NICA Chester

kdebello

Well-Known Member
I was going to post in the Weekend in Pics thread, then I realized I had more words than pics.

My weekend started with heading to Chester Saturday morning for infield setup. I've felt this was going to be a big deal, but as we started hammering stakes, putting up the orange barriers with sponsors logos, it really hit that this was pretty damn cool.

My daughter Katie raced in the 6th grade girls class. She's been looking forward to this for a long time. I thought that I was even more excited than her, but when we pulled up to the field, and she saw all the team tents, the finish line arch, her eyes lit up. She pointed out the CMS Trailblazers tent and said "there's my team!". (Thanks @MadisonDan !!) It brought me back to 1980 and hitting my first BMX national and feeling what's it's like to be a part of a big deal.

We did a pre-ride and cut it off before the climb on the second half of the course. We rode it the week before and knew what was in store on that part of the course. After the Middle School boys races were winding down, Katie and her teammate Emily, who is in the Sophmore class, did a little warmup to get ready to go.

The JV girls went off, then the Sophmores, then it was time for the 6, 7 and 8 grades to go together. Katie was starting in the back, I couldn't really see her at first. The go off and she blasts through and by the time they were going up the hill, she was in second place. She gets her climbing legs from her Dad, so I knew that wouldn't last up the hill, but I was more worried that she wouldn't pace herself and burn out before half way.

Dan and I headed down the hill to watch them after they came out of the single track. We got there in time to cheer on Emily and then we started seeing the Middle School class. I'm not sure how many girls passed us, but Katie kept it up and was still near the front! She goes by at a pretty good clip, we're all cheer and I head back up the hill to see the finish.

The High School girls start filing through for their second lap and a few minutes later, here comes Katie. I didn't expect her so soon and couldn't get my phone open in time to take video. Managed to get 2 pics of her in the finish shute, cheered, then ran to go get her.

As she rounds the corner to the exit chute, she's off the bike, bawling. I had no idea what happened. Thought she had wiped out. We get her to the grass and she's in tears, and can't catch her breath. She kept saying 3 times, 3 times. She has minor asthma, and was carrying her inhaler. I thought that she had taken it 3 times. Ended up she had 3 attacks on the climb but wouldn't stop to take the inhaler. We got her to take a couple puffs on the inhaler, 2 of the moms on the team helped her out as well (THANK YOU!) and she was smiling and back to normal in no time. I think she was more scared than anything, but this kid is super competitive will never give up and pushes until she can't go anymore with everything she does.

1st place, 6th grade girls. 4 best time of all Middle School girls. She had an awesome time and is super proud of herself. She can't wait for the rest of the season. My pics didn't come out as nice as the photogs that were there. She wants us to buy some of these and frame them. This one is from http://www.jamesvanzetta.com/Cycling-Races/2017-NICA-Race-1-Wild-West-Chester/
IMG_9434-L.jpg
 

jmanic

JORBA Board Member/Chapter Leader
Staff member
JORBA.ORG
Team MTBNJ Halter's
Just awesome.
Thanks for sharing. Favorite recap of the day.
It's great to think about this story times how many kids were out there yesterday.

Now get fidodie to rig that inhaler inside that full face and she'all be unstoppable!
 

MadisonDan

Well-Known Member
Team MTBNJ Halter's
I was going to post in the Weekend in Pics thread, then I realized I had more words than pics.

My weekend started with heading to Chester Saturday morning for infield setup. I've felt this was going to be a big deal, but as we started hammering stakes, putting up the orange barriers with sponsors logos, it really hit that this was pretty damn cool.

My daughter Katie raced in the 6th grade girls class. She's been looking forward to this for a long time. I thought that I was even more excited than her, but when we pulled up to the field, and she saw all the team tents, the finish line arch, her eyes lit up. She pointed out the CMS Trailblazers tent and said "there's my team!". (Thanks @MadisonDan !!) It brought me back to 1980 and hitting my first BMX national and feeling what's it's like to be a part of a big deal.

We did a pre-ride and cut it off before the climb on the second half of the course. We rode it the week before and knew what was in store on that part of the course. After the Middle School boys races were winding down, Katie and her teammate Emily, who is in the Sophmore class, did a little warmup to get ready to go.

The JV girls went off, then the Sophmores, then it was time for the 6, 7 and 8 grades to go together. Katie was starting in the back, I couldn't really see her at first. The go off and she blasts through and by the time they were going up the hill, she was in second place. She gets her climbing legs from her Dad, so I knew that wouldn't last up the hill, but I was more worried that she wouldn't pace herself and burn out before half way.

Dan and I headed down the hill to watch them after they came out of the single track. We got there in time to cheer on Emily and then we started seeing the Middle School class. I'm not sure how many girls passed us, but Katie kept it up and was still near the front! She goes by at a pretty good clip, we're all cheer and I head back up the hill to see the finish.

The High School girls start filing through for their second lap and a few minutes later, here comes Katie. I didn't expect her so soon and couldn't get my phone open in time to take video. Managed to get 2 pics of her in the finish shute, cheered, then ran to go get her.

As she rounds the corner to the exit chute, she's off the bike, bawling. I had no idea what happened. Thought she had wiped out. We get her to the grass and she's in tears, and can't catch her breath. She kept saying 3 times, 3 times. She has minor asthma, and was carrying her inhaler. I thought that she had taken it 3 times. Ended up she had 3 attacks on the climb but wouldn't stop to take the inhaler. We got her to take a couple puffs on the inhaler, 2 of the moms on the team helped her out as well (THANK YOU!) and she was smiling and back to normal in no time. I think she was more scared than anything, but this kid is super competitive will never give up and pushes until she can't go anymore with everything she does.

1st place, 6th grade girls. 4 best time of all Middle School girls. She had an awesome time and is super proud of herself. She can't wait for the rest of the season. My pics didn't come out as nice as the photogs that were there. She wants us to buy some of these and frame them. This one is from http://www.jamesvanzetta.com/Cycling-Races/2017-NICA-Race-1-Wild-West-Chester/
View attachment 51259


This.

This is one of the reasons we are all out there volunteering.

Thank you Kevin. Thank you for bringing Katie onto our team. Thank you for riding with us at the practices. And thank you for volunteering even more time this weekend setting up.

These kids had a friggin blast out there. They're finding out for the first time (some of them) what hard work is, and the results it can produce, and conversely what results come from not pushing thru the pain sometimes.

Katie totally went all out beast mode on Sunday.

By the way, buy that photo and blow it up full poster size!!!
 

DownhillR3

Well-Known Member
This is so awesome to see and read! When I was riding/racing in grade school 10 years ago we had nothing like this. NJ State XC Champs had 4 of us at Kittattiny State Park. So glad to see MTN growing in school kids! Would love to get involved.
 

MikeP

Well-Known Member
my daughter was in the sophomore class and also has asthma too....the climbs go to her too, we really didn't prepare for sustained climbing like that. She was upset that she came in 4th and she had to stop completely for a few minutes to catch her breath. The girl that finished behind her came up to her and told her "you're such a great rider, I couldn't catch you", they hugged. It was such a sweet moment. It was a great day for the future of mountain biking. Then we did a full lap at 6 Mile on the at home. Looking forward to race #2
Chester race.jpg
 

MadisonDan

Well-Known Member
Team MTBNJ Halter's
This is so awesome to see and read! When I was riding/racing in grade school 10 years ago we had nothing like this. NJ State XC Champs had 4 of us at Kittattiny State Park. So glad to see MTN growing in school kids! Would love to get involved.

This is the beginning. We're the 19th league nationally. Other leagues have seen on average a 35% growth rate YoY for the first 2-3 years. We have 200+ kids now, so run that out over a few years and that's a ton of #MoreKidsOnBikes

As for getting involved, here's the easiest way......
Volunteers needed for all the races.
Next race is Lewis Morris on May 6th/7th.
Saturday is course setup, Sunday is race.
 

THATmanMANNY

Well-Known Member
very nice. I hope my girl takes up mtb'ing but I'll let her do her. I'm such a sap with parenting stories now.

Is there still a race at 6 mile? Or is that another league? I would volunteer there since it's close to home.
 

Team Town Cycle

Well-Known Member
very nice. I hope my girl takes up mtb'ing but I'll let her do her. I'm such a sap with parenting stories now.

Is there still a race at 6 mile? Or is that another league? I would volunteer there since it's close to home.
This link will take you to the signup dot com page to volunteer for the remaining 4 races, including 6 Mile.

So. Much. Fun. this weekend - many, many "this is why we do this" moments. Kids were so excited - so glad this is finally up and running!
 

Shorepoints

Well-Known Member
There is so much awesome going on with this post I don't even know where to start. I read the Tapinto story and was so stoked to see a Union County kid take the win. Sorry to pivot this to Watchung but Kevin if you and Katie could go to a UC freeholder meeting and if Katie could speak about her experience it would probably do more than 100 of us middle-aged dudes speaking could ever do. PM me if you are interested.
 

kdebello

Well-Known Member
I'm working on being able to get to Elizabeth. An email has also been sent to the Mayor of Berkeley Heights to see if he'd want to speak to us.
 

KenS

JORBA: Director
JORBA.ORG
I spoke to a teacher at a Union County High School today who wants to start a mtb program at the school and build a training loop on school property. Holy cow.

I feel very strongly that the New Jersey Interscholastic Cycling League (NJICL) is the best thing to happen to NJ mountain biking in over a decade, if not since people started riding in the woods. Supported by NICA National, and partnered with MTBNJ and JORBA, this is the future of our sport in NJ.
 
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