From Left to Right: Kenny Griffin (Georgia Founding Committee), Eddie O'dea (Georgia Founding Committee), Austin McInerny (NICA Executive Director), Dan Brooks (Georgia Executive Director), Rick Spittler (NICA Board President). (Image credit: Phil Beckman / PB Creative)
The National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA), a youth development organization governing high school mountain biking in the United States, announced Georgia as the newest state in its nationally-expanding high school cycling program. The announcement was made at a press conference during the annual Interbike trade show in Las Vegas on Wednesday.
"Georgia has a special place in mountain bike history, as the place where the sport was added into to the Olympic program, and we are pleased to welcome the Georgia league into the flourishing NICA community," said Austin McInerny, executive director of NICA.
"Dan Brooks, as a new league director, brings with him a powerful statewide grassroots movement that strongly supports his passion for mountain biking and youth development. Our national NICA staff have already started providing training and support as the Georgia league prepares for its inaugural season beginning March 2014."
"We look forward to working with NICA to bring organized high school mountain bike racing to Georgia," said Brooks. "Mountain biking is tremendously popular in this state, and a lot of students and their families will benefit from the NICA program. Georgia has ample infrastructure to support a high school mountain biking league and our robust cycling community will certainly make this a success."
NICA's mission is to provide high school mountain biking coast-to-coast by 2020 and is well on the way to achieving this goal. With 10 current leagues, NICA has nearly 1,000 licensed coaches who are working with approximately 3,000 student-athletes.
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