As we all have been waiting for registration to open, PICL leadership informed us of what the season is shaping up to look like on a recent Coaches’ Call.

As local bike shops have seen bikes sales in record numbers, we are excited to be able to offer programming for 2020, albeit in a different format we have come to known in the past 5 years. We are excited to see new kids on bikes and hopefully can engage some new athletes to find the lifelong love for riding bikes through mountain biking. Adventure programs will be the ideal way to introduce new riders and seasoned athletes will still be able to participate in a few smaller league wide events through time trial races and local dirt scrimmages.

Plans are evolving, but the important thing is that we get kids out on bikes! Here is what we know:

• Registration will open no later than July 1st
• Practices will begin around July 11th on rotating days
• The points system is on hiatus this year since this will be an “adventure” type year, and the league will not have official races 
• Larger events in the fall might include: 
  • Granite in Lancaster
  • Oesterling Farm in Marysville
  • Fair Hill
• “Local Dirt” events with limited participation are in the preliminary planning stages and might include a scrimmage at Jordan Creek (we’ll need some help putting this together)
• We will work with other regions on potential participation in Local Dirt events outside of the Lehigh Valley
• We expect to see an updated schedule on the July 1st Coaches Call

2020 has enthusiastically been dubbed ADVENTURE SEASON

In addition to the three events mentioned above, the plan is to have multiple small local events throughout the state. These will be actual races with a limited number of racers at each event. Spectators will likely be discouraged in order to keep as many riders at the races as possible. At this point the “Green” phase will allow up to 250 people at an event. 

This is your opportunity as a parent to join as a level 1 coach, as coaches will be allowed at events.

The Local Dirt events, as they are called, will be put on by the local teams and be supported by the teams. For example, we as Lehigh Valley Composite Team might have a race at Jordan and invite SoMont and Keystone Composite. Local dirt can be an adventure ride, time trial, or scrimmage. The idea is that we design an event based on the level of effort. We are being asked to start small, since this concept is new. Local teams will work on the course setup, marking, a limited Pitzone area, and coursework (such as fencing and taping). Lehigh Valley is being encouraged to use Jordan, since we are not hosting an official race, it was a popular event, and much of the work has been done in previous seasons

• Pennyslvania Interscholastic Cycling League fee: $199 to cover administration costs (will be paid in pitzone directly to the league, $75 out of this fee per athlete cover NICA fees and insurance costs)
• Lehigh Valley Composite Team fee: approximately $100
• Event fees for larger events at Granite, Marysville, or Fair Hill: approximately $30

Please share this with anyone who might be interested in joining the team this season.

To register a new student athlete or coach for 2020, please submit the form below or send e-mail to mailto:lehighvalleycompositemtb@gmail.com. Returning athletes do not need to fill this out.