GRiT Texas

What is GRiT?

GRiT Texas is an outreach program of the Texas Interscholastic Mountain Bike League, focused on recruiting and retaining female athletes, coaches, ride leaders and volunteers.

To promote GRiT, develop leaders, and #getmoregirlsonbikes, we have three GRiT leadership roles:

  • GRiT Coach: NICA coaches interested in being GRiT leaders on their team, in their regions, and at the league-level
  • GRiT Ambassador: high school student-athletes
  • GRiT Junior Ambassador: middle-school student-athletes

GRiT Coaches, Ambassadors, and Junior Ambassadors (collectively called GRiT Leaders) are role models who organize, support and encourage other female student-athletes to find joy and empowerment through cycling. They are always thinking about ways to bring more girls into the sport, and particularly girls from all races, geographic regions, and socio-economic backgrounds. GRiT Leaders promote inclusion and are full of stoke for cycling. They are also welcoming, positive, supportive, kind and passionate about life.

GRiT Leaders represent the league and their fellow athletes and are guided by NICA’s core values:

Fun: NICA inspires friendship, joy, and adventure.

Inclusivity: NICA believes everyone should be able to participate in our programs and feel welcomed, respected and supported.

Equity: NICA is committed to fair treatment, equal access, opportunity, advancement and elimination of barriers to encourage participation for all.

Respect: NICA expects consideration for all others, oneself, and the outdoors.

Community: NICA unites diverse people, families and communities through cycling by creating fun and welcoming experiences.

GRiT Coordinators


Maegan GRiT Profile

Maegan Fitzgerald

GRiT Coordinator

Meredith GRiT

Meredith Hill

GRiT Coordinator

Upcoming GRiT Events


Who is part of GRiT Texas?

  • All girls who participate in the Texas Interscholastic Mountain Bike League.
  • All girls who participate in GRiT events.
  • All women who volunteer for the Texas Interscholastic Mountain Bike League as coaches, ride leaders or other roles.
  • All women and girls who support getting more girls on bikes and are committed to helping increase the number of girls participating in the Texas Interscholastic Mountain Bike League

Where is GRiT at the Races?

Checkout the GRiT tent at each race in the Infield.

GRiT Texas Pre-Ride Events

We will host GRiT Rides and Social Events at the races. Details will be posted in on each race webpage and in the singletrack times emails. 

Race Day Tent Activities

  • Our amazing GRiT Leaders work hard to plan out fun and inclusive activities at our tent each race.
  • Tent activies help us reach individuals, teams, build community, and of course #getmoregirlsonbikes
  • We want to increase female involvement in the GRiT community and the Texas Interscholastic Mountain Bike League.

GRiT Leadership Applications

The GRiT Leadership team is an opportunity to develop leadership skills and have an awesome time riding bikes and hanging out together. As part of this leadership development and making GRiT awesome, we are asking that all Ambassadors and Junior Ambassadors fulfill certain requirements for the 2024 season.

We are also in the process of changing the timeline for Ambassador and Junior Ambassador applications and terms, so this will be the last time we open applications in the fall. Starting in 2024, we will open applications March 10 for a term that lasts from August 2024 to May 2025. So please note that if you apply now, you will need to reapply when applications open again mid-season (date, TBD). As part of your application you will need to describe how you have been a GRiT leader and met and hopefully exceeded expectations. 

For the 2024 season, applications closed on November 4. If you applied, expect communications from the GRiT coordinators soon!

GRiT Leadership Team requirements

GRiT Ambassadors (9-12th grade) and GRiT Junior Ambassadors (6-8th grade)

  • Have been a registered NICA participant for at least 1 season.
  • Be an engaged and active member of your local team.
  • Be a mentor to other female student athletes.
  • Demonstrate NICA values in all that you do (inclusivity, equity, respect, community, and fun). 
  • Always adhere to the NICA Student Code of Conduct
  • Attend at least 5 race weekend GRiT events (an event can be a tent activity OR a GRiT ride; if races are rained out we will adjust this as necessary; so for a 5-race season there are 10 possible GRiT event opportunities).
  • Attend at least 80% the GRiT Leadership team virtual meetings. 
  • Lead (with other GRiT ambassadors) a minimum of 2 (two) GRiT tent activities on race weekends during the season. This includes planning, preparing, set-up, execution and clean-up of the event.
  • Sign-in and Sign-out at EACH event you attend. We will have a clipboard designated for this purpose and it’s your responsibility to make sure you sign-in and sign-out at each event.
  • Wear GRiT apparel proudly and often. When asked about your apparel, talk about GRiT.
  • Spread the word! Besides social media and planned events, you can get the word out by talking about mountain biking and GRiT, inviting friends to events, and being a positive role model on your team and in your community. The sky is the limit!
  • Sign-in and Sign-out at EACH event you attend. We will have a clipboard designated for this purpose and it’s your responsibility to make sure you sign-in and sign-out at each event.
  • Wear GRiT apparel proudly and often. When asked about your apparel, talk about GRiT.
  • Spread the word! Besides social media and planned events, you can get the word out by talking about mountain biking and GRiT, inviting friends to events, and being a positive role model on your team and in your community. The sky is the limit!
  • OPTIONAL: Post about GRiT on Social Media. If you have access to social media, post about GRiT and league activities. Talk about a GRIT event, summarize a race, talk about getting #moregirlsonbikes. We will leave the content up to you but take pictures with your GRiT apparel and use the following hashtags (among others if you chose): #txmtbgrit #moregirlsonbikes. Also, please tag @nicagrit.texas and @texasmtb on Instagram!

We recognize that these have changed from our previous seasons, so don’t hestiate to reach out with any questions or concerns you may have. We also understand that life happens and plans change, being proactive and communicating with others on the GRiT leadership team and your GRiT co-coordinators is key!



GRiT Ride

The GRiT Ride is group mountain bike ride that takes place at 3:00 p.m. each Saturday of NICA race weekends. It is open to all girls and women who want to ride bikes in a safe, inclusive, and fun space! You don’t need to be a coach or student athlete to participate, but if you are not registered in PitZone you need to fill out an agreement to participate and a medical release – these will be available at the GRiT tent before the ride.

How to participate

To sign-up, go to the Registration Tent between 9 a.m. and 2:30 p.m. Volunteers will be there to help you get signed up! We always ride in groups. When signing-up you can choose which group you want to ride with. There are 5 groups: 4 groups that will ride a full-lap of the race course and 1 group that will do a half-lap.

  • Ghost Pepper – rides a full-lap at a brisk, fast pace (in previous years this has typically been more advanced riders, often JV1 or varsity, who are using the ride as a pre-ride). Riders should be able to ride a full lap without stopping or putting a foot down.
  • Cayenne Pepper – rides a full-lap at a medium pace, but a little toward the faster side of medium.
  • Habanero – rides a full-lap at a medium pace, but a little toward the slower side of medium.
  • Jalapeno – rides a full-lap at a mild pace (anticipate frequent stops).
  • Bell Pepper – rides a half-lap at a mild pace (anticipate frequent stops)

Beginner Friendly

If you’re brand new to mountain biking, we recommend signing up for the Bell Pepper group that will do a half lap. This is the most beginner friendly option that will give you a feel for what GRiT rides are all about and then at the next ride you can choose a different group or ‘keep on keeping on’ in the Bell Pepper group!

What to Bring

  • Helmet
  • Water
  • Athletic/bike shoes
  • Bike tools (multitool, spare tube, etc.)
  • Good attitude
  • Medical aids (inhaler, epipen, etc.)

Medical Concerns

If you have any medical concerns that could impact the ride, make sure to let your group’s ride leader know (e.g. asthma, bee allergy) and be sure to take everything you might need (e.g. inhaler, epi pen).

Questions

If you have questions on race weekend, just ask!

  • Maegan Fitzgerald (GRiT co-coordinator)
  • Meredith Hill (GRiT co-coordinator)
  • Staff at the registration tent
  • Find a GRiT Coach or GRiT Ambassador and talk to them!