For this year’s end-of-year fundraising campaign, we celebrate the theme of Be The Why NICA changes lives. At the center of this is how we ensure that cycling is a place for all within our community. 

Check our our newly created League You Tube Channel with student athlete and coach interviews.  Hear what our program means to them and why. The nerdy adults create it but the student athletes make it cool 😎. Or is it rad? Can we say lit 🔥? Is it too late to dab? Never mind....just watch it.

In February 2021, Trek introduced the Pathfinders Scholarship to bring greater diversity, equity, and inclusion to youth mountain biking by providing people of color with the bikes, gear, and resources they need to overcome historical barriers to the sport.

This scholarship was awarded last season to student athletes from Urban Promise Wilmington , a school serving young people in the city of Wilmington.  

We were stoked to have young people from UP be a part of the structure, learning process and team building skills which NICA and the Delaware Dirt Destroyers had to offer. Mountain Biking was a completely new challenge for them.  Although a bit shy at first, Destiny, Joel, Ethan and Carlin quickly grew their skills all while showing determination, enthusiasm, humility and a positive attitude.  As the season progressed we saw them come out of their shell, smile, laugh and develop camaraderie with the coaches and other athletes.  Most noticeably though was the maturity and respect that they showed towards others and themselves. 

We also had the added bonus of some of the the staff and teachers of UP joining us as coaches whom were also new to the sport.  Thank you UP coaches for being present, challenging yourselves and mentoring our student athletes. 

Cycling is for Everyone. If there are any obstacles that would prevent someone, especially a young person from riding, we all should do whatever we can to change that. 

If you have already made a gift this year, thank you for your generosity and support. If not, we hope that you will join us in our end-of-year campaign to Share the Ride.  The funds raised will continue to Get More Kids On Bikes, break racial and gender barriers, and make mountain biking accessible to all.

Let’s continue to invest in our youth, and support and empower them to be part of a thriving and engaged cycling community, a community where youth have fun, build character and where student-athletes encourage and appreciate one another during fun rides, skills building sessions and even competition.

Warmest regards,

Maria and Scotty