Collaboration with Georgia Hi-Lo and Specialized Outride!

Multiple 6 week programs.

Sparta, Georgia: Hancock Middle School.

Who participated? Grades 6-8

Hancock County is the least healthy county in the State of Georgia.

In 2024, the percentage of the adult population (age 18 and older) that reports a body mass index (BMI) greater than or equal to 30 kg/m2 (age-adjusted) was 43.6% in Hancock County, GA

🚴 Core Cycling Skills

Balance, braking, and maneuvering: Students show measurable improvements in handling, signaling, starting/stopping, and navigating obstacles after structured training.

On-road readiness: Short-term cycle skills training (4–10 weeks) significantly improved the students ability to ride in groups, scan for hazards, and obey road rules.

🛡️ Safety & Knowledge Gains

Traffic safety awareness: Programs such as Kids Can Bike showed large increases in safety knowledge and helmet compliance among middle schoolers (Chandler et al.).

Confidence in road cycling: Adolescents in 6–8 week training gained self-efficacy and were more likely to cycle independently afterward.

🧠 Social & Behavioral Outcomes

Active commuting: Exposure to school-based cycling interventions (4–7 weeks) increased the number of students cycling at home was greatly increased.

Peer collaboration and teamwork: Group rides and practice scenarios built cooperative skills and shared responsibility for safety.

💪 Physical & Health Benefits

Improved fitness.

Sustained activity: Follow-ups showed participants often continued riding after the program, indicating long-term lifestyle shifts.

Consulting for the NC Series.

Who Participates: 5th-12 Grade.

Consulting on Logistics, Commentary and more.

Assist in growing the mission:
The North Carolina Interscholastic Cycling League was organized in 2015 to provide a fun, safe and high quality mountain biking program for students in grades 5 to 12. With the cooperation of our partners and our sponsors, we provide a positive experience for ALL student-athletes,regardless of ability level, in accordance with NICA’s Five Core Principles:

Fun: Inspiring friendship, joy, and adventure.

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

Equity: Committed to fair treatment, equal access, opportunity, and elimination of barriers to encourage participation for all.

Respect: Consideration for all others, oneself, and the outdoors.

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

The North Carolina League is committed to creating life-long cyclists who are conscientious, responsible and empowered. We believe forming middle school and high school teams is the best way for students to learn to love riding.

Coaching and Consulting for Americas up and coming racers.

Coached hundreds of individual junior racers.

Disciplines: BMX/Road/MTB/Cross and Gravel.

🚴 Technical Riding Skills

Bike handling fundamentals: Balance, cornering, braking, shifting, and maneuvering around obstacles are core skills taught to juniors.

Group riding and drafting: Coached how to ride in a paceline, maintain safe distances, and use slipstreaming effectively is a central skill for racing.

Cornering and descending: We taught how to manage high-speed turns, handle descents safely, and conserve momentum.

🛡️ Safety & Rules

Traffic and race safety awareness: I stress the importance of helmet use, adherence to rules of the road, and race etiquette.

Crash avoidance and recovery: Skills like emergency braking, scanning for hazards, and safe bike control in unpredictable conditions are often included.

🧠 Tactical & Mental Skills

Race tactics: Positioning in the peloton, conserving energy, when to attack or chase, and sprint timing are central lessons.

Focus and concentration: Mental training, visualization, and strategies to maintain focus under pressure are emphasized, particularly in high-stakes races.

Resilience and confidence: Coaches help juniors build confidence in competitive environments, manage nerves, and recover from setbacks.

💪 Physical Development

Endurance and strength: While technical drills dominate early coaching, structured workouts for stamina, sprint capacity, and climbing ability become increasingly important as juniors advance.