No team available in your area? Anyone can start a team – parents, teachers, cycling enthusiasts. No experience is necessary; we provide the training and education needed. The ACA has years of experience helping coaches start and develop teams. It takes work, but the process is incredibly rewarding and we want to make it as straightforward as possible. 

Follow these steps to get started. While these steps serve as a guide, you do not need to complete them in sequential order. If you can check an item off the list–go for it!

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  • Email Mike Perry or Chloe Woodruff and let us know you’re interested in starting a team. We will help you navigate the process and connect you with a coach mentor.
2024 DATESEVENTSNOTES
Mar. 1Coach and Team Registration OpensBegin annual licensing requirements
Apr. 1Rider Registration Opens, Pre-Season BeginsTeams may hold up to six (6) preseason events
Apr. 6ACA Leadership Summit, Tempe
Apr. 7Skills Training – MTB 101, MTB 201, & MTB 301
July 1Regular Season BeginsTeams begin practices (up to 4 per week)
Sept. 7-8Race 1 – Fort Tuthill County Park, Flagstaff
Sept. 21-22Race 2 – Pioneer Park, Prescott
Oct. 5-6Race 3 – Secret Trails, Snowflake-Taylor
Oct. 19-20Race 4 – McDowell Mountain Regional Park, Fountain Hills
Nov. 2-3State Championships – Wren Arena, Fort Huachuca
Nov. 17Regular Season Ends
  • Decide who will be your team head coach and team director. While it will be up to your team to determine duties and responsibilities for each role, here’s an example of where to start. New teams may start with a single person fulfilling both roles. As teams grow, leadership should delegate responsibilities and add leadership positions.
  • Review Chapter 6 of Rulebook.
  • Determine your team type – school-based or composite.
    • School-based teams are comprised of full-time students from the same school. Can be an “official” team that is recognized as an official club by the school or unofficial.
    • Composite teams are comprised of full-time students from more than one school within the same district or other geographic proximity.
  • Email your ACA Representative your team leadership contact and type information. This will help us create a team listing in our directory.
  • Create a tentative pre-season event schedule, and in-season practice schedule. Use this practice guide to build out your season (coming soon).
  • Connect with a school teacher or administrator who is willing to be a liaison or future club sponsor.
  • Set-up a meeting with your school to introduce them to the team, the ACA, and answer any questions. You can request an ACA representative attend the meeting, as this can demonstrate commitment for all parties involved.
  • This presentation provides a good overview and the 90-second video gets people excited (download the presentation to play the video on slide 2 or view it here). It can also be useful when meeting with riders, parents and coaches.
  • Ask the school about what it would take to reach ‘official club status’.
  • Keep in touch with your school contact(s). Building school relationships can be valuable for composite teams, too.
  • Create a recruiting flyer. Customizable and ready-to-print options are available in the ACA Team Resources digital folder, or design your own.
  • Establish a simple online presence. Student-athletes tend to use Instagram and parents lean towards Facebook. A team website provides a landing page for prospective riders.   
  • Spread the word!
    • Have a table at the school club fair. Collect names, contact information and emails; hand out flyers and stickers.
    • Attend new student orientations or incoming freshman night; new student orientation at the junior high, as well.
    • Connect with your local bike shop. Besides potentially being an invaluable partner to help keep the team’s bikes rolling, shop employees can be a great source for coaches, and shop customers are potential coaches and often have children who ride, too.
  • Schedule a parent meeting. 
  • Schedule a team meeting.

**All participating students must be listed on your CCN roster to be considered “Practice-Ready”. All coaches must have a Level I license to assist in any on-the-bike activities or directly interact with students.**

  • Review the ACA Racing Apparel Policy.
  • Start your jersey design and ordering process. We recommend using DNA Cycling for their long-time support of the ACA. To get started, email sales@dnacycling.com and look over their product catalog.
  • Publish practice calendar (up to 4 practices per week).