[Orinda, CA] The Aspen Institute's Project Play has selected the National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA) as a 2023 Project Play Champion. The award recognizes NICA's expansion of our coach training program to inspire coaches to further align with the Sports for All | Play for Life framework. Focusing on the "Emphasize Prevention" strategy, the initiative prepares NICA coaches for successful interactions with youth by promoting positive expectations and giving coaches tools to help redirect negative behaviors.
NICA has collaborated with Project Play in the past around our shared belief that every child should be able to develop their human potential through sport. The goal of Project Play's Sport For All | Play For Life model is for every child to have the ability, confidence and desire to be physically active for life—a sharp contrast to the traditional sports model, which often limits participation and or playing time and tends to exclude kids who are not performing at the top levels.
NICA's Director of Coach Education, Mike McGarry, said "NICA is committed to changing youth sports and we understand that starts with training great adults to lead positive and inclusive programs. We are honored to be recognized by the Aspen Institute for the work that we have done in the past and the work that we are continuing to do to provide coaches with the skills to make a difference in the lives of young people across the country through cycling."
When training coaches we highlight the top reasons why kids participate in sports (fun!), why kids drop out (coach behavior!), and the negative impact of early sports specialization. We emphasize to coaches that they are coaches of kids before they are coaches of the sport. The Sports for All | Play For Life model reinforces NICA's approach of providing inclusive, equitable programming that creates space for all youth to join and that is designed to cultivate cyclists for life.
About Project Play
Project Play, the signature initiative of the Aspen Institute's Sports & Society Program, develops, applies and shares knowledge that builds healthy communities through sports.
Launched in 2013 the award-winning initiative convenes leaders, identifies gaps in access to quality sport activity, and mobilizes organizations for action. Project Play connects the silos across the disjointed landscape of youth and school sports and develops systems-level solutions.
About the National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA)
The National Interscholastic Cycling Association's (NICA) mission is to build strong minds, bodies, character, and communities through cycling. NICA recognizes the value of participation in NICA leagues for all student-athletes, free from discrimination based on race, religion, or gender identity. Our core value of inclusivity demonstrates our belief that everyone should participate in our programs and feel welcomed, respected, and supported.
Founded in 2009 as a 501(c)3 nonprofit, NICA develops interscholastic and community-based cycling programs for student-athletes and coaches across the United States. NICA provides leadership services and governance for local leagues to deliver quality mountain bike activities and events. NICA has served almost 64,000 student-athletes since 2009. Currently, NICA has 31 state and regional leagues and 14,000+ registered volunteer coaches working annually with over 25,000 student-athletes from almost 1,000 high school and middle school teams in the USA.
NICA exists by virtue of generous sponsors, donors, and partners. For more information on NICA visit www.nationalmtb.org, follow @nationalMTB on Facebook, Instagram, Twitter, and LinkedIn, or call (510) 524-5464.
