W I League 2014
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WISCONSIN HIGH SCHOOL CYCLING LEAGUE
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Original formed as WIN Cycling in 2013
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Wisconsin High School Cycling League (WI League) is a statewide
organization operating in affiliation with the National Interscholastic Cycling
Association (NICA)
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Official Wisconsin League site is www.wisconsinmtb.org
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As an Affiliate League of NICA, the Wisconsin League will have similar web
sites, standards, fees, etc.
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Build around a race series, the WI League is committed and focused
primarily on youth development and opportunities
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NICA (NATIONAL INTERSCHOLASTIC CYCLING ASSOCCIATION
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NICA is based in Berkeley, CA
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Core principles: Inclusivity, Equality, Strong Body, Strong Mind &
Strong Character
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NICA has leagues in CA, CO, TX, UT, MN, AZ, NY, TN, and now
Wisconsin
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New leagues in progress for 2014 include GA along with two other
states that will be announced in April
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NICA’s vision to be nationwide by 2020
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MORE ON NICA
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NorCal was first mtb league, established by Berkeley High School Math
teacher in 2000
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SoCal launched 2008 based on success of NorCal
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2009 – NICA formally established as a nonprofit to guide new league
development
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Don Edberg and Kathy Mock have stepped up to co-direct the WI
League
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Wisconsin is a “Affiliate League” of NICA
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NICA PROVIDES GREAT GRAPHICS
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NICA provides tents, banners, table covers, flags
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All materials professionally done with league and NICA logos
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Award podium banners, finish and start line banners also provided
“This is really impressive! The program is well run and looks better than
national races I’ve attended. This is going to grow like crazy.”
High School Administrator, District 196
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PHOTO FROM MN SHOWS HOW WI WILL LOOK
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PHOTO FROM MN SHOWS HOW WI WILL LOOK
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NICA’S INFLUENCE ON YOUTH
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More than 50 high schools in CA have mountain bike racing programs (40
new teams in 2013)
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More student athletes racing mountain bikes in Marin County than play
football
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25% of the student athletes racing are girls
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95% of student athletes report health and fitness benefits from participation
in NICA
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67% of students bring fathers into mountain biking
37% bring mothers in
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WI LEAGUE’S INAUGURAL SEASON OUTLOOK
Season Snapshot
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Leaders’ Summit
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July Rider Camp
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150-200 student/athletes
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15-20 teams
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4 race schedule
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Awards Banquet
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A WORD ABOUT OUR STUDENT ATHLETES
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Typically not ball and stick participants
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If past team experience, generally not positive
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Kids “adrift” find the league to be social and a place to build self -esteem
“I can’t tell you how happy we are with this league. We’ve tried so many
things with our son that never fit. He loves this and now rides his bike
every day. He can’t wait for the races. We bought mountain bikes, too!”
Mother of a Prior Lake racer
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TESTIMONIALS
My primary motivation to begin coaching high school mountain
biking was to create an opportunity that was not available while I
was in school. I believe now, more than ever, that the WI League will
aid in this goal along with fostering the many added benefits of team
building.
- John Brown, coach SPASH Mountain Biking
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WISCONSIN LEAGUE TIMELINE
Leaders Summit – April 26 & 27
Teams Form – Spring
Preseason Activities – April-June
Camps – Summer 2014
Official Practice Begins – July 1
Racing Schedule:
Race 1 August 31
Race 2 September 21
Race 3 October 5
Race 4 October 19
Awards Banquet in November
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TYPICAL RACE WEEKEND SNAPSHOT
Saturday:
- Course set up 7 am to Noon
- Pre-ride 1 to 4 pm
- Camping available on site or nearby
Sunday:
- Teams set up in Pit Zone
- Racing starts at 10:00 am
- Girls Varsity, Junior Varsity, Sophomore, Freshmen
- Boys Varsity, Junior Varsity, Sophomore, Freshmen
- Awards around 3 pm
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HOW THE PIT ZONE AT AN EVENT LOOKS
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RACE FORMAT
Courses are between
4 and 6-mile loops,
mostly singletrack,
with passing zones
Climbing 400/600 ft.
per lap
Courses routed to provide visibility for coaches and parents
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RACE FORMAT, CONT.
Other Features:
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Uphill starts/finish spread racers out
intentionally
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Fenced through start/finish, feed zone, pit
area
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Feed Zones clearly marked
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Onsite WiFi allows parents to check lap
times
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Will move to chip timing as league grows
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RACE FORMAT, CONT.
Race lengths:
• Freshmen/Sophomores – generally 2 laps (45-60 minutes)
• Junior Varsity – 3 laps (70-90 minutes)
• Varsity – 4-5 laps (90-120 minutes)
Racers register depending on school class
• Must petition to race Varsity class
Venues scheduled in progressive manner ( opening races are flatter with
fewer technical challenges). The Season Finale will have the most
climbing and more technical elements.
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TEAMS AND SCORING
Students can race:
• As independents
• As part of a high school team
• On Composite team from several schools
Teams with girls score more points
• Team score is top five finishers with at least one of opposite gender (a
team without at least one boy or one girl finisher will score the top
four)
• Finishes are weighted by class (a first place in varsity scores higher
than a first place in Freshman)
Two categories of awards at each race:
• Individuals (5 deep per class)
• Team scoring (3 deep)
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WI LEAGUE JERSEY POLICY
• The Wisconsin League policy is to not
allow company or manufacturer logos on
racing jerseys, jerseys worn in races can
only have school name or mascot (small
manufacturer logo ok)
• WI League team jersey may include
league and NICA logo
• All team members must wear the same
jersey and/or t-shirt during competition
• Independents must wear a plain jersey
without team affiliation or sponsors
• Leader’s jersey are provided by NICA and
national sponsor Primal and will carry
logos from NICA’s national sponsors
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MN League 2013
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COACHES
NICA has a licensing program for coaches
- Head Coach
- Assistant Coach
- Team Director
- Ride Leader
- General Volunteer
Minimum requirement of any adult/parent
working with the team is a background
check available on www.wisconsinmtb.org
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COACHING, CONT.
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Majority of license requirements for coaches can be met at two-day
Leader’s Summit
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Focus on coaching youth, working with girls, risk mitigation, on-the-bike
skills
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Head and Assistant Coaches also need Wilderness First Aid and CPR
certification
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Coaches have two years to secure license requirements
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QUICK LOOK AT FEES
Student Athletes:
$50 to join the WI League (provides insurance)
$35-40 per race (scholarships available)
Coaches:
$25 fee to join the WI League
Team Registration:
$150 for teams up to 26 members, $10 for each
additional member (per insurance policy)
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WI LEAGUE TEAMS IN PROGESS FOR 2014
Composite Teams:
Glacial Drumlin, Baraboo, Central Wisconsin, De Pere, Lake Geneva,
Shorewood, Wausau, La Crosse, Eau Claire, Hayward, Sheboygan,
Manitowoc, Madison, Sun Prairie
High School Teams:
Stevens Point, Hortonville, Appleton North, West Bend
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WAYS TO HELP WITH THE WI LEAGUE
Opportunities to help:
1. As a parent of a student athlete
who wants to race on a team
2. As a member of the Race Crew
(volunteers)
3. Become part of the Core Staff for
the WI League
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1. HELPING AS A PARENT FOR A TEAM
Help students form a team at the high school
• Team starter kit materials on web site
Help by becoming a Team Director
• Help register racers, pay fees, track results (Pit Zone)
• On race day, help with team logistics at event
Help by becoming a General Volunteer, Ride Leader, Team Director, Assistant
Coach, or Head Coach for a team
• Attend Leaders Summit and start working toward certification
• Register with NICA Pit Zone
• Minimum requirement is passing a background check
• Coaches have two years to achieve full certification
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HELPING STUDENTS START A TEAM
• Students talk to school administrators and receive ok to form “mtb
club team”
• WI League has School Admin presentation to help
• Parents help students organize an informational meeting (flyers
available)
• Helps if meeting can occur at a high school or bike shop
• Hold first general meeting
• Get names, addresses, email, etc. to start communication flow
• Second meeting can outline costs, schedules,
identify coaches, etc.
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BECOMING A TEAM DIRECTOR
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TDs maintain teams presence in Pit Zone
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Pit Zone is the WI League’s online database system
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Team Directors input team and coach information
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TDs also help individual students register for races and pay league
fees through Pit Zone
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NICA hosts webinars for Pit Zone procedures
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2. HELPING AS A RACE CREW MEMBER
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Race Crew made up of 50 to 60 volunteers who help run the races
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Variety of tasks (3 or 4 hours each)
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Can sign up in advance for specific tasks and specific times at
www.wisconsinmtb.org
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Tasks include race course set up, course marshals, crowd control,
starting and finishing line support, apparel sales, etc.
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Race crew volunteers get food/drink/t-shirt
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Tasks on both Saturdays and Sundays
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MN League 2013
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3. HELPING AS WI LEAGUE CORE STAFF
We are looking for individuals to help with and take up the duties of the following positions. We need a
commitment for all of the races over the next two years.
Core Staff positions for WI League:
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Race Director
Don Edberg
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Operations Manager
We need someone to fill this position
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Chief Course Setter
We need someone to fill this position
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Chief Course Marshal
We need someone to fill this position
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Registration Chief
We need someone to fill this position
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Race Photographer
Dave Reich
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Chief Referee
We need someone to fill this position
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Timing and Scoring Chief
Leigh Smith
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Volunteer Coordinator
Kathy Mock
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Communications Director
Sarah Lukas
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Pit Boss
Volunteer Needed
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CORE STAFF, CONT.
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Core Staff a significant commitment
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Requires most of Saturday and all day Sunday
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NICA provides guidelines and training for Core Staff positions
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Dependent upon WI League resources, some compensation available for
Core Staff
• Mileage expenses
• Hotels, meals
• Modest stipend
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TESTIMONIALS
At Erik's, we think the NICA leagues are an awesome investment in the
future of mountain biking. Not only is it a great sport for these high
school students , but we see entire families getting into the sport due to
their kids involvement. It's a great combination!
Erik Saltvold, Owner and Founder, Erik’s Bikes and Boards
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LEAGUE NEEDS SPONSORS AND DONORS
Sponsorships provide cash and
product to support league
Donors provide cash or in-kind
contributions
Contributions to WI League are
tax-deductible
Let Kathy or Don know if
corporate sponsors might be
interested
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WI LEAGUE TEAMS NEED SPONSORS
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Jersey policy prohibits manufacturers or company logos on racing
apparel
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Teams still need support from sponsors
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Logo exposure available on banners and tents in team tent area, on t shirts worn around community/school, on newsletters or team jackets,
sweatshirts, etc.
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ACTION STEPS
1.
Host a second meeting to see who’s interested
- student athletes who’d like to race (find the girls!)
- parents or adults who’d like to help
2.
Parents interested in becoming a Ride Leader, Team Director, Assistant
Coach, or Head Coach should attend Leaders Summit April 26/27
3.
Find potential team sponsors
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ACTION STEPS, CONT.
• Look for posting of WI League Try-It-Out low-cost ($3 insurance fee) fun
rides, bikes and helmets provided for interested students to participate in
an easy first ride (May, June and July)
• Important for new racers to experience mtb racing in WORS to recruit other
students before school starts in September, www.wors.org
• WORS has nine Learn to Race Clinics and Races before the first WI
League race for new racers to gain experience
• Watch for Summer Camp announcements
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FAQS
1.
Can I letter?
2.
Do I have to quit my Fall
sport?
3.
Isn’t it expensive?
4.
What if I don’t have a
bike?
5.
Is it dangerous?
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THANKS!
Please check our web site www.wisconsinmtb.org for more info
Advocate map – shows interested people in your area
Resources for starting a team
League Information & Events listed on web site
Call or email Founding Co-Directors Kathy Mock or Don Edberg with questions
Kathy@wisconsinmtb.org (920) 988-7498
Don@wisconsinmtb.org (715) 498-9677
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