Just 20 percent of participants in National Interscholastic Cycling Association mountain biking are girls. But by 2023, the middle- and high-school program is gunning for girls to make up more than one-third of its bikers.
The nationwide youth mountain biking program started a decade ago in California. NICA now represents 31 leagues, including newly inaugurated teams in places not typically associated with the sport: Kansas, Kentucky, Nebraska, and Ohio.
To get more girls on bikes during an explosive growth period, NICA is doubling down on GRiT (Girls Riding Together). Already underwritten by the Walton Family Foundation, the NICA-embedded awareness program just received a $150,000 infusion from the newly established Rapha Foundation, the U.S.-based charitable arm of a high-end cycling clothing company out of London.
“The bicycle industry and the greater outdoor industry are both male-dominated,” said NICA President Steve Matous. “However there are more women and girls in this world than there are men and boys. We need to move the needle on our industry and broader community — and sooner than later.”
NICA Gets GRiT Funding for Female Riders
Women and girls come to and stay in mountain biking for different reasons than men and boys. Now, GRiT coordinators for each league will ensure that girls get what they need to feel heard, empowered, and supported in the sport.
A “toolbox” includes targeted riding opportunities for girls, moms, friends, siblings, and female coaches. And social rides, camps, clinics, and events are all part of the mix.
Barriers for Girls in Mountain Biking
![NICA-girl-rider NICA-girl-rider](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.gearjunkie.com/uploads/2019/10/NICA-girl-rider.jpg)
![NICA-female-riders NICA-female-riders](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.gearjunkie.com/uploads/2019/10/NICA-female-riders.jpg)
Future of Females in Mountain Biking
![NICA-GRiT-race NICA-GRiT-race](https://s3.amazonaws.com/images.gearjunkie.com/uploads/2019/10/NICA-GRiT-race.jpg)