NICA honors its outstanding participants and contributors from 2014

Carson Beckett (left) and Jordan Horner (right) were presented the Trek All-Star Student Athlete Award by Gary Fisher (center). Fisher is known as the inventor of the modern mountain bike.
Carson Beckett (left) and Jordan Horner (right) were presented the Trek All-Star Student Athlete Award by Gary Fisher (center). Fisher is known as the inventor of the modern mountain bike.

BERKELEY, Calif. – Outstanding participants in high school cycling leagues across the U.S. were honored at the 2014 National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA) Awards, held at the Clif Bar & Company headquarters, Emeryville, California, January 24, 2015. The Guest of Honor was 2014 mountain bike cross country world champion Catharine Pendrel of Team LUNA Chix and the Master of Ceremonies was Robin Farina, founder of the Women’s Cycling Association.

NICA presented awards in eleven categories to sixteen individuals and organizations considered to be the most outstanding student-athletes, dedicated coaches, and the most supportive volunteers, partners and sponsors to have helped advance the interscholastic mountain biking movement over the past year.

John Tilson at the podium after receiving the Volunteer of the Year Award.
John Tilson at the podium after receiving the Volunteer of the Year Award.

“As NICA grows, so does the pool of talent in our organization. I truly am surrounded by greatness, and it is humbling to hear of how much effort and energy our members across the country are expending to build not only the interscholastic cycling movement, but also cycling itself. We have become national leaders in getting youth, and particularly young women, onto bikes and creating life-long cyclists.”

“With wave after wave of NICA alumni going out into their communities year after year, we are changing the face of cycling, and with our current momentum we look to have over 15,000 current student-athletes participating across a significant portion of the United States by 2020.”
Steve Flagg, founder of Quality Bicycle Products and recipient of the 2014 NICA Legacy Award stated in his acceptance speech.

Marshall County High School Mountain Bike Team, a member of the Tennessee High School Cycling League, was fortunate enough to have two individuals receiving awards and recognized for their out-standing contribution and achievement.
John Tillson was awarded the Clif Bar and Company Volunteer of the Year and team member Carson Beckett, received the Trek All-Star Student Athlete Award.

Clif Bar and Company Volunteer Service Award
The Volunteer Service Award honors an exceptional volunteer whose dedication of time, expertise and enthusiasm goes above and beyond to make a difference in the organization. The recipients are:
* Dee Seymour, SoCal High School Cycling League
* John Tillson, Marshall County High School, Tennessee High School Cycling League

Trek All-Star Student-Athlete Award
The All-Star Student-Athlete Award recognizes student-athletes for their outstanding achievements on the bike and potential for future success in competitive cycling. The recipients are:
* Carson Beckett, Marshall County High School, Tennessee High School Cycling League
* Jordan Horner, Burnsville High School, Minnesota High School Cycling League

Following are the rest of the awards and award recipients.

CamelBak Distinguished Alumni Award
The Distinguished Alumni Award recognizes a student-athlete who carries on the spirit of high school cycling beyond their high school years. The recipient is:
* Matthew Zalusky, Minnetonka High School, Minnesota High School Cycling League

Primal Cycling Apparel Race Production Partner Award
The Race Production Partner Award acknowledges an individual whose outstanding partnership role in race productions is key to the success of a league’s race event production. The recipient is:
* Chris Wentz, Director, Event Medical Specialists, Colorado High School Cycling League

Quality Bike Products Community Impact Award
The Community Impact Award honors an individual whose dedication to high school mountain biking has resulted in positive impacts on youth, the community and the organization. This individual is an outstanding representative of the organization internally and externally. The recipient is:
* Richard “Dick” Schindler, Minnesota High School Cycling League

Specialized Student-Athlete Leadership Award
The Student-Athlete Leadership Award honors student-athletes who have demonstrated outstanding leadership, sportsmanship, academic performance and volunteerism in their team, school and community. The recipients are:
* Rita Gutierrez, Eagle County, Colorado High School Cycling League
* Trevor von Boeck, Highlander Racing Composite, Colorado High School Cycling League

International Mountain Bike Association Teen Trail Corps Award
The Teen Trail Corps Award recognizes a student-athlete who has demonstrated respect, empathy and compassion towards other trail users by working both on and off the bike to build awareness and care for trails in the community. The recipient is:
* Cam Eng, Thunder Ridge, Colorado High School Cycling League

Easton Foundations League Founders Award
The League Founders Award recognizes an individual’s commitment, enthusiasm and perseverance and outstanding contributions in establishing and running a NICA High School Cycling League. The recipient is:
* Dan Brooks, Georgia High School Cycling League

SRAM Coach of The Year Award
The Coach of the Year Award acknowledges a head coach whose qualities as a leader and motivator embodies NICA’s mission to provide student-athletes with the coaching and camaraderie to help them achieve both competitive and non-competitive goals in a safe and enjoyable manner. The recipients are:
* Heather Williams, Ogden High School Mountain Bike Team, Utah High School Mountain Bike League
* Morgan Fletcher, Oakland Composite, NorCal High School Cycling League

NICA Legacy Award
The NICA Legacy Award honors an individual or organization for their tremendous philanthropic support of NICA and NICA Leagues. The recipient is:
* Steve Flagg, founder and owner, Quality Bicycle Products

GU Energy Extraordinary Courage Award
The Extraordinary Courage Award recognizes student-athletes who have persevered through challenging circumstances and overcome adversity to develop and excel as a model student-athlete. The recipients are:
* Sienna Leger Redel, Park City High School, Utah High School Cycling League
* KC Fontes, Salinas High School, NorCal High School Cycling League

Top row: Dan Brooks, Heather Williams, Dee Seymour, John Tillson, KC Fontes, Trevor von Boeck. Middle row: Rita Gutierrez, Belita Schindler, Jordan Horner, Chris Wentz, Matthew Zalusky, Cam Eng, Carson Beckett. Bottom row: Sienna Leger Redel, Morgan Fletcher, Austin McInerny (NICA), Catharine Pendrel (Team LUNA Chix). Photo: thecaliforniastory.com
Top row: Dan Brooks, Heather Williams, Dee Seymour, John Tillson, KC Fontes, Trevor von Boeck. Middle row: Rita Gutierrez, Belita Schindler, Jordan Horner, Chris Wentz, Matthew Zalusky, Cam Eng, Carson Beckett. Bottom row: Sienna Leger Redel, Morgan Fletcher, Austin McInerny (NICA), Catharine Pendrel (Team LUNA Chix). Photo: thecaliforniastory.com