Sarah Elkins, the newly appointed Director of the West Virginia NICA LeagueTwenty-three teams, nearly 500 young riders, and a model that puts parents on bikes alongside their kids. Sarah Elkins, the newly appointed Director of the West Virginia NICA League — the state’s chapter of the National Interscholastic Cycling Association — oversees one of the fastest-growing youth sports programs in the state. What sets NICA apart, she’ll tell you, isn’t the racing. It’s what happens to a family when they’re grinding uphill together. Nobody’s screaming from the sidelines. Nobody’s coaching from the car. They’re just out there doing it.
The growth comes with friction. Trail access is a real problem, particularly in southern West Virginia, where whole communities have little to no rideable terrain nearby. In too many towns, kids still can’t safely ride a bike to school — a baseline gap that shapes who gets to participate in the sport at all. For Sarah, the outdoor economy conversation isn’t just about tourism or recreation spending. It’s about building the kind of infrastructure that changes how kids grow up in this state. The bikes are the entry point. The rest follows.
Sarah is also co-owner of Hammer Cycles in Lewisburg, your local stop for mountain bike service, tune-ups, and gear.
Learn more about the WV NCA League and visit Hammer Cycles
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