What is NICA?

The Texas Interscholastic Cycling League is a Project League of the National Interscholastic Cycling Association, a 501(c)(3) non-profit youth development organization, guided by the core values of fun, inclusivity, equity, respect and community. The league promotes interscholastic mountain bike racing, provides training and education to new teams and coaches, and offers a comprehensive infrastructure to grow youth cycling in a professional, safe and engaging manner.

Who are the Alamo City Femmes, and why that name?

The Alamo City Femmes is the first all-girls NICA team in the state of Texas. “Femmes” is French for “women,” and it’s a word often used in European cycling for races or race categories dedicated to women racers. The San Antonio-based team is open to girls as young as fifth grade.

What does the NICA season look like?

Registration for the 2024-25 season begins Oct. 1, the season begins Nov. 1, and races begin in February. The Alamo City Femmes will hold regular practices on Thursday evenings and Sunday afternoons, exact times TBD and subject to change.

Does my daughter need experience racing in order to join the team?

NO! No experience is necessary. The ability to ride a bike is all that’s required. The Alamo City Femmes will help develop mountain bike skills through practice.

My daughter is interested in some of the elements of the Alamo City Femmes, but we’re not so sure about racing. Is that a requirement to join?

No! Girls may want to join the team for many different reasons. Race participation is optional. The races are conducted by gender and age, but there are opportunities to attend the race — and ride the course — without riding during the competitive portion. It’s possible to “dip our toes in” during the first season to experience the feel of racing through the pre-ride opportunities on race weekends, and the GRiT segments. GRiT is a time when the course is open only to girls.

What equipment is necessary?

The only requirements are having a bike and a helmet. Everything else is optional. Bikes should, at a minimum, be alloy mountain bikes with front suspension. There are a few bike manufacturers that offer significant discounts to NICA athletes, and the Texas NICA league does have a loaner bike program. Alamo City Femmes is actively working to build our personal loaner bike fleet to lend out to our athletes.

Is there a fee to sign up?

Yes, there is a fee of $350 that goes directly to NICA (very comparable to other team sports). For information on what is included in the fee click here.

Is there any way to get the registration fee waived?

Yes, there are several scholarship opportunities available to athletes through various organizations, contact us for more information. Additionally, ACF is actively working towards sponsorship to keep costs as low as possible.

I’m interested in coaching, how do I sign up?

Awesome, we can certainly use your help! The first step in the process is to fill out our coaching interest form, this helps us match your skills to the needs of our team, or the needs of NICA. After we receive your form we’ll be in touch with the next steps.