1. Wyomissing Area Mountain bike Team
Introductory Meeting – 6/22/2017

2. What is WAMTB? Interscholastic Mountain Bike Club Girls and Boys
6th – 12 Grades
Summer / Fall Sport (July 1 – October 29th)
Team Includes School Districts: Wyomissing Area, Wilson, and Schuylkill Valley (plus independents)
Members can participate in state wide racing series
Members are not required to race
Governing Bodies:
NICA (National Interscholastic Cycling Association)
Pennsylvania Interscholastic Cycling League (PICL)

3. National Interscholastic Cycling Association
History
1998 Matt Fritzinger – Created Team at Berkley High School – Became “NorCal”
2001 and 2009 Mountain Biking Leagues were formed in California and Colorado. California had 2 Leagues and Colorado had one.
2008 A California group w/ Bike Industry, Standardized California’s Format and Rules
In 2009, NICA was formed with large grants from major industry sponsors.
13,000 Student athletes raced under NICA in school year in 20 states (PICL 2016)

4. Mission To develop student athletes through efforts on the bike.
Creating lifelong athletes
Developing a love for the outdoors
Teaching decision-making skills
Teaching mechanical problem-solving
Teach self-assessment, goal setting and plan execution
Increase confidence
Team/League Core Values
Inclusivity – No Bench Warmers
Equality – No Tryouts
Strong Body, Mind and Character

5. District / Team Boundaries
Generic Sample Jersey
WA District Team
Home address falls within the Wyomissing Area School District boundaries
WA Composite Team
Home address falls within the following school district boundaries:
Wilson
Schuylkill Valley
Riders outside of these districts register as independents.

6. Jerseys Everyone racing must have a matching Team Jersey.
Bib shorts and accessories are optional.
Hoping to have order link on the team Website soon.
Planning for final design to be done next week.
Order Deadlines are July 3rd and July 31st.

7. What are the races like? Racing is not required… But… Races are fun!
Races are huge weekend long events
Pre-ride Saturday (1-5 PM) or early Sunday morning (8AM)
Race are all day Sunday (Varsity Girls start by 9:30AM, Varsity boys finish by 3:30PM followed by awards)
400+ riders with 1000 people in attendance
Races are per grade and gender (4 Groupings started in grade waves: HS Girls, MS Boys, MS Girls, HS Boys)
Courses
Middle school boys and girls 4 to 6 miles (Up to 45 minutes)
9 – 10 boys, 9 – 11 girls: 8 to 11 miles (45-90 minutes)
JV Boys and Varsity Girls 12 to 16 miles ( minutes)
Varsity boys 16 to 22 miles with ( minutes)

8. 2017 Races
Race 1 Sept 9-10 Fairhill – Elkton, Maryland 1h – No Camping Race 2 Sept – Johnstown High Ground 3h45m – Camping Available Race 3 Sep 30-Oct 1 – Lackawanna State Park 2h – Camping Available Race 4 Oct 7-8 – Yellow Creek State Park 4h – Camping close by Race 5 Oct Jordan Creek Park 1h – No Camping Finals (6) – Oct 28 – 29 Boyce Big Ring 4h20m – No Camping (New Location: Ski Area) Official League Race Series Page: pamtb.org/race-series (HOME COURSE CLEANUP)

9. Potential Practice Schedule
Team Practices will be held 3 days per week. To accommodate students with substantial commitments to other sports, we alternate days each week making the following 2 week practice schedule:
Week 1:
Monday Evening (1 to 1.5 Hours) - Group Ride
Wednesday Evening (1 to 1.5 Hours) - Skills 
Sat/Sun Morning 8AM Long Rides (1.5 to 3 Hours) Group Ride
Week 2:
Tuesday Evening (1 to 1.5 Hours) - Group Ride
Thursday Evening (1 to 1.5 Hours) - Skills 
AND....Repeat Week 1

10. Practice Notes
Weekday Practice start times will vary as we go through the season.  As rides need to be longer and daylight gets shorter… we make weekday start times earlier.
Potential Times
Weekday Practice Arrival / Wheels Rolling Times:
July 1 - August 15:  6:15 Arrival - 6:30 Riding
August 16 - August 31:  5:45 Arrival - 6:00 Riding
Sept 1 - Sept 30: 5:15 Arrival - 5:30 Riding
October 1 - Last Practice: 4:45 Arrival - 5:00 Riding

11. Practices – Not PIAA Other Sports: Summer Vacations:
Students participating in NICA Leagues are encouraged to pursue other sports and activities during the season. We have no practice requirement. We only require that riders have a core skill level to be cleared to race.
Summer Vacations:
We value summer vacations… just take your bike! We all want to enjoy our family summer getaways and experiences (coaches included).
We will try to offer regular practices and coaching to ensure everyone has the opportunity be successful, especially students brand new to cycling and those looking for consistent guidance. 

12. Bikes
You do not need a bike shop quality bike to participate in the club (although there are hidden costs associated with department store bikes).
If you plan to buy your son/daughter a bike to participate, please reach out to one of the coaches for help first.
Bikes come in multiple frame and wheel sizes. The right size bike will make this sport more enjoyable for your son and daughter.
Highly Encouraged: Front Suspension and Reputable Components (Hydraulic Disc Brakes – expensive advantage)
Helmets: <3 years old, clean and unmarked!

13. Cost Breakdown There are 4 separate costs to joining the team:
1. WAMTB Team Fee - $115
(Reduced to $90 for 2nd Family Member) 
2. Student Athlete League Registration $65
Paid to NICA ($25 Insurance & $40 League Reg)
3. Race Jerseys - Every Student who participates in the racing series must have a team Jersey.  $54 (and up)
Jerseys are ordered directly by the student athlete via the Voler Team store website. More details to come.
Only Jerseys are required! Bib Shorts and accessories are also available for purchase.
4. Per Race Fee - $40… Direct Payment to NICA for racing
* The above does not include the cost of a bike or travel expenses.

14. Coaches - Parents & Community Riders
The key to our success
To have as many parents involved as possible
We are not just a team, we are a community!
Our coaches demonstrate being lifelong athletes
NICA Rule:
NICA requires an 8:2 rider to coach ratio -- This ratio will limit the number of riders
Adults are only allowed to ride 1 time with the team before they must obtain a NICA license. In order to ride with us, you need to be certified by NICA as a Level 1 Coach
Level 1 Coach Requirements:
Risk Management Training (Online – about 45 min.)
Concussion Training (Online – about 30 min.)
Background Check (Online – about 10+ min.)
We encourage every parent who has a mountain bike to become a coach and help with practices. Coaches that commit to 10+ practices are fully reimbursed for all coach license expenses.

15. Coaching Benefits Coach Reimbursements from WAMTB License $25
Background Check $22
Coach Jersey Contribution $20
Coach reimbursement will occur mid to late season for
level 1+ coaches who participated in 10+ practices.
(There are three levels of coaches.)

16. Risk Management & Insurance
Integral to the all league operations is risk management.
League coaches are trained to assess and manage risk and undergo complete background checks.
Insurance
Insurance is part of the fee that every student and coach must pay to NICA.
All league-approved activities are covered by NICA insurance. This includes practices within the race season.
Does not cover transportation of any kind.
All Incidents are reported to NICA.
“Athletes are covered by excess medical insurance, which means you are eligible to submit claims that are over and above what your own medical insurance covers, up to a limit of $25,000 and 12 months from the initial accident.” (This includes co-pays and deductibles beyond $250. Every family is responsible for reading and understanding the policy.)

17. How to Join the Team
To join the team or to become a “coach,” please use the “Join WAMTB” link on the team website:
Once we have your request to join, you will receive invitation s to join 2 websites:
NICA Pitzone (National database for all Leagues and Insurance)
TeamSNAP (Team tool to coordinate team schedule and communications)

18. Local Bike Shops Ask for NICA discount.
East Ridge Outfitters 635 Penn Ave., West Reading (844) JB’s Bike Shop 214 W. Lancaster Ave., Shillington (610) Wolverton’s Cycling and Fitness 2904 Kutztown Rd., Reading (610)
Ask for NICA discount.

19. Closing items First Practice – Week of July 10th
New Coaches need to complete training in NICA PitZone prior to July 10th (can be a week turnaround)
Special Practices
Monday July 24th Mock Race with GVMTB & TEMTB
Blue Marsh Circumnavigation Saturday October 14th
This is our first season.
We welcome you on this adventure. We thank you for your patience.