Frequently Asked Questions
We originally joined NICA in 2012 because we believed that membership would put us in the best position to deliver on a shared mission of youth development through cycling and we still share many of the same overall values today. Through our affiliation we purchased a suite of services from NICA. As with any business arrangement, we were continually reviewing the relationship, the benefits and its costs. We believe this behind-the-scenes shift will enable us to better serve our Arizona-based audience and will ultimately position our nonprofit to build on its success. Our community can expect better programs.
No. The Arizona Cycling Association is a locally incorporated 501(c)(3) nonprofit organization, self-supported, self-funded and self-governed. NICA is a national body that helps develop community-based cycling programs and provides business services to member organizations. NICA was our trade group.
The ACA remains the same organization, operated by the same people who you have come to know over the past decade. The organization is overseen by its own board of directors which continues to provide leadership to secure a bright and long future for the ACA. We remain focused on providing a best-in-class experience that is developed and delivered locally.
No. Your ACA team, our emails and website (arizonacycling.org) will remain the same.
Key contacts:
Mike Perry, President & Executive Director – mike@arizonacycling.org
John Shumaker, Race Director – john@arizonacycling.org
Chris Stewart, Operations Director – chris@arizonacycling.org
Chloe Woodruff, Programs Director – chloe@arizonacycling.org
No. Ending our relationship with NICA actually avoids an increase in participation fees next year. All of the fees for the 2022 season will remain the same as they were during 2021. Financial assistance will continue to be available through the ACA and we encourage coaches to share the opportunity with their teams.
The Arizona Cycling Association will no longer utilize the Pit Zone, NICA’s proprietary platform. We are hard at work partnering with a world-class registration company focused on cycling, sports associations and clubs. The new platform will be custom-tailored to the needs of Arizona student-athletes, coaches and families. Existing information will be migrated to the new system and we expect the platform to be fully functional in Spring 2022.
New coach training materials are being developed, but the framework and license levels will remain largely unchanged. Online courses will be integrated into a Canvas learning management system within the registration coach license management platform. License levels and certifications from 2021 will be integrated into the new system and any completed coach licensing requirements that have not expired or that are not annual requirements will be recognized and transfer into our new system.
General liability and accident protection insurance will provide the same, and in some cases better, coverage.
Absolutely. Teams may have the NICA logo on their current kit or equipment and we don’t expect you to toss anything that has plenty of life left in it. There will be a reasonable transition period. We simply ask that you update your design as you order/reorder items.
The ACA will continue to make available membership benefits through our sponsors and more are on the way. Discounts through NICA end on December 31, 2021.
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