Outride x NICA Eastern Regional Festival
Chazz Robinson and John Glodek at NICA Eastern Regional Festival
Chazz Robinson, Programs Leader, was joined by John Glodek, a veteran Riding For Focus instructor, this past weekend at NICA’s Eastern Regional Festival in Elkton, MD. In its second year, the event drew numerous NICA leagues and teams to participate in a variety of races and adventure rides. The Outride team hosted a booth activation in the expo space alongside other industry brands looking to connect with the next generation of cyclists. Outride and NICA have enjoyed collaborating over the years on our shared mission of empowering more youth to ride and through creating pathways to access cycling and its benefits.
Chazz and John guided many youth and their parents through one of Outride’s signature activations, which asks them to ponder, “What will you Outride?” Designed to help participants understand the social, emotional, and cognitive benefits of cycling, the activity often elicits responses ranging from the humorous – “my sister” – to the deeply thoughtful – “self-doubt.”
Throughout the beautiful mid-fall day, John shared his expertise running the Riding For Focus program at his school in Frederick, Maryland for the past seven years. “NICA’s Eastern Regional Festival & Championship was an amazing event that allowed student-athletes from all over the East Coast to come together and connect over their shared passion for riding bikes,” John said. “It was a great opportunity to be there supporting Outride and sharing our mission to empower all people to experience the social, emotional, and cognitive benefits of cycling.”
We also heard from local educators like Deborah Leedale-Brown, who shared that for her students in the R4F program at AIM Academy in Philadelphia, who struggle with anxiety and negativity, cycling helps them by “getting them outside, getting them at one with nature, and giving them some freedom on the bike, which is just a really cool place for them to be and helps them in the classroom.”
In addition to connecting with families, the event provided the opportunity to collaborate with other industry brands that share Outride’s vision of empowering all people to experience the benefits of cycling. Bob Burns, NICA Board Chair, shared a powerful reflection on the connection between Outride and NICA:
“Well, I see a lot of similarities between what Outride is trying to accomplish in terms of getting kids out on bikes to improve their mental health and physical well-being, and NICA is basically doing the same thing. There are kids from all over the East Coast here, and I haven't seen one kid on a screen. I haven't seen one kid with a frown on their face. I am seeing a whole bunch of kids and a whole bunch of parents, a whole bunch of fun, and overall improvements in their mental outlook, mental health, and physical health. So, I think there's a lot of serendipity and synchronicity between what Outride is trying to accomplish and what NICA is trying to accomplish.”
Despite not having an explicit focus on racing or competition, Outride’s presence at the event reflected our belief in the power of collaboration to build cycling ecosystems that increase access to the activity and its benefits. Through ongoing research, we know that cycling can positively impact well-being, and we apply that learning by seeding cycling programs through our grantmaking efforts to unlock those benefits for all people. Riding for Focus, our school program grant, provides foundational elements to help youth learn to ride safely and confidently. Then, our Community Impact Grant supports beyond-school opportunities, such as participating in a NICA league or joining an adventure ride program like Trips for Kids, building on what they have learned in school. We believe this “ecosystem” approach bridges the gap in access that many face as they become interested in cycling and its myriad benefits. “After speaking with student-athletes, parents, and NICA coaches, we hope to build a stronger connection between Outride and NICA, strengthening that relationship, as well as inspiring new schools, teams, and communities to apply for the Riding for Focus Grant to bring it to their respective middle schools” John added.
Want to bring Riding for Focus to A Middle school Near YOU?
The Riding for Focus application is now live until January 31st. Apply here now.
Are you a current R4F Teacher and want to Get involved with NICA?
R4F teachers interested in bringing NICA to their school can check out resources here.
