The Friday Flyer • March 3, 2017

CANYON LAKE’S NEWSPAPER • MARCH 3, 2017
Inspections show dam meets safety standards Pg. A4
The 2016 Temescal Canyon High School Cycling Team, pictured above, finished 4th overall in the SoCal League and 11th in the state. Pictured with the team are coaches Robert and Kathy Parks, Shelley Chang (middle school coach) and assistant coach Mario Sanchez. Senior rider Vincent Huggins is pictured at right.
Tournament funds pay for new benches at golf course Pg. A7
Residents invited to glow-in-the-dark Eas- ter egg hunt Pg. A9
Temescal Canyon Cycling Team off to a great start
The Temescal Canyon High School (TCHS) Cycling Team took a 2nd place podium finish in their classification dur- ing their first event of the 2017 season, the Lake Perris Beaches to Boulders race. Sophomore and Canyon Lake resi- dent, Kenny Thomas, took 4th place in his category.
2017 marks the 4th year that Temes- cal Canyon High School’s Titan Cycling Team will be competing in the SoCal High School Cycling League. The team races cross country mountain bikes in a series of competitive events throughout southern California from February to May. Students begin training in Decem- ber.
During the 2016 season, the Titans had four top-5 finishes earning 4th over- all in the SoCal League and 11th in the state. They accomplished this without the added points of having a varsity rider.
Eight of the 11 students who make up this year’s team are Canyon Lake resi- dents. They are: Vincent Huggins, Wes- ley Toups, Ian Sirrs, Casey MacDonald, Jade West, Kenny Thomas, Ethan Clark and Austin Moreno.
The TCHS Cycling Team is coached by TCHS teachers Robert and Kathy Parks. The duo are responsible for as- sembling the first official Mountain Biking Club within the Lake Elsinore Unified School District. Robert is in his 15th year teaching Engineering at the school, Kathy is in her 17th year teach-
ing Health. The pair met at the school and married 10 years ago.
Early in the 2016 season, Robert and Kathy Parks were awarded the Nation- al Coaches of the Year by NICA. They received their awards at a ceremony in Berkeley, which was attended by Olym- pic athletes, presidents of some of cy- cling’s largest companies and many other supporters of high school cycling in America.
Founded in 2009, the National Inter- scholastic Cycling Association (NICA ) develops interscholastic mountain biking programs for student-athletes across the United States. NICA provides leadership, services and governance for regional leagues to produce quality mountain bike events, and supports ev- ery student-athlete in the development of strong body, strong mind and strong character through interscholastic cy- cling.
NICA oversees the 19 state leagues throughout the country. TCHS competes in the SoCal league which is comprised of students living south of San Luis Obispo. During the 2016 season, 1,005 students competed in the league. NICA and the SoCal league are reflective of CIF which governs traditional high school sports.
Students race in classes depending on their grade level. Freshman race fresh- man, sophomores race sophomores. Ju- nior Varsity is composed of both juniors and seniors. Varsity riders are not chosen
by the coach-
es; they must
qualify for the
field based on
their previous
year’s results.
This very elite
field takes only the top 15 percent of all riders.
Races range from 12 to 25 miles in length, depending on the class the stu- dents are competing in. The courses emphasize physical endurance and bike handling skills. Successful competitors excel at climbing.
Female competitors race on the same course as male racers with the only change being in the number of laps they ride. Female riders are a key component to a successful team due to scoring rules.
The Titans compete as a Division 2 team, meaning they can have no more than 11 students on the team. Division 1 teams include more than 12 students with no limit on their size.
Titan Cycling members train 3 to 4 days a week with the team but most stu- dents put in additional time for training. It is not uncommon for team members to ride over 300 miles in a week. Students also receive lessons on proper nutrition to fuel their bodies during the race sea- son.
The team regularly practices at the San- ta Rosa Plateau in Murrieta, on the North Gate trails outside Canyon Lake and at Indian Truck Trail in Corona. They also
the cam- recog-
pep ral- theweekly program
the year- Students can
a varsity let- efforts just like athlete on cam-
travel to many other locations for training as
well. Although
not consid- ered a “tra- ditional” sport at Temes- cal Can- yon, Robert says the team has been
em-
braced by pus being nized at lies, on Titan TV and in book. also earn ter for their any other pus.Atthis
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PHOTO PROVIDED BY ROBERT PARKS