What a weekend! The 2026 MICL Coach and Leadership Retreat is officially in the books, and we are still buzzing from the energy brought by coaches from all across the state. From May 15–17, 2026, the Missouri mountain biking community took over Bass’ River Resort in Steelville, MO, for three packed days of skill-building, trail riding, and community connection. Coaches swapped strategies on managing team dynamics, setting up inclusive team cultures, and structuring fun, engaging practices for student-athletes of all levels.
With the 2026 season just around the corner, this retreat was the perfect reminder of why our coaches are the true backbone of the league.
Weekend Highlights
1. Why NICA?
The weekend kicked off with a gathering inside the Stephen’s Riverside Event Center for breakfast and a leadership workshop. The session explored key findings from the Aspen Institute’s Project Play survey to understand children’s experiences in sports. Mountain biking and especially NICA’s programing offers a unique opportunity to meet the needs of kids, especially those who have dropped out of traditional sports programs or have never participated in sports.
Here are some of the key findings from the study and how they can be addressed by NICA programming:
- Elite sports achievement is a secondary motivator. The primary motivators that drive kids to participate in sports are: having fun (48%) and playing with friends (47%). Cycling is a lifetime sport with many opportunties for participation outside of elite level competition. NICA’s programming and mission are centered around the development of a lifelong love of cycling and being active outdoors.
- Winning is valued least by the kids who need sports most. Instead, non-players is are motivated by intrinsic and health factors: they overwhelmingly just want to “Have fun” (43%), “Exercise” (37%), and “Play with friends” (26%). They also recognize the mental health benefits of being part of an active outdoor community. The vision of the MICL and NICA is that every youth have the opportunity to be part of a thriving engaged cycling community.
- Feeling “not good enough” to play sports drives attrition. NICA’s programming is designed to accommodate all levels, with a particular emphasis on creating a welcoming environment that lowers the barriers to entry and promotes learning. Coaches are trained to design and adapt activities and games to be appropriate for all levels of student athletes so no one feels excluded.
- Fear of injury is a barrier for non-players, older youth and girls. Teams are encouraged to offer “try-it-out” or “give-it-a-go” events that focus on learning skills and having fun with the sport in a controlled environment before attempting trail rides. In fact, there is a special league initiative for girls: the MO GRiT Try-it-out weekend!
- Children value coach mentors and prioritize development over victories. They believe a coach’s role is to “Teach us sports skills” and “Develop our life skills” (4.39 average), over winning competitions. NICA coaches undergo in-depth on-the-bike skills training and are encouraged to focus on building strong minds, bodies, character, and community!
How will these findings impact your coaching goals this season?
2. Leveling Up with OTB Skills Training
In spite of the rain, over 90% of the coach training on offer was outdoors this year. A big thank you to everyone who participated for your enthusiam, positivity and big smiles through the chilly rain.
On Saturday, coaches time traveled through the season, sampling skill drills and games appropriate for early season, mid season, and late season practices. In the afternoon, coaches enjoyed the ever popular ride guiding simulation. Ride groups explored the resort, visited scenario stations, and all can probably attest that they experienced the most incident ridden trail ride of their lives!
On Sunday, coaches had the chance to complete first aid training or one of NICA’s on-the-bike skills training courses. OTB 101 courses were led by the MICL’s newest OTB instructors, Jae McKewon, Justin Schroeder, Sara Pointer, and Tanya Williams. A special shout-out to all of them for stepping up in a big way to support getting MO kids on bikes! 🎉
3. Ozark Trail Miles & Campfire Vibes
Of course, it wouldn’t be an MICL event without plenty of time in the dirt and around the fire. Friday evening kicked off with group rides departing straight from the Bass General Store, and both nights concluded the best way we know how: gathering around a roaring campfire to swap trail stories, talk bikes, and share a beverage or two.
A huge thank you!
A massive thank you to all the coaches who traveled out to Steelville, to our incredible Coach Trainers (Dana Morris, Eric Frazier, Mike Burden, and Mike Higgins), our NEWEST coach trainers, and to the staff at Bass’ River Resort for hosting us.
Your energy, passion, and commitment are what make the Missouri Interscholastic Cycling League so special. Let’s use this momentum to make the 2026 season our best one yet!
Are you fully registered in the Pit Zone for the upcoming season? Keep an eye on our Coach Training Events page for upcoming OTB sessions near you!
