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We Need Your Help
We are a volunteer organization and without our rokarents, coaches, and dedicated cyclists our programs wouldn’t exist.
League Core Crew
The League is run by a core staff of volunteers, we are always looking for dedicated individuals who want to contribute their time and professional skills. Roles include race-day positions and behind-the-scenes positions that do not require you to attend every race. Please contact League Director Tom Kruse if you are interested in joining our Core Crew.
Race Weekend
The experience provided to student-athletes is only possible because of the contributions of many volunteers at each race. Please learn more about the various volunteer positions below – most spots are only 3-4 hours. Then click on the red bar below to sign up. Some positions include a free lunch or breakfast – however, if you sign up for a morning AND afternoon shift, you will also receive a lunch on the league!
Volunteer for Race Weekend Positions!
Saturday Positions
Course Setter
All-Day Shift 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM (includes lunch on the league)
As a course setter you will be marking the course for NICA Student Athletes pre-riding and racing. With the direction of the Chief Course Setter or League Director, you will be placing markings to alert riders to turns, dangers and confirm they are on course. You and your assigned course marking partner will ride along the course with a backpack full of course-setting supplies: course tape, signs, zipties and small wooden stakes. Come well prepared with your mountain biking gear, clothing for a range of weather, as well as sunscreen, snacks and drinks.
Bring your bike, helmet & cycling gear.
Infield Setup
All-Day Shift 9:00 AM – 2:00 PM (includes lunch on the league)
Build the infield with a team of volunteers and race staff. A well built infield brings excitement to the event. You will be starting with placing pins and poles for snow fencing and course tape, erecting EZ-UP tents, flags, and banners. Safety is key and we require gloves and eyewear so bring your own or use ours.
Registration Assistant
Afternoon Shift 2:00 PM – 5:00 PM
Greet NICA Student Athletes with a smile as they check-in at registration. This is a great way to meet student-athletes, coaches and parents from other teams. Assist the Registration Manager in collecting race paperwork, payments, and distributing race plate numbers to coaches and student athletes. The process is detailed so staying relaxed and focused is key.
Course Crossing Guard
Pre-Ride Shift 2:30 PM – 5:00 PM
Crossing Guards are vital to protect the NICA Student Athletes and to keep the course clear of spectators and vehicles. Traffic Crossing Guards are stationed where the race course crosses a road and will stop vehicle traffic until a break in the race provides safe passage for both the vehicle and the NICA Student Athletes. Pedestrian Crossing Guards stationed along the snow fencing in the infield area of the race will monitor specific crossing points for spectators.
Sunday Positions
Set-up Volunteer
Morning Shift 6:30 AM – 8:30 AM (includes breakfast on the league)
The set-up volunteer will assist with last minute set-up tasks on the morning of the race. This will be very venue specific, and could include emergency course repairs, setting up tents in the infield, fixing broken course tape, setting up the PA system, and helping the race crew deal with the unexpected. You may also be expected to leave the race venue to pick up last minute supplies, so having access to a car would be helpful. You should also bring your bike and helmet.
Parking Volunteer
Morning Shift 7:00 AM – 9:30 AM (includes breakfast on the league)
Be the first to welcome NICA student athletes, their families, coaches and supporters as they enter the race venue and direct them to their Pit area and/or parking. This is a very important job as you are the first “experience” they have with a NICA race, so remember to have a great attitude and smile on your face as you greet everyone. Often there is just enough space for our growing League to park, so its important to park cars in an efficient manner. After parents park cars you can answer questions while setting the relaxed tone at the race. Be sure to come with layers of clothing appropriate for a range of weather, as well as snacks, water and sunscreen.
Course Crossing Guard
Pre-Ride Shift 7:00 AM – 9:15 AM
Morning Shift 8:30 AM – 12:15 PM
Afternoon Shift 11:30 AM – 2:30 PM
*** The shifts overlap to allow time for training and getting into position. You can sign up for successive shifts without a problem! ***
Crossing Guards are vital to protect the NICA Student Athletes and to keep the course clear of spectators and vehicles. Traffic Crossing Guards are stationed where the race course crosses a road and will stop vehicle traffic until a break in the race provides safe passage for both the vehicle and the NICA Student Athletes. Pedestrian Crossing Guards stationed along the snow fencing in the infield area of the race will monitor specific crossing points for spectators.
General Assistant / “Gofer”
Morning Shift 8:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Afternoon Shift 11:30 AM – 2:30 PM
*** The shifts overlap to allow time for training and getting into position. You can sign up for successive shifts without a problem! ***
This person will be a “gopher” for the NJICL Core Crew – helping out with posting results, registration, volunteer organizing, etc. on an “as needed” basis. Also may be required to leave the race venue to run for lunch, hardware store, office supply store, etc. Be prepared with appropriate clothing and footwear to spend your day on the go, and having access to a car would be helpful as well. You should also bring your bike and helmet.
Registration Assistant
Morning Shift 7:00 AM – 10:00 AM
Greet NICA Student Athletes with a smile as they check-in at registration. This is a great way to meet student-athletes, coaches and parents from other teams. Assist the Registration Manager in collecting race paperwork, payments, and distributing race plate numbers to coaches and student athletes. The process is detailed so staying relaxed and focused is key.
Chief Course Marshal’s Assistant
Morning Shift 7:00 AM – 11:00 AM
Afternoon Shift 11:00 AM – 3:00 PM
Assist the Chief Course Marshal in tracking and communicating with the Course Marshals, as well as prepping, organizing marshals packs and materials, distributing radios etc.
Course Marshal (Stationary)
Morning Shift 8:00 AM – 12:15 PM
Afternoon Shift 11:00 AM – 2:30 PM
*** The shifts overlap to allow time for training and getting into position. You can sign up for successive shifts without a problem! ***
Course Marshals have the most direct role in ensuring safety on the course. Course Marshals stand at key marshal points on the course to ensure everyone is safe and going the right way. Course Marshals have a variety of jobs on top of their primary tasks such as: crossing guard, League representative for other trail users, warning NICA Student Athletes of upcoming obstacles and givers of encouragement. Radios are provided to communicate any problems or injuries. Course Marshals also keep track of any outside support, rule violations and DNFs. Course Marshals can hike or ride bikes to their marshal points.
Roving Course Marshal
Morning Shift 8:15 AM – 12:15 PM
Afternoon Shift 11:15 AM – 2:30 PM
*** The shifts overlap to allow time for training and getting into position. You can sign up for successive shifts without a problem! ***
Course Marshals on bikes! Roving Course Marshals keep the entire course safe by reporting incidents and injuries while circling the whole course or a specific area. Radios are provided to communicate any problems or injuries. Course Marshals also keep track of any outside support, rule violations and DNFs. Please remember your bike and helmet!
Feed Zone Marshal
Morning Shift 8:15 AM – 12:15 PM
Afternoon Shift 11:15 AM – 2:30 PM
*** The shifts overlap to allow time for training and getting into position. You can sign up for successive shifts without a problem! ***
Nutrition and hydration play key roles in keeping NICA students athletes safe and performing their best. As a Feedzone Marshal, you will keep everything running safely, smoothly and positively while guiding all volunteer feeders. The Feedzone Marshal needs to have a good understanding of the NICA rules about the feedzone. “Everyone take one step back,” “No running,” and “Only feeders in the feedzone” are a few phrases parents and coaches come to expect from the Feed Zone Marshal.
Sweeper (“Sweep”)
Morning Shift 8:15 AM – 12:15 PM
Afternoon Shift 11:15 AM – 2:30 PM
*** The shifts overlap to allow time for training and getting into position. You can sign up for successive shifts without a problem! ***
A Sweeper keeps track of a rider wave by riding behind the last rider in their assigned category and tend to any issues that may arise on the course with students in their assigned category. Course Marshals, Roving Course Marshals, Finish Line Support Crew, the Scoring Team and racers all look to the Sweeper to gauge where the last rider in a wave is positioned on course.
Course Marshal Hospitality
Morning Shift 9:00 AM – 12:00 PM
Afternoon Shift 12:00 PM – 2:30 PM
You will be the best friend to every weary Course Marshal and Crossing Guard during the race. Your only job is to ensure that the Course Marshal’s stay hydrated, fed and happy. This will require you to ride your bike delivering “care packages” to all of the Course Marshall points through the duration of the race, so bring your pack, helmet and bike and support the course marshals!
Finish Line Support
Morning Shift 9:00 AM – 12:15 PM
Afternoon Shift 12:00 PM – 2:30 PM
*** The shifts overlap to allow time for training and getting into position. You can sign up for successive shifts without a problem! ***
Finish Line Support Volunteers ensure NICA Student Athletes finish strong and make a smooth transition from competing to reuniting with parents, coaches and teammates. The finish line is often the most hectic and is the most crowded part of the race course. Parents and teammates are crowding around to see their athletes finish and athletes come through exhausted, fatigued, and in need of someone to corral them out of the way. Finish line support volunteers allow athletes a clear, safe exit from the race course. A quick training session meeting at the finish line will orient you in this unique part of the course.
Scoring Assistant
Morning Shift 9:00 AM – 12:15 PM
Afternoon Shift 12:00 PM – 2:30 PM
*** The shifts overlap to allow time for training and getting into position. You can sign up for successive shifts without a problem! ***
The Scoring Assistants provide a critical role to keep track of the action moment by moment using NICA’s proprietary scoring system. The Chief Scorekeeper will guide you and the rest of the team in the positions of Data Entry, Number Caller and Hand Jammer. Be sure to come prepared with appropriate layers for a range of weather, as well as snacks and water we also recommend a hat and sunglasses.
Start Line Staging Official
All-day Shift 9:00 AM – 12:30 PM (intermittent, 30 minutes leading up to start of each wave)
Staging Officials facilitate riders getting into their correct staging location before the start of each race. After signing up at the volunteer tent, Staging Officals arrive at the staging area riders 30 minutes before the start of each wave of race starts. This is a very high-tension area with nervous racers queuing for their starts, and sometimes overly helpful supporters crowding in. Calm but assertive helpers are needed to keep the process orderly so that the races start safely and fairly. These volunteers are free to hang-out and spectate in between starts.
Course Take-Down On Bikes
Afternoon Shift 1:30 PM – 3:30 PM
As soon as the last rider goes on his final lap, we start takedown and clean up of the race course itself. Volunteers who bring their bikes (and helmets!) takedown the course markings and clean up the course, using packs provided by the League to gather up ribbon, signs, and other race-related debris. WE DO NOT START THE AWARDS UNTIL YOU ARE BACK.