Coaches License Program

Basic First Aid

Mountain biking is a sport of inherent risks and injuries can happen away from rapid emergency response. Our license program has high standards for first aid training to ensure NICA student athletes (and fellow coaches) receive well trained care and response when emergencies occur. Various amounts of first aid training are required for a RL, AC and HC licenses.

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Wilderness First Aid (only required for Assistant and Head Coach Licenses’)

iWFA is the provision of first aid under conditions where the arrival of emergency responders or the evacuation of an injured person may be delayed due to constraints of terrain, weather, and available equipment. Classes may be offered by your local League, or are available through a number of third parties. Contact your local League Director for details and scheduling. Certification lasts for 3 years. Wilderness First Responder (WFR) certification also meets this requirement.

Professional Development Units (PDUs)

NICA offers a variety of ways to earn the required PDUs.  Leaders Summit (click here for more information) are the first place a coach should look to earn these credits.  The Risk Management and MTB 101 that are required for some of the license levels are offered during these summits.  Summits are held by the leagues annually (check with your local League Director for more details on scheduling). Topics range from Leadership and Management of a High School Team to Working Successfully with Teenagers to Managing Risk and Maximizing Safety to Creating Appropriate Training Programs, as well as MTB 101: Learn the Skills to Teach the Skills. A Saturday/Sunday Leaders’ Summit is worth 9 units (6 units for seminars, 3 units for MTB 101).

Additional opportunities to earn PDUs come from NICA’s Free Webinars, and other online courses with organizations NICA has partnered up with to provide additional coaching education.

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Field Work

Actual hours spent in contact with high school students while engaged in a high school mountain bike program. Various hours of NICA approved field work are required for RL, AC, and HC licenses.

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Coaches Exam

The Coaches Exam is a requirement for NICA Assistant Coach and Head Coach Licenses.  Coaches must complete professional development before taking the exam, generally taken at Leaders Summits.  Below are the links to the exam.  Once you have completed the exam you will be emailed regarding whether you have passed or not.  Only take one exam.  If you are working toward a NICA Head Coach License, take the Head Coach Exam.  If you are working toward a NICA Assistant Coach License or NICA Ride Leader License, you may take either exam.  The Head Coach exam is longer and more difficult.

Head Coaches Exam

Assistant Coaches Exam

Background Check

All coaches and adult volunteers are required to successfully complete a background screening through the NICA background screen provider. The background check is a one-time requirement, though a new background check is required if a coach changes teams.

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Agreement to Participate Waiver (Required Annually)

All coaches and adult volunteers are required to sign and send in an Agreement to Participate waiver each year in order to be covered under the NICA insurance program.  When you register in the Pit Zone you will be directed to a waiver, as well as emailed one.  A waiver can also be found here.  Please email, fax or mail waviers to the following:

- Email: Coach Licensing

- Fax: 510-779-5597

- Mail: 805 Camelia St. Berkeley, CA 94710

$25 Coach License Fee

When a coach is invited to the Pit Zone they will be prompted to go through a registration process, which includes a $25 Coach License Fee.  We realize coaches are volunteers, and are truly the backbone of a League.  The fee is used to help pay for the insurance and administration cost of managing the program.  When you are a returning coach you will be prompted to update and confirm your registration information.  The fee covers one season.