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Youth Racing Team
Youth bicycle racing teams are a novel way to get kids excited about bicycling. Teams sponsored or supported by bike collectives have ready access to bicycles and expert mechanical knowledge. Compared to other programs types, however, such as Maintenance Classes or Earn-a-Bike, youth racing is a relatively uncommon program for bike collectives.
Basics of Bicycle Racing
Bicycle racing is a popular sport worldwide, and spans a range of activities from local one-day amateur races, to international stage races undertaken by professional teams. In most cases, these events are hosted by a race promoter, which can be either a for-profit or non-profit organization. Teams or individuals pay an entry fee to compete in one or more of the races during the event. Teams participating with the backing of a nonprofit such as a local bike collective may receive free or reduced-cost entry.
Different disciplines of cycling, such as road racing, cyclocross, track, or mountain biking will feature different formats on race day, and riders may have an opportunity to compete in more than one race during the event. USA Cycling publishes an online "Encyclingpedia" which provides an overview of common bicycle racing disciplines and answers other common questions.
Sanctioned Racing
A sanctioning body, or sports governing body, "is a sports organization that has a regulatory or sanctioning function... including disciplinary procedure for rule infractions and deciding on rule changes in the sport that they govern. "[1]
USA Cycling
In the United States, bicycle races are sanctioned by USA Cycling (USAC). When a race is sanctioned, riders typically must hold a USAC membership license to participate. Some event promoters schedule a "citizen's race" event during the race day, which would not require a license, but may not be officially sanctioned. Annual or one-day license types are available for riders who wish to participate in sanctioned races. Benefits of USAC oversight include insurance against personal injury, the general backstop of institutional oversight on the proceedings and rules of competition, and access to the advancement ladder of racing licenses. Racers in sanctioned races will be sorted into levels by experience: earning points in lower levels allows racers to advance to higher ranks, which implies a higher level of competition with regard to the speed and skill of the competitors, as well as a possible increase in prizes available to racers.
Within the USAC framework, "Juniors" (youth racers) have separate categories and scoring. Juniors may also choose to compete against adult racers: this is more common in cyclocross or mountain bike riding, where the advantages of smaller, lightweight and nimble riders can outweigh the adult advantage of larger muscles.
High School Mountain Biking
Mountain bike racing for high-school-aged youth has boomed in popularity in recent years. For community-focused bike collectives, high school mountain bike racing could offer an attractive entry point into youth racing, due to its natural alignment with a target population of youth, the local nature of the league orientation around neighborhood schools, and the safety benefits of organizing youth riders on off-road trails instead of on-street road riding, with the inherent dangers from motor vehicle drivers.
The National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA) is a sanctioning body that oversees mountain bike racing for high-school-aged youth in the United States and Australia. The organization was founded in California in 2009 and has experienced a large boost in the popularity of this discipline in the following decades.[2]
NICA does not sanction high school mountain bike racing in every state. For example, the Colorado League was also founded in 2009 and sanctions interscholastic mountain bike racing from Spearfish, South Dakota to Taos, New Mexico.[3]
USA Triathlon
Triathlons also maintain a high level of popularity among the public, and include a component of bicycle riding. Like bicycle races, triathlon events may be sanctioned by USA Triathlon (USAT), or exist as un-sanctioned races run by local or regional operators.
Un-Sanctioned Racing
Non-sanctioned races can include a variety of other bicycle racing formats, including partial "race" events such as fondos or tours. These types of events typically include a front group that intentionally rides fast and competes, which the general public follows behind and simply enjoys the challenge of finishing the course or enjoys the time riding with friends and strangers. This format could be a good introduction for youth learning to ride longer distances and ride with groups.
Other non-sanctioned races could include local, regional, or even national-level events outside the USAC purview. In recent years, gravel has become a major influence in this realm, and many premiere gravel events are not part of the formal USAC licensing system.
Considerations for Youth Racing Teams
As with any type of group riding, safety is a major concern. Any riding program for youth or adults should include a good foundation in bike handling skills, rules of the road, riding etiquette, and skills for defensive riding.
Bike collectives considering the development of a youth racing program should consider how to manage their Insurance obligations to protect against the financial risks of rider injuries.
Examples of Youth Racing Programs
The Bicycle Coalition of Greater Philadelphia, in partnership with Neighborhood Bike Works offers a Bicycle Coalition Youth Cycling (BCYC) program for youth riders and racers in the Philadelphia, PA area.
Boulder Junior Cycling (BJC) is a nonprofit organization in Boulder, CO which offers a highly advanced range of youth racing opportunities, including sending many athletes to compete in World Championships in various disciplines.