Want to go Fangs Out and become a Singletrack Serpent!? We are currently recruiting new athletes for our 2024 season. Here is what to expect when joining our team!
ABOUT US:
We are a Cross Country Mountain Bike team for 6th-12th graders in the Mid Ohio Valley. Cross country is a specific form of cycling different from road riding, downhill racing, BMX, cyclocross, or track racing. This style of riding requires a broad range of skills to ride up and down singletrack mountain bike trails. Team members will develop both technical skills and improve their fitness through riding. Our team competes in cross country style racing across West Virginia. Everyone rides! There are no tryouts, no sitting on the bench. Everyone participates! We have club and race team options. Racing is not required to join the team, you can just come ride!
RCSS coaches receive background checks and are trained per NICA standards in concussion awareness, risk management, first aid and CPR.
REGISTRATION:
All student-athletes must register in two places. The first is the “NICA PitZone” located here. If you have any questions about PitZone, here is the link to the PitZone FAQ’s. Riders and Coaches MUST be registered in PitZone to participate in any team events. For your first event, there is a waiver you can sign to try it out, but after that you must register. It must say “Yes” in the “Practice Ready” slot for you to be able to ride.
The second place you’ll need to register is our SportEasy page. We use SportEasy for all team management and communications. It shows practice schedule, race and event schedules and allows team members, coaches and parents to communicate with each other with ease. This is cost free. We recommend you download the SportEasy app onto our smartphone to not miss any communication.
FEES:
Each student athlete pays a total of $100 that goes to NICA and the West Virginia Interscholastic League to participate in the season no matter if you plan to race or not. Race fees are an extra $50 a race. Any NICA camps or programs are an additional fee. None of these fees include jerseys, equipment or are allocated to our team in anyway. These fees help cover cost of insurance, league operations and administration.
PRACTICES:
We will hold no more than 6 events in the pre season (April 1st-June 30th) to ensure athletes are prepared for the regular season. Events include but are not limited to meet and greets with coaches, bike and helmet fit checks, bicycle mechanics, on-the-bike skills sessions and bike games. Check our SportEasy and Facebook page for those events.
Regular season starts July 1st and runs through October 31st. Our first official practice of the 2022 season will be July 6th. We will offer practice 2-3 times a week and we use the SportEasy app to notify of any changes or cancellations due to the weather or other circumstances with a 2 hour heads up.
PARTICIPATION:
We don’t require you to come to every practice. We understand you may be involved in other extra curricular activities and want you to be active. This is why we hold many practices throughout the week to give you options that fit your schedule! The minimum we ask is once a week, twice if you’re racing. Practices will be held on Wednesday evenings in Marietta, altering between the Rudolph Trails and the Broughton Trails, and Thursday evenings at Mountwood Park. If we have them, weekend practices will alternate locations.
EQUIPMENT:
Riders will need to have their own mountain bike and are required to wear helmets and closed-toe shoes when riding. Gloves and safety glasses are strongly recommended. Riders must carry their own water, nutrition, medications, spare tube, mini pump, and be properly dressed for the weather at all practices. Please have a riding jacket for wet or cool rides. Each rider is responsible for having and maintaining their own mountain bike. Every rider should establish a relationship with our local bike shop for bike tunes, equipment maintenance and questions. The Marietta Adventure Company offers a discount to NICA athletes for parts and accessories. There are also benefits that offer discounts through NICA, to learn more about that click here! Not only that, but our local bike shop offers great benefits to our student-athletes and our level 2 & 3 coaches! More info on that here!
RACES:
Again, racing is optional but encouraged. Parents and athletes are responsible for providing their own transportation to and from all the races. Most families and coaches camp on-site at the races. Races are two day events, with course pre rides happening on Saturday afternoon and race day is Sunday. Riders who do not race can still attend and ride Saturday with the team without paying race fees! Its a great experience everyone on the team should enjoy!
To learn more about what NICA programs there are outside of racing click here!
FANGS OUT!
You’ll see this a lot as a kudos or a cheer in communications and when we are together as a team! When Serpents are ready to attack, they get their Fangs Out! We yell it while holding up two fingers on each hand slightly bent to represent the fangs of a snake! Its fun and silly and its a blast to chant!
QUESTIONS?
The coaches are here to help! Please do not hesitate to reach out if you have any questions! Its a lot of info, especially if this is your first season, but we’re here to help make it fun and simple! You can email singletrack.serpents@gmail.com or contact us through the SportEasy app.
River Cities Singletrack Serpents 