USA Cycling awards 2008 Centers of Excellence with $20K

Colorado Springs, Colo. (January 2, 2009)— USA Cycling recently recognized 13 regional athlete development programs with $20,000 worth of cash grants through its Centers of Excellence program, the national governing body has announced. Rad Racing of Olympia, Wash. and the Young Medalists of the Lehigh Valley Cycling Club (Pa.) received top honors with award-winners chosen based on organizational criteria and performance results in developing junior and U23 cycling athletes.

Funded by the USA Cycling Development Foundation, the grants were awarded to programs that meet specific structural requirements as non-profit organizations governed by a board of directors with the potential and ability to develop athletes into international-level competitors. The list of recipients again includes several first-time winners along with programs who continue to be recognized for their efforts toward the development of young cyclists.

Since the program’s inception six years ago, USA Cycling has distributed over $120,000 to grass roots development programs thanks to donations to the Development Foundation.

The Young Medalists Cycling Team, operating under the Lehigh Valley Cycling Club (LVCC) received top honors for the second year in a row. The program’s development team structure was formed in 2006 under the LVCC and features 20 junior riders who specialized in road and track events in 2008. Highly focused on national-level competition, the team produced 11 medals in National Championship events, six medals in Regional Championships and 21 medals in State Championship events. The team also racked up an impressive 37 wins in local, regional and national level road races. The Young Medalist’s staff also provides outstanding individual coaching with programs designed specifically for each rider and promotes the three “R”s as a foundation for the team: Rigorous training, Respect and Responsibility.

Another repeat winner, Rad Racing boasts a roster of over 35 junior and U23 athletes who compete in road, track, mountain bike and cyclo-cross events. These riders produced 59 victories during the 2008 season, including 137 podiums, four LAJORS overall series champions, two National Champions and three riders selected for World Championship teams. Rad riders attended both regional and national USA Cycling athlete development camps in 2008 and maintained close involvement with USA Cycling’s junior development program. Rad has also promoted the LAJOR Series in the Seattle area for the past seven years, as well as a UCI level Cyclo-Cross event.

Additional teams receiving grants in 2008 include: Tri-Star Cycling Team (Tenn.), Fulton Flyers Cycling Club (Ga.), Foundation for the Cultivation of Sport (Texas), Team Specialized Junior Program (Calif.), Team Swift (Calif.), Lehigh Wheelman Future Champions (Pa.), Boulder Valley Cycling Alliance (Colo.), Orlando Road Club (Fla.), Team Bliss (Vt.), Des Moines Cycling Club (Iowa) and Track Kats (Ill.). All of these groups have displayed comprehensive development plans for its junior and U23 riders.

USA Cycling recognizes the outstanding work of these Centers of Excellence as they continue to grow the model of athlete development in cycling and contribute to the elevated levels of competition and growth of the sport in the United States.

*Photo courtesy R. Marraccini

About USA Cycling

Recognized by the United States Olympic Committee and the Union Cycliste Internationale, USA Cycling is the official governing body for all disciplines of competitive cycling in the United States, including road, track, mountain bike, BMX and cyclo-cross. As a membership-based organization and sanctioning body, USA Cycling consists of 64,000+ members, including 57,000 competitive cyclists, 1,500 coaches, 4,000 student-athletes, 2,200 officials, 350 professional cyclists, and 200 certified mechanics. USA Cycling also sanctions 2,500 competitive and non-competitive organized cycling events throughout the United States annually, as well as 1,800 clubs and teams. Associations of USA Cycling include the United States Cycling Federation (road, track & cyclo-cross), the National Off-Road Bicycle Association (mountain bike), the BMX Association, the National Collegiate Cycling Association and the United States Professional Racing Organization. USA Cycling is also responsible for the identification, development, support and promotion of American cyclists through various athletic initiatives and programs including the USA Cycling National Development Team, the USA Cycling Women’s National Team, the USA Cycling Junior Development Team, Talent Identification and Regional Development Camps, domestic and international race calendars, direct athlete funding and support programs, and educational camps and seminars. USA Cycling also fields and supports U.S. National Teams for various international events, including the Olympic Games, World Championships, Pan American Games, Continental Championship and World Cups across all levels and disciplines of competitive cycling. USA cycling further supports grass roots and locally-based initiatives through its 32 Local Associations and comprehensive network of licensed and certified coaches and officials. Additionally, USA Cycling conducts National Championship events for amateur and professional cyclists, awarding more than 600 national titles annually to men and women in junior, U23, masters, elite, professional and paralympic categories throughout the various disciplines of competitive cycling. To learn more about USA Cycling, visit www.usacycling.org. For media-related or general inquiries, please contact USA Cycling Director of Communications, Andy Lee at 719-866-4867 or alee@usacycling.org.

This Article Published 2009-01-02 09:51:17 For more information contact: