general information

 

  • Students in Fayetteville, Elkins, Greenland, West Fork, and surrounding towns, who will be in grades 5–12 in the Fall, including homeschooled students in those areas and grades.

  • No mountain biking experience required, but the student should know basic shifting and braking.

  • Registration costs $350 and includes:

    • Membership in NICA National

    • Membership in the Arkansas Interscholastic League

    • Race jersey and Practice jersey

    • Practices 2-3 times a week that include skills training from NICA-trained coaches.

    • 5 weekend events that include adventure riding and racing (optional).

    • No part of this fee goes directly to the team

  • Limited financial aid is available for registration fees.

  • Registration for students opens on April 1. An email invite will be sent out by the team once the student has decided this is what they want to do. Registration will close Mid August.

  • In 2025, we had 93 students on the team with 31 of those being girls. 42 (13 women) parent volunteers were trained to ride with the team at practice. Skill varied from new mountain bikers to State Champions.

 gear information

 

  • A mountain bike with at least 26” wheels (24” approved in some cases) with functioning brakes and shifting is required. Joining NICA gives you discounts on new bikes from several manufacturers. The Arkansas NICA league also loans bikes to students for the season free of charge if needed.

    • Required

      • Helmet

      • Closed-toe shoes

      • Shirts and Shorts that provide coverage in case of tip overs

      • Water Bottle or Water Pack

      • Method to carry a snack

      • Items to Carry on Bike/in Pack

        • Spare Tube / Plug Kit (tubeless)

        • Tire Tool

    • Recommended

      • Gloves

      • Eye protection

      • ‍Multi Tool

      • Pump/CO2 Cartridge

      • Chamois Shorts

      • Hip Pack/Backpack w Hydration Bladder

      • Bike Specific Shoes

      Once you have joined NICA, discounts are available on many of these items.

practice / event information

 

  • NICA pre season is from April through June. In this time period, the team will host a few events like “Give it a Go!” and trail rides. From July 7th through November 5th, the team will attend twice weekly practice and 5 weekend events.

  • While encouraged to attend all, there is no penalty for missing practice. Practices are Tuesdays and Thursdays, Early July to Early November, at Centennial Park or Kessler Mountain Park. Start time is 6:30 PM (may shift earlier as daylight decreases). Sessions last 1½–2 hours. Attendance isn’t required but is strongly recommended, especially early in the season for essential skills and safety.

    We will occasionally practice on Saturdays, but as with all other practices, this is not required.

    • August 22-23 (Location TBD): Race Clinic on Saturday and a Time Trial on Sunday.

    • September 5-6 (Siloam Springs): Adventure riding/practice on Saturday and racing on Sunday. Racing is OPTIONAL.

    • September 19-20 (Conway, AR): Adventure riding/practice on Saturday and racing on Sunday. Racing is OPTIONAL.

    • October 3-4 (Bentonville): Adventure riding/practice on Saturday and racing on Sunday. Racing is OPTIONAL.

    • October 31-November 1 (Fayetteville, AR): Adventure riding/practice on Saturday and racing on Sunday. Racing is OPTIONAL.

 coach / parent volunteer information

 

  • Anyone who wants to help with the team and ride at practice with students can, after completing online training and a background check. No mountain biking experience is required—just the ability to brake and shift your bike.

  • The team will take whatever time you can give back.

  • March 1