Coaches News – January 8

Texas GRiT Student athletes riding together
  • Registration Reminder
  • 2024 Handbook
  • Staging Update
  • Fun Lap Registration
  • Volunteers
  • TeamSnap
  • Coach Licensing
  • Race #1 Aloha at Troy
  • Category Placement Petitions
  • Important Dates

Registration Reminder

PRACTICE READY: Athletes must be fully registered and show as “Practice Ready” in Pit Zone to participate in NICA practices and events. To know if an athlete is practice ready, check each athlete in your team’s Pit Zone to see if there is a “Yes” in the “Practice Ready” column. 

If an athlete has a “No” in that column they are not covered by NICA’s insurace and any coaching activities involving those students are not covered under NICA’s insurance. Please do not overlook this important step. 

Prospective athletes may participate in ONE activity with a parent or guardian signed ONE-TIME WAIVER.

These rules are in place to ensure the safety of our students and coaches. Failure to follow these rules could result in suspension of your coaching license.

ADULT REGISTRATION: Adult volunteers must have a valid level 1 coach license or higer to participate in team practices or work directly with student athletes in an official team capacity. You can verify valid coach licensing by looking for the green check-mark by the coaches’ names in Pit Zone. 

RACE REGISTRATION: Registration for each race closes at 11:59 pm the Tuesday before each race. Late registration will be offered on-site at the race venue on Saturdays between 9 am and 2 pm. A $25 late fee will apply and racers will be placed at the back of the call-ups regardless of their current standings. 

The Aloha at Troy Registration deadline is January 16 at 11:59 p.m.

2024 Handbook

The NICA Handbook provides a thorough overview of the rules and guidelines for all NICA activities and races. Coaches and athletes are responsible for knowing and abiding by all rules, guidelines and the Code of Conduct when participating in any NICA activity or representing NICA. 

The main body of the NICA Handbook has not been amended from the 2023 Handbook. The Texas League Exceptions in Appendix B (Page 76) have been amended and should be reviewed in full. 

Summary of 2024 Amendments

  • LEAGUE STRUCTURE: The League will operate as a Tier I league with two conferences – North and South. 
  • LEAGUE CATEGORIES: Each Conference will have the following categories for both men and women
    • Varsity
    • JV1
    • JV2
    • Freshmen
    • 8th Grade
    • 7th Grade
    • 6th Grade 
    • Fun Lap
  • RACE SERIES: Texas offers a 5 race series. A total of 7 races will be held. Two regular-season races will host both conferences with each conference having its own podium for every category. Two races will host only the North conference, and two races will host only the South conference. This will give each conference four regular-season conference races. The final championship race will host both conferences, and conferences will be combined into one field per category.
  • INDIVIDUAL SCORING: The series winner for each conference will be determined by the best 3 out of 4 regular season conference races, not inclusive of the state championship race. After the last conference race, 25 bonus points will be awarded for completing all conference races. 
  • STATE CHAMPIONSHIPS: Call-ups will include both conferences combined and will be determined by the individual student athlete’s conference series points total, inclusive of bonus points. Podiums will be awarded to the top 10 athletes in each category. The winner of each race category will be declared as State Champion. Student-athletes must have earned points from a regular season race to be eligible to compete in the state championship race.  
  • OVERALL TEAM SCORING: A team’s overall conference placement is based on team point totals from all regular season conference races. State champion teams will be determined by the winners of the State Championship race.
  • COMPOSITE TEAM LIMITS: High-school composite teams will be limited to a maximum of 30 student-athletes. 

Staging Update

We visited some of our colleagues at other NICA leagues in the off-season and learned a newer/better way to stage our athletes. In the past, we have staged by race plate numbers with one big staging chute. Our new method will use call-up numbers and staging gates (write them on athletes’ arms). Both conferences will be staged together for each category. This will allow faster riders to be up front and will provide a better race experience for everyone. Each conference will still have its own podium.

Coaches are responsible for making sure athletes know their staging gates and call-up numbers. We have put together detailed staging instructions. Click the play button below.  

2024 Staging – Public by Kim Topp

Fun Lap Registration

The Fun Lap is back for Season XIII, but registration will look a bit different. 

Athletes who are practice ready in Pit Zone can register for the Fun Lap on-site the Saturday before each race during the open registration widow – 9:00 am – 2:00 pm.

Fun Lap Registration is $25. 

The fun lap is for any athlete who wants to participate but does not want to join their race category. Fun Lap athletes will ride the same race loop and will be staged just like every other category, but will have more flexibility. For example, they can bring a licensed coach with them, ride with friends from other categories, or receive assistance while on the course. 

Fun Lap riders must register and use a Fun Lap plate (9000 series). While we don’t post their times, we do track them and require all athletes to check in AND out with a race official.   

Girl riding a mountain bike with a 9000 plate

Volunteers

No newsletter would be complete without us asking for volunteers. 

Volunteer Thumb

The volunteer signup link is live. Please help recruit your parents and other family members to fill the many volunteer slots required to host a successful race weekend.

HOME TEAMS: As a reminder home teams are expected to fill the majority of the volunteer positions. This is intended to make it easier for everyone. You, as coaches, only have to put the pressure on your teams for one or two races each season. When you are not a home team, you can feel comfortable arriving a bit later and heading home earlier knowing that other teams are helping with set-up or tear down.   

Race #1 Home Teams: 

  • Heart of Texas
  • Steiner Ranch
  • Westlake
  • Vista Ridge

The full season schedule is listed on the race flyer

Team Snap

The League uses Team Snap to send last minute notifications on race weekends. This includes things like schedule changes and rain delays. Additionally, each team can have their own site for team communications. We make every effort to keep our list of teams and coaches updated, but registrations change daily.  Please send any requested updates or additions to mike@texasmtb.org by Friday, January 12. Format the subject as “TeamSnap – Team Name” and in the body list the names and email addresses of anyone needed to be added, modified, or removed. Keep in mind that this is for the All Coaches, North Conf., and South Conf. “teams” that we use to push league communications. Each team will need to manage team and parent rosters within TeamSnap independently. 

Coach Licensing

OTB101

January 20 @ Troy, TX

NICA First Aid: Hybrid 

Hosted by the Expedition School

February 5, 12 and 19
February 13-15
March 4, 11 and 18

Leader Summit: Online

Hosted by NICA National

February 12-15
February 19-22
March 4-7

Race #1 Aloha at Troy

Race 1 Thumbnail

The race flyer is ready. Check it out for all of the details about race #1, the Aloha at Troy. 

This is a NORTH+SOUTH CONFERENCE race. 

Aloha at Troy Coaches’ Call

January 15 at 7:00 p.m.

Meeting ID
meet.google.com/zwi-sjmc-sdd
Phone Numbers
(‪US‬)‪+1 505-445-7935‬
PIN: ‪823 725 456#‬

Category Placement Petitions

Petitions should be submitted to the Texas League Rules Committee using the petition form by Friday at 11:59 PM, one week before the race weekend.

Aloha at Troy Petitions are Due on January 12.

Important Dates

  • January 12: Race #1 Category Placement Petitions Due
  • January 15: Race #1 Coaches Call
  • January 16: Race #1 Registration Deadline
  • January 20: Race #1 Pre-Rides
  • January 20: OTB101
  • January 21: Race #1 – Aloha at Troy
  • January 26: Race #2 Category Placement Petitions Due (South Only) 
  • January 29: Race #2 Coaches Call (South Only)
  • January 30: Race #2 Registration Deadline (South Only)
  • February 3: Race #2 Pre-Rides (South Only)
  • February 4: Race #2 – Wrangle in Warda (South Only)
  • February 12: Online Leader Summit Starts