The Ingredients for a Thriving Youth Cycling Ecosystem

November 12, 2024
Originally published on LinkedIn

This past weekend, I had the incredible opportunity to help produce the NICA Eastern Regional Festival & Championships in Fair Hill, Maryland, as part of the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Cycling League staff. It was five full days of preparation, managing the event, and seeing firsthand the growth of youth mountain biking. 11 NICA states and over 700 student-athletes participated in the event. 

Spending that much time immersed in the event left me reflecting on where all of this is headed—the next evolution of youth cycling.

Sharing some of my favorite moments from the event on social media was a great reminder of the work we’ve done to get more kids and families on bikes, and it made me proud to see riders from our local Philadelphia and Pennsylvania teams representing out there. 

As I approach the 10th youth cycling season of our club, it’s clear to me that the youth cycling community is changing and growing in exciting ways, and I want to explore the ingredients of its success and what comes next.

The concept of a Youth Cycling Ecosystem, driven a lot by what NICA is doing, captures my vision of how the cycling community is evolving alongside and beyond existing frameworks. I want to explore what the future of youth cycling might look like, focusing on new opportunities for participation, community engagement, and sustainability.

Interscholastic (School-Based) Cycling Programs

With help from strategic partners Trek, SRAM, Shimano and Specialized, The National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA) is leading the charge in school based cycling. Since its inception in 2009, NICA has experienced significant growth. As of 2023, NICA reported having 32 active leagues across 28 states, with over 24,000 student-athletes participating and more than 14,000 volunteer coaches supporting these athletes. This expansion underscores NICA's commitment to providing inclusive, safe, and enjoyable cycling experiences for students nationwide.

New England Youth Cycling (NEYC) is a regional league dedicated to empowering youth through mountain biking in New England. Founded in 2015, NEYC focuses on inclusivity, sportsmanship, and the well-being of students. Since its inception, NEYC has grown to include over 30 teams and more than 1,000 student-athletes annually.

A core principle of NICA's programs is their "interscholastic" nature, meaning teams are affiliated with schools or school districts. This structure fosters school spirit, integrates cycling alongside traditional sports, and offers students a supportive, school-based pathway to engage in cycling.

Another important player in this area is the Specialized Outride Riding For Focus program, which is a national initiative by the Specialized Foundation aimed at increasing ridership and improving the health and learning outcomes of students. Outride partners with schools across the country to establish cycling programs that support youth fitness and engagement, demonstrating the potential impact cycling can have on physical and mental well-being. There are examples of Specialized Outride in action here in the Philadelphia area (AIM Academy, Philadelphia School District/AMY at James Martin to name a few)

While school-based programs can work in some locations, local and independent youth cycling non-profits can provide a valuable solution for schools that can't take on a cycling team or are looking to partner. These non-profits help bridge the gap, ensuring that youth cycling is accessible to a broader range of participants, regardless of their school’s involvement. 

Local Independent Youth Cycling Non-Profits

Youth cycling non-profits existed before NICA, but since the rise of NICA, there’s been a growing appetite for expansion. I’ve noticed a steady increase in the development of local, independent youth cycling non-profits that provide organized opportunities for young riders. These non-profits operate independently or in collaboration with NICA state programs, filling important gaps in the youth cycling ecosystem.

To clarify, I’m not referring to grassroots teams that simply gather to race locally. I’m talking about structured organizations with a defined mission, vision, dedicated programs, and established leadership and operations. 

These non-profits generally fall into two categories: 

• those that lean toward the recreational side of cycling, mostly local

• and those that are larger (regional or national) with focused, high performance competitive programs

On the recreational side, there are initiatives like Girls in Gear, Wee Wheel, Little Bellas and lots more. These programs are often focused on the younger spectrum of kids and on making cycling more inclusive and accessible for young riders and diverse communities. 

On the more competitive side, regional programs like New Jersey Cyclocross (NJCX), Baltimore Youth Cycling (BYC), and National Youth Development (NYD, Minneapolis) offer structured environments for young riders to develop advanced skills and compete. Larger programs with national recognition, such as Bear National and Durango Devo, provide similar support, preparing athletes for both regional and national competitions. 

The growth of these types of programs is helping young cyclists progress beyond local events, offering opportunities to excel in more competitive, high performance settings, with many student athletes eyeing amateur/elite, professional and even olympic aspirations.

In Philadelphia, the Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia's BCYC (Bicycle Coalition Youth Cycling) Program is a great example of both recreational and competitive program partnerships with schools. Other local Philadelphia-area non-profits, who originated from NICA/PICL and now provide additional programming include Independence Youth Cycling (the non-profit that I lead), More Kids on Bikes PA and Liberty Youth Cycling.

What's common across all of these organizations is their ability to start and run cycling teams or programs effectively, including the ability to:

• Acquire, maintain and transport a fleet of bikes for different uses and/or support a bike loaner program.

• Raise and manage funds, handle registrations, keep rosters and organize schedules.

• Build a team of coaches and volunteers, and run everything from skills clinics to events to high performance training plans.

Independent Cycling Instruction, Coach Certification & Coach Sustainability

The growth of independent cycling instruction and program management is also something that’s caught my attention. 

NICA’s coach training and certification program has played a huge role in making coaching accessible for me and other adults. 

Prior to starting a NICA based youth mountain bike team in 2015 I had spent many years on the boards of local youth soccer and baseball programs, and experienced the ins-and-out of how these programs worked. And while I had the miles and time-in-saddle on my bike, I had no mountain bike coaching experience at that time. 

Over time, some of these coaches continue to expand their roles—mentoring new coaches, ensuring leadership succession, and even coaching outside of NICA. This mirrors traditional youth sports, where coaches often have varied backgrounds—some with sports experience, others with little experience initially. 

Sustainability hinges on experienced coaches being willing to mentor others, and I see this happening in the cycling community.

Beyond NICA, we’ve also seen growth in independent cycling instruction aimed at both youth and adults, through different models. These models include individual/group coaching services, program collaborations with private and municipal land managers, and what I see as the biggest opportunity, partnerships with existing municipal Parks & Recreation departments.

As for examples, there are organizations with national reach and operations like Ninja Mountain Bike Clinics, regional services from the likes of Cognition Coaching (Ben Tufford at Highland Mountain Bike Park to Bentonville, AR) and local providers like Take Aim Cycling/Harlan Price (Harrisonburg VA). There are many more all across the country with lots in the Western and Mountain regions.

Additionally, the emergence of independent coaching certification programs is playing a key role. While USA Cycling provides one of the most established certifications, accessibility remains unclear compared to other programs like the Bicycle Instructor Certification Program (BICP) and the Professional Mountain Bike Instructors Association (PMBIA). These organizations are helping foster a professional, certified coaching community beyond the NICA environment.

Student-Athlete-to-Coach Pipeline

For me, one of the most inspiring outcomes of NICA’s mission to create lifelong cyclists is the development of a pipeline of student-athletes who understand cycling coaching from having been coached themselves. As these athletes move on from NICA, they already have a foundation that makes coaching a natural opportunity. 

This process strengthens the entire cycling ecosystem by ensuring that those with firsthand experience continue to contribute, adding momentum and sustainability.

At our non-profit Independence Youth Cycling, we have many student athletes who come back to coach in the summer during college.

The Compounding Outcomes of the Ecosystem

With NICA taking the lead as far as numbers, the growth of this ecosystem shows that youth cycling is not just a series of isolated programs—it is a dynamic and interconnected system. As more schools, non-profits, land owners, leagues, series, coaches, volunteers and young riders come together, each part of the ecosystem strengthens the others, creating a compounding effect that benefits everyone involved. 

When all parts of the ecosystem work together, it thrives!

✅ Kids and families who want to ride bikes

✅ Bike shops, bike brands and equipment providers making cycling accessible

✅ Places to ride safely, supported by landowners

✅ Organizations managing cycling teams/programs within their local communities

✅ Leagues and series promoting local/regional racing and cycling events

✅ Coaching certification providers providing accreditation to coaches

✅ Communities of coaches and volunteers dedicated to helping the system thrive

This is how we create a self-sustaining, inclusive, and thriving cycling community. As momentum builds, the entire ecosystem rises, lifting up all participants—whether they're future racers, lifelong riders, trail advocates, or future coaches!

About John

John is a native Philadelphian and the founder of Independence Youth Cycling (IYC), a nonprofit dedicated to getting more kids and families on bikes in the greater Philadelphia area. 

In addition to his role with IYC, John also provides cycling consulting, coaching, and program management through Yo! Just Ride (YJR). YJR focuses on integrating cycling into community programs, collaborating with Parks & Recreation departments, and expanding cycling instruction beyond traditional initiatives.

John is also a Pennsylvania Interscholastic Cycling League (PICL) inaugural season (2016) team founder, PICL/NICA League Coach Supporter/Trainer, and member of the PICL core team.

What's Next

If you'd like to hear more from John, feel free to leave a comment about any of these ideas or suggest a new one.

• What Mountain Bikers Need to Know to Race Cyclocross

• America Needs its T-ball for Youth Cycling

• How to Introduce Cycling Camps & Clinics to Parks & Rec Programming

• Building the Bridge from High School Cycling to Collegiate Cycling

Explore More

What's In Store for 2024 - Independence Youth Cycling

How to Run a Youth Mountain Bike Practice

Getting Gritty with NICA: Change Agents of Cycling at the Philly Bike Expo (Google Slides with video)

Read NICA's 2023 Annual Report here

Visit the Independence Youth Cycling or Yo! Just Ride websites