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Have questions?

We have answers.

We know you have questions. We have some answers below to those we hear most often. Please contact us if you have a question about something not covered below.

  • What Schools are part of the Ozaukee MTB Teams?
    Our group of schools currently includes Cedarburg, Grafton, and Port Washington and the associated middle schools and private schools which feed into these high schools. All other students in Ozaukee County, including Mequon, Northern Ozaukee, private and homeschooled students ride on Ozaukee County Composite team.
  • What is NICA? What is Wisconsin MTB?
    NICA is the National Interscholastic Cycling Association. NICA is the national organization that helps to create a great infrastructure around insurance, training, racing, practices and so much more for our local teams. Wisconsin MTB is the local Wisconsin NICA league. There are now NICA leagues in nearly every state. Wisconsin MTB runs all of the races, provides local coach training and certification. You can learn more about Wisconsin MTB here.
  • When do we practice (and where)?
    Wisconsin Mountain Biking is a fall sport, starting mid July and ending with a fun ride after the last race in October. Practices are Tuesdays and Thursdays 5:30 – 7:15 PM, and Saturdays vary by location and times. Early season practices in July are at Lime Kiln Park (Grafton) for a few weeks as we build up and refresh our skills. After that, we typically practice at Pleasant Valley Park (Grafton) and Glacial Blue Hills Park (West Bend). Saturday practices might be held at New Fane State Park (Kewaskum), Minooka Park (Waukesha), or other local mountain bike trails. All practices are dependent on weather and trail conditions. It is expected that you let us know if you are coming to each practice (we use an app called TeamSnap), but practices are not mandatory.
  • How old do you have to be to join the team?
    Students entering 6th – 12th grade in the fall can join the team.
  • Can I miss practice?
    Yep. A head’s up to your coach is appreciated.
  • How big is the team?
    In the 2020 season we had 65 athletes and 22 coaches/parent volunteers from all of our teams (Cedarburg, Grafton, OCC and Port). We had 8 female athletes and 3 female coaches (we hope to have equal m/f ratios over time).
  • How do I learn how to ride trails safely?
    Early season practice (first 2-3 weeks) is all done on the grass at Lime Kiln Park. This is a great time to review key bike handling skills as well as learn new ones. We practice in groups on the grass so we can all learn the fundamentals of safely riding a bike before we head to the trails. Many of the skills we practice are via games. We also spend 1-2 practices learning bike path etiquette.
  • How much does it cost?
    The total fees to join the team are $125 which includes $50 WI League Fee, $75 NICA League (national organization fee). Wisconsin League and NICA fees are paid via Pitzone during registration. The $40 team fees are paid cash or check (payable to ‘OCC MTB’) directly to the head coach or team director or via PayPal on the pre-season checklist page. Cedarburg, team fee is $40 per family paid cash, check (payable to 'Cedarburg Mountain Bike Team') directly to the head coach or team director or Venmo @CedarburgMTB. Weekend Festival / Racing is a separate fee. $75 per weekend when pre-registering or slightly higher the weekend of. Scholarships are available! Money shouldn’t be a barrier to having a blast on bikes. The riding kit is optional, but if you plan to race, you will need a jersey as all racers need to race with a jersey representing their team. We may be able to arrange for a loaner jersey.
  • Do I need a $3,000 mountain bike race machine to join this team?"
    Nope, but you do need a solid, well-maintained mountain bike with tires at least 2.2" wide. Through a partnership with Dream Bikes, athletes can rent a bike for the season. Local Bike shops are a great local resource for getting fitted on a bike as well and are very supportive of the NICA teams. The team may also have access to loaner bikes for riders in need. Inquire with the head coach.
  • Can Parents Ride at Practice?
    Signing up as a parent is a simple process involving paying a small fee, undergoing a background check, watching a concussion and risk management video (and a short quiz). Once certified, you can ride with the team all year and even help with the team pre-ride at races if you’d like. With rider numbers expecting to reach 90+ this year, we absolutely need parents to help out at practices, rides, and races. We are looking for a variety of skill levels, so even if you are relatively new to mountain biking but love being around bikes and have lots of positive energy, we would welcome you. Please drop us a line. After completing the above training, parents are considered “Level 1” coaches. Note that we ask Coaches to pay for their own background check and coach registration fee, but coach Scholarships are available!
  • Do I have to race?
    Nope. We encourage athletes to join the MTB weekend and cheer on their teammates as well as pre-ride the course with the team. Camping, friendships and fun are big and important elements of our MTB Event Weekends.
  • Where are the races?
    The race schedule does change from year to year. In the last few years we have raced in Waukesha, Eau Claire, Mt. Morris, Telemark and Wausau. Our State Final is held at Trek Trails in Waterloo, WI. We participate in 5 Event Weekends each season, participation is optional and is a lot of fun whether you race or come for the pre-ride, bike games, potluck, campfire, cheering on teammates, etc.
  • How can I contact a coach?
    Didn’t find what you are looking for here? Drop us a line.
  • I’m an enthusiastic lover of bikes, can I still help the team?"
    Absolutely! We have many humans who help at practice or take on a volunteer role with the team. We are also looking for sustaining financial backers to help so money isn’t a barrier to riding or being on the team. You can donate to the team by using the button below or contact us for more information!

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