LAS VEGAS, NV (BRAIN)—The National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA) is launching October 1 as a new organization to promote and facilitate interscholastic high school mountain biking in the United States.
With Specialized Bicycle Components stepping in as the national founding sponsor, and the Easton Sports Development Foundation II stepping up its backing of the SoCal League to include a sponsorship match program at the national level, the fast emerging national league shows it has earned the trust and support of major industry players.
“It’s to take what we learned in the NorCal high school mountain bike series and all the training with getting new coaches together, and provide that to new states who want to start up high school programs,” said Austin McInerny, on the NorCal board of directors. “The overall mission is to provide high school mountain biking to as many states as possible.”
The NorCal league is in its ninth year with 50 high schools participating, while SoCal just got going last year with 15 high schools.
“This coming season we’ll have something in Colorado and in Washington state,” McInerny said.
NorCal League founder Matt Fritzinger will lead the new association.
“This is a tremendously exciting step not only for us, but for mountain biking in the United States,” Fritzinger said. “Our mountain biking programs provide a range of positive experience for teenage kids, many of which not have come to the sport if it were not for their high school team. We are currently looking for two to three more major corporate partners, and some individual supporters to join our Trailblazers Team.”
For more information on NICA visit Booth 3307.
—Jason Norman
