a 501 (c) 3 non-profit educational association whose mission is to create, enhance and preserve great trail experiences for mountain bikers worldwide. Since 1988, IMBA has been bringing out the best in mountain biking by encouraging low-impact riding, volunteer trailwork participation, cooperation among different trail user groups, grassroots advocacy and innovative trail management solutions. IMBA’s worldwide network includes 35,000 individual members, more than 750 bicycle clubs, more than 160 corporate partners and about 600 retailer shops. IMBA’s members live in all 50 U.S. states, most Canadian provinces and in 30 other countries.
Founded as a non-profit within the Stanford University Athletic Department in 1998, Positive Coaching Alliance has the mission of “transforming youth sports so sports can transform youth.” To that end, PCA has conducted roughly 5,000 live group workshops nationwide for more than 200,000 youth sports leaders, coaches, parents and athletes. Workshop attendees have helped create a positive, character-building youth sports environment for more than 2.2 million youth athletes. PCA trains Double-Goal Coaches®, whose first goal is winning, and whose second, more-important goal is teaching life lessons through sports. This coaching method takes its name from “The Double-Goal Coach,” a book by PCA Founder and Executive Director Jim Thompson.
The Texas Mountain Bike Racing Association was formed in the summer of 1996 by the promoters of the Texas Championship Series races in an effort to bring added continuity and professionalism to the series. Today, The TMBRA calendar has races all across the state of Texas featuring a wide variety of race courses. Ranging from Desert singletrack in the western part of the state to the twisty trails in the Piney Woods of Eastern Texas and Louisiana, The races promoted on the TMBRA calendars offer mountain bike racers all conceivable types of terrain.
Support the League
Gifts that Keep on Giving
The League continues to experience rapid growth as more and more middle and high school students discover this challenging and rewarding sport. Our growth and sustainability have always been fueled by the generous and passionate members of our community. Thank you for helping us to get more kids on bikes.
Donate Funds
Funding is needed to help the league operate, keep fees low for athletes and provide scholarships to make mountain bike racing accessible to everyone. With the help of your donation, we will continue to provide the best and safest cycling programs for young athletes in middle and high school. The league is a 501(c)(3) non-profit corporation, all donations are 100% tax deductible.
Donate Gear
The league can also give your old gear a new life. We are always looking for clothing, helmets, shoes, pedals, parts, and bikes. There are convenient drop-off locations in many places, for more information and a donation form (for tax purposes) send us a note.
Volunteer
We are a volunteer based organization and can always use more help! If you would like to help support the League in this way, we would be more than happy to find the perfect spot for you to volunteer!
Sponsorships
Sponsorships and partnerships are crucial to the longevity of the league. We work with our sponsors to build custom packages that meet your needs and ours. Sponsors have the opportunity to reach our thousands of stakeholders in a way that is meaningful to each sponsor.
Frequently Asked Questions
Students
- How do I join a team? Take a look at our Teams page and find a team in your area. Reach out to the coach to join the team. If you can’t find a team that is the right fit for you, email us at info@texasmtb.org to set up a new team or race as an independent rider.
- What if I don’t want to race? There are lots of ways to participate on a NICA team. Racing is only one of them. NICA members are not required to race, so you can join a team and have a great time without ever attending a race.
- I’m still on the fence. Can I try it out? Interested riders and parents can sign a one-time participation waiver to try it out before joining a team. Contact a coach in your area to try out a team practice.
- I don’t see a team in my area. Can I still join? Yes! We have several options for you. Send us a note and we will help you get plugged in. info@texasmtb.org
Coaches/Parents
- How do I start a middle or high school mountain bike team? Administrators, teachers, students, community members, anyone can potentially begin a cycling club at their local middle or high school. Every district works a little differently, but most schools athletic programs depend on the support of community members. Visit your school and ask questions about their current sports programs and clubs. Whether considered a club, or an athletic program, it is important to find support from the school. Discuss your plans and ideas with your school administration. Next, you’ll need to meet a few NICA coaching requirements to get started.
- How do I recruit kids for a team? Various teams have had success with many different recruiting techniques. Host a Bike Club table at Club Rush. Meeting with the Athletic Director in order to educate he/she about your new club is another idea. Email the Texas League at info@texasmtb.org and ask if there are current teams or clubs that you can connect with in your area. Put an article in the school newspaper, get parents to talk to other parents, send an email to your school’s Boosters Club.
- Do I have to have insurance for a club or team? Yes. Do not run a program without adequate insurance coverage! NICA provides comprehensive liability insurance to all teams and coaches who officially register with the Texas League.
Funding Questions
- Can I get a scholarship for race entry fees? The Texas League is able to provide scholarships to registered League athletes who are in need of financial assistance. Please complete this form to start the process: Race Scholarship Application.
- Do you have any cycling gear that our team can buy? Yes, we do. The Texas League runs a lycra drive program and gets new and used gear donated for the sole purpose of donating to teams and individual riders. Also, we always bring all our donated cycling gear to our Leaders Summit for coaches to access for their teams.
- Can I get a good deal or discount on a new bike? Coach volunteers have access to numerous benefits and discounts including discounts on bikes. Talk to your head coach about becoming a volunteer coach.
- I still have questions. No problem. We are happy to answer any questions you may have. Shoot us an email at info@texasmtb.org and we will get back with you soon!