FAQs — PAMTB

Anyone — students, parents, teachers, bike shops, trail clubs, community members, school administrators — can start a team in their local school district or in their community! It takes a small, dedicated group who wants to bring this opportunity to life and find the path to success. This is not a traditional or typical youth sport.

To learn more about types of teams, team registration, and important season dates, visit Start A Team.

There are lots of ways for new and existing teams to recruit athletes and coaches!

Hosting a table at Club Rush (or whatever your school club recruitment day is called) is a great way to garner initial interest. Meeting with the Athletic Director, Administrators, and/or Teachers in order to educate them about your team is another idea. Put an article in the school newspaper, get parents to talk to other parents, send an email to your school’s Boosters Club and PTA, and connect with your local bike shops and cycling groups to spread the word.

We’ve even found that hosting a Try-It event, which gives potential athletes and coaches a chance to give it a try, is a great way to recruit students and adults alike.

For more recruitment resources, such as sample posters and flyers, check out Training & Resources.

Yes, teams are not permitted to practice without adequate insurance coverage! The National Interscholastic Cycling League (NICA) provides comprehensive liability insurance to all teams, coaches, and athletes who officially register with the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Cycling League (PICL).

No. Mountain biking experience is not required, although it is helpful if the student or adult knows how to ride a bicycle without assistance. Throughout the season, new riders are taught the basics of mountain biking, such as shifting and braking, as well as more advanced trail riding skills as the athlete progresses.

Yes. Many local teams offer Try-It events for prospective athletes - these often happen during the pre-season (April 1 - June 30) or early in the practice season (which begins July 1). Also, at the local team’s discretion, athletes may also be able to participate in one actual team practice. Either option requires a parent or guardian to sign a waiver. Due to the requirements of our national insurance plan, this waiver can only be used on one occasion. To continue after that, the athlete must be fully registered in Pit Zone.

Yes. Athletes, whether part of a team or registering as an independent rider, must be fully registered in Pit Zone in order to participate in any NICA or PICL activities. The NICA registration fees are included in PICL’s Season Registration costs. Your PICL Season Registration also includes annual insurance costs.

To learn more about PICL’s Season Registration and all that is included, please visit Register To Ride.

No, team fees are separate from PICL’s Season Registration and are set at the discretion of your local team. Team fees typically cover administrative costs for the team, team gear, team kit (uniform), etc. Your team will communicate its costs to you directly.

March: TEAM & COACH REGISTRATION.

Coaches should begin working through basic coach requirements at this time.

April: RIDER REGISTRATION.

Beginning in April, returning PA riders can log into Pit Zone to register. New PA riders will need to be invited to Pit Zone by their team’s Head Coach or Team Director.

Early May – June 30: PRE-SEASON.

Teams may offer up to 6 pre-season activities during this time to introduce participants to the team and mountain biking. Activities can include bike checks, fun rides, mechanical workshops, and skills sessions. Day camps and clinics are a great option, too.

Early July - end of October: REGULAR SEASON.

Team rides and training activities may commence on July 1 or thereafter. All team rides and other training activities must end two weeks after the final PICL season event.

The answer varies. Each team sets their own schedule of practices and rides, and riders should inquire with their team leadership for these details. A typical team might offer multiple practices and rides to accommodate varying schedules or, if coach resources are limited, practices and rides may only be scheduled once or twice a week.

Though there is no minimum required commitment, it’s not cool to simply show up for races. First, the coaches need to know that all riders are safe to race and cannot be certain of that if they’ve never seen someone ride. Second, the magic of PICL is in the time spent with teammates and coaches, learning, failing, growing, together as a team. Athletes and coaches won’t want to miss that part - arguably the best part!

If you’re considering getting involved as a coach, even if you can’t commit to every practice or ride, you can still help make magic happen on the team in your community. Your contribution may make the difference between whether or not practices and rides happen for the student-athletes. Plus, spending time with the student-athletes is sure to put a smile on your face - they are simply amazing to be around! Check out Become A Coach to find out more.

PICL racing is an inclusive format for youth, offering participants the opportunity to experience and learn discipline, success, failure, and graceful defeat.

Racing in the team environment helps student-athletes learn empathy, humility, flexibility, and resiliency. Student-athletes learn that it takes a village to build a successful racer, as well as to put on a race.

Racing is only one aspect of PICL and athletes are not required to race in order to participate. Other aspects of PICL include Adventure Weekends, Local Dirt events, Teen Trail Corps, and community events that provide all levels of experience and abilities a place to shine. All athletes are encouraged to take part in as much of PICL as they’d like.

Mountain biking is perfectly complementary to other sports - and every participant is invited to engage as much as they’re comfortable and in line with their team rules.

Mountain biking is highly aerobic, zero-impact, develops proprioception, balance, and coordination, and requires limited range of motion….it’s the ideal cross training activity for literally every other aerobic sport! Plus, it’s a fantastic life-long sport that can be enjoyed years after other team sports are no longer an option.

Due to generous donations, dedicated sponsors, and robust fundraising efforts, PICL is able to provide financial aid and scholarships to athletes, coaches and teams who are in need.

Between equipment and funding, the league has directed over $100,000 back to teams this year. The league provides funds to help teams host Local Dirt events and GRiT recruitment camps, and offers a bike giveaway fundraiser where participating teams and the league split the total raised with the league covering the fundraiser costs.

Teams can secure loaner bikes through the DCNR x PICL partnership. Some individuals and teams in the league will also qualify for the Trek Pathfinders bike program.

To learn more about these opportunities, visit Financial Aid & Scholarships.

Yes, we do! Visit our online store for shirts, hats, mugs, cycling bags, and more. For the newest designs, be sure to visit the merchandise table at our events. All proceeds from the sale of these items are reinvested into our programming efforts!

The best way to “get a deal” is to first show what you and your team can do for your local bicycle retailer. Most retailers have discount programs available to them through our great NICA partners like Trek Bicycles, but no retailer is under any obligation to provide those discount programs to NICA teams — and some retailers may not know those programs exist.

Just riding a bike, even if you ride it fast, and putting out some nice FB/IG/Snap imagery doesn’t provide much value to your partners. The best advice we can offer is, don’t go looking for “a deal,” but rather become a friend of your local retailer and partner with them to improve cycling in your community for the benefit of everyone! Help introduce their store to more people where you live!

Get involved in Teen Trail Corps (TTC) efforts to give back to both your local community and the cycling community as a representative of your sponsors - everyone in PICL can and should give at least 1 hour back to trails each month! Bring your friends, your parents, their friends, and more out on rides and show them how much fun this is! Be courteous on the trails, yield to other trail users, greet everyone with a smile and a welcoming “hello.” Embrace the opportunity to represent your partners, as well as your team, community, and league professionally at all times.

If you and your team are a great partner for your sponsor — and this goes for any sponsor, not just the local bike retailer — you’ll find that they are excited to offer you incentives that grow with your mutual success. Now, get out there and find some partners!

Season Registration refunds (less $40 NICA fee and $40 insurance/admin fee) can be issued if a student is injured pre-season, unable to start practices, or has decided to not participate.

Event Registration refunds can be issued for A La Carte events only when requested prior to the event weekend.

All refund requests will be reviewed on a case by case basis. Email registration@pamtb.org to inquire.

Events are held on their scheduled dates unless the trails or race course on the day of the event are deemed un-rideable or dangerous, or if the inclement weather (e.g., lightning, heat index) poses a threat to athletes. If this is the case, the League may choose to do any of the following:

Change the day and/or time of an event or race.
Alter or shorten race courses and/or lap lengths.
Temporarily stop a race.
Cancel an event or race without make-up.

Communication concerning above decisions will be shared in the most efficient manner possible given the particular situation. Possible channels of communication may include:

Live announcements over the PA system at the event.
Direct communication to Head Coaches and Team Directors at the event.
Direct communication to athletes on the start line at the event.
Direct communication to athletes via Course Marshals on the course.
League social media channels.
League email.
League website.

The League will not refund registration fees for changes or cancellations made due to weather.

The League does not allow registration fee transfers to subsequent races or events for changes or cancellations made due to weather.

Note: PA Weather Policy is standard NICA League policy.

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