Dear Coaches, Student Athletes and Families,

Welcome to the 2022 Wisconsin Interscholastic Cycling League Season! The League is now a NICA Chapter League, one of only 3 in the country! This new status opens the door for new administrative and business aspects for the organization while remaining fully committed to NICA’s mission: We build strong minds, bodies, character, and communities through cycling.

Mountain biking continues to be our tool for youth development. The 2022 season brings new leadership through a Board of Directors and a new League Director. Adventure and Day Camp programming is expanding. Teen Trail Corps efforts are growing. A new race format will be rolled out. Our coach and student athlete population continues to grow, with an emphasis on increasing the diversity of our participants at all levels. All these efforts are being driven by our FIERCE values – Fun, Inclusivity, Equity, Respect and Community.

This newsletter is FULL of important League-wide information. You will also receive several messages from your team in the coming weeks. All the information is important…read and plan now to make your season smooth and fun for your family!

Let’s go get it!
Renee Griswold | League Director

League Calendar

Check out the new LEAGUE CALENDAR on the website with all the League events and links to the registration details!

Student Athlete Registration Opens April 1

Student Athletes, look for an email invitation from your team as soon as April 1 to get registered for the season!

2nd Annual GRiT Athlete Retreat

Sunday, May 15 at Hartman Creek State Park

This great GRiT day includes lunch, snacks, water, fun, riding, skills, girl stuff, and so much more. We will ride the beautiful trails at Hartman Creek in Waupaca, WI.

Questions?? Contact Angela Brooks at angela@wisconsinmtb.org, Wisconsin Interscholastic Cycling League GRiT Coordinator

REGISTRATION OPENS HERE ON APRIL 15

NEW FOR 2022:

More Adventure & Camp Programming!

Last year the Wisconsin League introduced League Camps, staffed by volunteer coaches and attended by about 50 student athletes.
This season, based on rider interest and generous volunteer support, there are more opportunities for riders and coaches to get out and ride awesome trails across Wisconsin and the UP this season. Come enjoy rides that are not measured by the clock!

Adventure Rides

An Adventure Ride is an opportunity for current Teams to ride an adventure course put on by the Wisconsin League. Athletes will navigate the course in pods of 4 to 8 riders along with coaches from their own Team, encountering mental and physical challenges along the way. The goal is to complete the course as a Team. We are planning 2 adventure rides in the 2022 season. Camping is available (and highly encouraged) at both events.

Adventure Ride #1 | July 23 at Camrock
Adventure Ride #2 | August 20 on CAMBA Trails

Team Adventure Coordinators, If you are interested in having your Team participate in these events, please contact Joe FitzGibbon, League Adventure Coordinator Joseph@wisconsinmtb.org for more information and for the link to registration. Teams must commit to a ride before registration opens to athletes.

Registration information will only be sent to athletes if their Team and coaches commit to attending an Adventure Ride.

Day Camp

A Wisconsin League Day Camp is a 1-day opportunity for student athletes to ride new trails and to meet other riders from across the League. Riders will check into camp early in the morning (can arrive the day before with family). We will do ice breakers, trail rides, have lunch and some MTB topical presentations. The event ends with a big dinner and all the riders’ parents/guardians are welcome to attend. Camping is available (and highly encouraged) at this event.

Marquette, MI Day Camp | July 9

Coaches, we need you!! We have riding and non-riding volunteer positions available. If you want to help, please contact Joe FitzGibbon, League Adventure Coordinator, joseph@wisconsinmtb.org

CLICK FOR MORE ADVENTURE & DAY CAMP INFO

REGISTRATION OPENS HERE APRIL 15

New for 2022:

Bye-week Race Schedule

2022 brings a new bye-week format to the race season to ease-the-squeeze at our race venues. Each team will be invited to 5 of the 7 races. All Teams are invited to the season kick-off at the new Telemark venue in Cable and the State Championship at Trek Trails in Waterloo and three more races in between. Team Directors/Head Coaches chose races for their teams earlier this spring and the League was able to grant 80% of their requests while balancing the capacities of the venues.

CLICK FOR COMPLETE RACE SCHEDULE INFO

Bye-Week Race Scoring & Category Placement

New policies around race scoring and category placement will be published in the NICA Handbook being released in July. The Wisconsin Interscholastic Cycling League is implementing an averaging system for staging and leader’s jerseys, which works well for other leagues that follow a bye-week race schedule so there is great confidence this system will meet the needs of the Wisconsin League as well.

Race Camping

Camping at races for 2022 is a big work in progress. If anyone is interested in taking a leadership role in coordinating camping at venues, even just the one closest to your heart, please contact Renee Griswold, League Director, at renee@wisconsinmtb.org.

Student Athlete Scholarship Opportunities

Fees should not keep an athlete from participating in any NICA activity! Don’t be shy! Confidential Scholarship Applications are available to student athletes and can cover at least partial fees for season registration and/or any programs (Adventure, Day Camp, Races, etc).

COACH TRAINING OPPORTUNITIES

Coach Scholarships Now Available

Coaches, you are the core of successful teams and leveling up your training is the best way you can support your student athletes! Confidential scholarship applications are available to assist with registration and training costs, like OTB, First Aid, Adventure, GRiT and more.