If you live between Forest Lane and Walnut Hill Lane in North Dallas, chances are you’ve passed Jesuit cyclers on your route. Decked out in wind-resistant body suits, sunglasses, and aerodynamic helmets, these road warriors propel themselves around town day after day, often in oppressive traffic. This year, the cycling team plans to defend its Texas High School Cycling League (THSCL) state title, and the (literal) road to the championship runs through Jesuit College Prep.
On Sunday, March 11, Jesuit’s cycling club will put on the Ranger Round Up Road Race, a 42-mile race that crisscrosses Denton, Celina, and Dallas proper. The event is the second of six THSCL spring road races.
Spearheading the event is Andrew Armstrong, a Jesuit theology teacher and the cycling team’s coach. Armstrong is active in THSCL activities, and he is serving as coordinator of the Round Up Road Race. This year marks the seventh straight year that Armstrong, a Jesuit Dallas graduate and former professional cyclist, will coordinate the race. All proceeds from the race will go to funding Jesuit’s cycling club.
The Round Up Road Race is the second of six outdoor road races in the THSCL race circuit. This means that the race accounts for one-sixth of a team’s season points. For the cycling teams in THSCL, Armstrong noted, one race can “make or break” a team’s standings.
Additionally, the Round Up Road Race is the only event in the road race series that is hosted by a high school. In 2006, Jesuit became the first high school in Texas to put on its own state race, and the road race still serves as a model for high school race coordinators. “Since we host the [Round Up Road Race],” Armstrong said, “it becomes our marquee event in the league.”
Bike enthusiasts can thank Mr. Armstrong for reviving the cycling club when he joined the Jesuit staff in 2005. Armstrong, coming off a brief foray into professional cycling, remembers being approached by students about starting a bicycle club. “A group of juniors came to me about being the moderator [for a cycling club],” Armstrong said. “I’m really pleased that students have stayed interested and kept the club going.”
After its founding, Jesuit cycling quickly became a state powerhouse. Last year’s team performed exceptionally well, eventually winning the THSCL State Championship. Armstrong explained that Jesuit’s title was especially difficult to come by because of the THSCL’s point system. “Winners are determined by point standings, which include points on the men’s and women’s side,” Armstrong said. “We were able to win last year without any points [from the women’s cycling category].”
This year, the team hopes to defend its state title and take home individual honors for its cyclists. But, as Armstrong notes, repeating will be easier said than done. “This year will be tough,” admits Armstrong. “The runners-up last year, Little Rock Catholic High School, now has girls on their team…and has grown significantly. It’s going to be a tall order to beat them this year.”
Any readers interested in the Round Up Road Race should check out the link here (http://www.txbra.org/db/events/2012JesuitRangerRoundup2.pdf). For those interested in joining the cycling team, there is still time to sign up. Contact Mr. Armstrong with any questions.
