Independence Youth Cycling grew out of the highly successful Southern Montgomery Youth Mountain Bike Team (SoMont MTB) program. As an affiliate of the National Interscholastic Mountain Bike Association (NICA) and the Pennsylvania Interscholastic Cycling League (PICL), SoMont continues to serve middle school and high school girls and boys in southeastern Montgomery County, Pennsylvania.
SoMont was founded in 2016 with nine student athletes and 10 adult coaches. By 2020 the program had grown to include 45 student athletes and 25 coaches comprising 10 school districts. As a NICA-chartered team, SoMont’s activities are limited to the official NICA/PICL season that runs from July through October, with limited off-season activities permitted due to insurance regulations from the national organization.
Recognizing the need to expand programs and serve more students throughout the year, the SoMont leadership team created IYC as a way to both continue the mission of SoMont Youth MTB while also creating new year-round activities and opportunities to keep local youth engaged in meaningful physical and social activities.
Happy Living in MontCo interview with SoMont
