We've got a special note to kick off this edition of NICA News, as NICA Board Member, and 2002 National Champion, Lisa Sher, shares her perspective on the great things NICA is bringing to its female student-athletes and the entire mountain bike community!
Last month we celebrated Women’s History Month, and one of 2019’s themes was #BalanceforBetter, celebrating the idea that building a gender-balanced world creates a more exciting future - and a better world - for everyone. #BalanceforBetter is a theme that extends throughout our individual lives, whether it be on the mountain bike or navigating the day.
As a former Professional mountain bike athlete, and youth sports coach, I’m well versed in both the challenges and opportunities women face in sports. I’ve seen a lot of change and forward progress with the opportunities girls and women have in sport from a young age. This includes the chance to get quality instruction. Kids getting to choose mountain biking as their jam? That’s amazing!
While my generation may have blazed a trail for us rad women of mtb, what warms my heart is seeing young girls getting rad on the trail, or riding dirt with steezy style – the passing of the torch. It’s up to this next generation of women and men to honor the concept of #BalanceforBetter and recognize that EQUITY is not an either/or proposition – it’s an AND. We have to join together and create the world we want to see, which will only be better by getting #morekidsonbikes – and kids of all backgrounds.
BalanceforBetter aligns with NICA’s new core values and our GRiT (Girls Riding Together) Program, which is steadily working towards increasing the number of female student-athletes and coaches in our programs. The numbers of girls and women on the trails has increased dramatically, yet we’d all be served seeing more -more girls on bikes, more features on women in mtb media, and more leadership roles held by women in the bike industry.
Mountain biking builds independence, confidence, camaraderie, and fosters a sense of adventure – and is just plain FUN! I can’t think of a better or more well-rounded sport, where #BalanceforBetter really applies in all dimensions!
Happy Riding,
Lisa