Maryland Interscholastic Cycling League

What Maryland Interscholastic Cycling League does

Maryland Interscholastic Cycling League (MICL) is a nonprofit youth sports organization founded in 2017 and based in Ellicott City, Maryland, that operates as an affiliated state league of the National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA). The league delivers organized mountain biking programs for students in grades 6-12 through school-based teams, independent rider programs, and community partnerships across the state of Maryland, with race venues hosted at Maryland state parks including Fair Hill, Rosaryville, Button Farm, Pickall, and Deep Creek Lake. Programming is built around NICA's Five Core Principles (Fun, Inclusivity, Equity, Respect, Community) and a no-cuts, no-bench-warming participation policy, supplemented by sub-programs such as Girls Riding Together (GRiT), the Teen Trail Corps (TTC), and the Adventure experiential education program.

The core product is a seasonal league registration at $325 per student-athlete, which bundles insurance, team practices, group rides, and participation in MICL Fall events, with parallel team fees ($250 or $125 with a leader-summit discount) and coach registrations ($30 plus a background check). Supporting products include the MICL Scholarship program and the Trek Pathfinders Program (a Trek Bicycles-funded bike, gear, and fee package for selected student-athletes), plus a Coaches Retreat/Summit and On-The-Bike 101 skills training. Underlying technology is operational rather than product-facing: NICA PitZone for league and race registration, RaceResult for timing, Zeffy for ticketing, SignUp.com for volunteer scheduling, SmugMug for photo hosting, and Google Calendar for event distribution.

MICL is led by a small core staff of approximately seven people, including League Director Joey Sikorski, Associate League Director Adam Lewandowski, co-founders Jon Posner and Fred Powell, GRiT Coordinator Meghan Quinn, and at-large staff. Revenue is generated through a mix of participant registrations, team fees, donations via a dedicated giving portal, and a tiered corporate sponsorship program (four Platinum, two Gold, six Silver, and one Bronze partners) headlined by Trek Bicycles, Shimano, Clif Bar, Specialized, and Salsa Cycles. The league is in its ninth operating season (2026).

Name

Maryland Interscholastic Cycling League

Legal name

Maryland Interscholastic Cycling League

Website

https://marylandmtb.org

Company type

Private

Founded year

2017

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

1–10 employees

Short description

Maryland Interscholastic Cycling League (MICL) is a Maryland-based nonprofit founded in 2017 that runs organized mountain biking programs for middle and high school students (grades 6-12) as an affiliate of the National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA).

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Youth Sports Programs

NAICS

Sports and Recreation Instruction (61162), Sports Teams and Clubs (711211)

SIC

Services-Membership Sports & Recreation Clubs (7997), Services-Membership Organizations (8600)

akta.pro primary industry

Youth & Scholastic Sports Organizations (K–12, AAU, Club Leagues) (MPAKACAF)

Keywords

• Youth mountain biking
• Interscholastic cycling league
• School cycling programs
• Mountain bike racing
• Youth sports development

Headquarters

HQ city

Maryland

HQ country

United States

HQ region

North America

Offices1 record

Markets served

GTM type

B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Marketing or Sales, Others

Revenue model

1. League Registration Fees: Student-athletes pay $325 per season covering league registration, insurance coverage, practices, group rides, and fall event participation. Coaches pay $30 registration plus background check fees ($38 first year, $11 renewal).
2. Team Registration Fees: Teams pay $250 registration fee, reduced to $125 if at least one coach attends a leader summit event.
3. Donations and Fundraising: Tax-deductible donations from individuals and organizations support scholarships, loaner bike programs, and student-athlete programs including GRiT and Teen Trail Corps.

Pricing tiers

Go-to-market motion1 record

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels5 records

Core offering

The Maryland Interscholastic Cycling League (MICL) organizes and operates a youth mountain biking league for students in grades 6 to 12 across Maryland, providing team-based practices, group rides, and competitive race events under the National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA) framework. The league coordinates school-based and independent teams, certified coaches, and a season-long event series at venues across Maryland, with no cuts and a no-bench-warming inclusivity policy.

Product overview

The Maryland Interscholastic Cycling League (MICL) offers a comprehensive youth mountain biking program for students in grades 6-12, built around NICA's Five Core Principles of Fun, Inclusivity, Equity, Respect, and Community. The core offering consists of league registration, team registration, and coach registration that enable participation in a season of practices, group rides, and competitive race events. Supporting programs include GRiT (Girls Riding Together) for female participation, the Teen Trail Corps (TTC) for trail stewardship, and the Adventure Program for experiential education. The league also provides scholarship programs including its own MICL Scholarship and the TREK Pathfinders Program to lower financial barriers. Additional offerings include the Coaches Retreat/Summit for volunteer development and On-The-Bike 101 skills training.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Products and services

• Student-Athlete League Registration Annual season registration for student-athletes in grades 6-12, covering insurance, full season of team practices and group rides, and participation in MICL Fall competitive race events at $325 per season.
• Coach Registration Annual registration for adult coaches and volunteers working with student-athletes, including a $30 league fee plus a background check ($38 first year, $11 renewal).
• Team Registration Per-team registration for middle and high school mountain biking teams at $250, reduced to $125 if at least one coach attends a NICA leader summit event.
• Mountain Bike Race Events Competitive mountain bike race series for student-athletes in grades 6-12, including individual time trials and mass-start races at venues across Maryland such as Rosaryville, Fair Hill, Button Farm, Pickall, and Deep Creek.
• MICL Scholarship Program League-funded scholarships for first-year participants, funded by donors and Trek Bicycles, applied as store credit toward league fees to lower financial barriers to entry.
• Coaches Retreat/Summit Annual professional development retreat for coaches featuring workshops, first aid training, expert panels, and networking; the combined MD/WV retreat is held at Cacapon State Park, WV.

Quantifiable outcome

• Over 27,000 student-athletes impacted by NICA leagues since 2009
• +2 more outcomes

Named customers2 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles2 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Integration6 records

Partnerships

15 partnerships are on record, tiered platinum, gold, silver, bronze and core.

• ShimanoplatinumGTM or Marketing PartnerPlatinum level sponsor of MICL, providing components and drivetrain products for the league and its participants.
• Clif BarplatinumGTM or Marketing PartnerPlatinum level sponsor providing nutrition products for student-athletes and event participants.
• SpecializedplatinumGTM or Marketing PartnerPlatinum level sponsor providing bicycles and equipment for the league and participants.
• Salsa CyclesplatinumGTM or Marketing PartnerPlatinum level sponsor providing bicycles and cycling products.
• GirogoldGTM or Marketing PartnerGold level sponsor providing helmets and head protection for participants.
• Quality Bicycle Products (QBP)goldGTM or Marketing PartnerGold level sponsor supporting the league with bicycle components and products.
• CamelbaksilverGTM or Marketing PartnerSilver level sponsor providing hydration products for participants.
• YakimasilverGTM or Marketing PartnerSilver level sponsor providing vehicle racks and carrying solutions.
• MaxxissilverGTM or Marketing PartnerSilver level sponsor providing bicycle tires for participants.
• REIsilverGTM or Marketing PartnerSilver level sponsor and retail partner supporting the league with outdoor gear and equipment.
• Gu EnergysilverGTM or Marketing PartnerSilver level sponsor providing energy products for athletes.
• PeopleForBikessilverGTM or Marketing PartnerSilver level sponsor supporting cycling advocacy and infrastructure.
• Feedback SportsbronzeGTM or Marketing PartnerBronze level sponsor providing bike maintenance and repair equipment.
• National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA)coreStrategic or Co-development PartnerNICA is the parent organization providing the framework, rules, insurance, and national programming (GRiT, Teen Trail Corps, Adventure) for state leagues like MICL.
• Maryland DNR / State ParkscoreStrategic or Co-development PartnerMaryland Department of Natural Resources and state parks provide venue access for races and trail work events at locations including Fair Hill, Rosaryville, Button Farm, Pickall, and Deep Creek Lake.

Scale indicators5 records

Recent moves7 records

Expansion highlights5 records

Others

• PeopleForBikes: A Silver-tier sponsor of MICL and the U.S. cycling industry trade association that supports bike infrastructure and policy. Included as a partner/ecosystem peer rather than a direct competitor, but relevant because it shares MICL's mission of expanding cycling participation at scale.

Broad incumbents

• National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA): The national parent organization and governing body for state-level interscholastic mountain biking leagues including MICL. Operates as the framework provider across all 31 affiliated regions and is directly comparable in mission, programming structure (GRiT, TTC, Adventure), and sponsorship model.
• USA Cycling: The national governing body for all competitive cycling in the United States, including youth categories. Comparable as the high-level industry organization overseeing cycling competition, of which MICL's races are a category, though USA Cycling's focus is broader (road, track, BMX, mountain bike) and more elite-oriented.
• Amateur Athletic Union (AAU): The largest U.S. nonprofit sports organization offering amateur youth sports leagues across many disciplines including youth mountain biking. Comparable as an established youth amateur sports umbrella that competes for the same school-age participants and volunteer coaches, though at a much broader national scale.

Direct peers

• Southern California Interscholastic Cycling League (SoCal NICA): NICA-affiliated league covering Southern California middle and high schools with the same race format, team-based structure, and GRiT programming as MICL. Directly comparable as a peer state league delivering identical NICA programming in a different regional market.
• NorCal High School Mountain Biking League: Northern California NICA league serving grades 8-12 with the same inclusive, no-cuts philosophy and race/event structure as MICL. Direct geographic-comparable peer operating the identical league registration, team fee, and coach certification model in a comparable population base.
• New Jersey Interscholastic Cycling League: A fellow NICA-affiliated state league operating in the same Mid-Atlantic region with the same pricing structure, inclusive policies, and team-based competition model. Directly comparable because it serves a similar population density, weather constraints, and rider profile to MICL.
• Tennessee Interscholastic Cycling League: A NICA state league delivering the same interscholastic mountain biking model to Tennessee grades 6-12 student-athletes. Comparable in operating model (volunteer-driven, NICA framework, similar pricing tiers) and growth stage.
• Colorado High School Cycling League: One of the original and largest NICA-affiliated state leagues; offers the same interscholastic mountain biking competition structure for Colorado middle and high schoolers. Closest functional peer because it operates under the same NICA model, pricing tier, and student-athlete/coach registration framework that MICL uses.

Emerging players

• Outride (Specialized Foundation): Specialized Bicycle Components' foundation operating youth cycling programs and grants across the U.S. Functions as a partial-overlap peer because it also grows youth cycling participation through school and community-based programming, though it is grant-funded and broader in mission rather than competition-focused.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks5 records

Key highlights7 records

Customer concentration

• Instagraminstagram.com/marylandmtb
• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/maryland-interscholastic-cycling-league

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Profiles7 records

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Maryland Interscholastic Cycling League