When you think of youth sports, baseball, football, and soccer might leap to mind, but probably not mountain biking. That has begun to change since the development of the Florida Interscholastic Cycling Association (FICL) in 2018. The league is part of the National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA) whose mission is to build strong minds, bodies, communities, and character through cycling. The Florida League has 15 teams throughout the state, with the largest right here, the Lakeland Lynx.
Lakeland Lynx consists of 40 riders of all abilities from 6th to 12th grade. They practice twice a week at Loyce Harpe Park in south Lakeland and then participate in five race events held throughout the state, one of which is on its home course. Mountain bike racing through FICL is a spring sport that begins in December and ends in May.
Several features make NICA mountain biking a unique youth sport. First, there are no try-outs, cuts or benchwarmers. On Lakeland Lynx, you will find Florida and East Coast champions, but also riders who had never ridden on trails before joining. All are equally valued. Each rider sets his or her own goals; then the 20 volunteer coaches work to help them achieve those goals.
Second, NICA emphasizes getting under-represented groups out on the trails. Many minority riders are supported through the Pathfinder scholarship program and girls represent 20% of NICA’s overall student-athlete participation. In an effort to recruit and retain even more girls and female coaches, NICA developed the GRiT program which stands for Girls Riding Together.
Activities are designed to increase girls’ awareness of NICA programs by organizing girls-only events for student-athletes, moms, siblings, and female coaches. All NICA teams have an individual GRiT female coach, student ambassador, and junior ambassador.
While FICL produces high-quality mountain bike events and races, it emphasizes the value of participation, overcoming obstacles, camaraderie, and positive sporting behavior over competition. If your 6th -12th-grade son or daughter is interested in making new friends, getting better on the bike, and having fun in the outdoors, please contact Head Coach Kyle Fedler ([email protected] ) or visit their website(www.lakelandlynx.org) for more information about joining Lakeland Lynx Mountain Bike Team.