By Mark Campbell
There are reasons why “Team Arrow” cycling team has always been above the competition.
It could be because MSU has a coach who was a former Junior National Champion who has worked with professional riders. It could be because MSU is located in a very pro-cycling community. It could even be because MSU cycling has great athletes from around the world.
But the biggest reason for success may be that MSU is the only school in conference that offers cycling scholarships. Scholarships give MSU a huge leg up competition-wise.
Team Arrow is a part of The South Central Collegiate Cycling Conference (SCCCC). This conference consists of college teams from Texas, Arkansas, Oklahoma, and Louisiana.
Of the 350 cycling clubs in America, MSU is one of 11 colleges recognized as having a varsity team. A few things distinguish varsity teams from club teams. Not only do they have a USA Cycling licensed coach, but they receive a greater degree of school funding. To be known as a varsity team, one of the requirements is that the team must award at least $10,000 in scholarships yearly.
“The scholarships count for international students as well as out-of-state students and is therefore another attracting force for MSU’s cycling team,” rider Claire Routledge, junior, said.
This lets MSU attract cream-of-the-crop racers.
The recruitment process goes both ways between the coach and the athlete.
Typically junior athletes are the prime recruits. Junior athletes are recognized as cyclists under the age of 18 who race competitively.
The first scholarship was awarded in 1992 due to a large amount of financial support from the Wichita Falls cycling community.
The spark started from Wichita Falls’ Hotter’N Hell Hundred. The Hotter’N Hell Hundred is Wichita Falls’ own annual cycling race. The members of the community suggested a cycling scholarship fund to get better racers to come cycle at MSU. The Hotter’N Hell Hundred jumped on board and scholarships have been around ever since.
It was estimated by the Wichita Falls Convention and Visitors Bureau that an economic impact of $8.3 million was raised from The 2012 Hotter’N Hell Hundred. “The Hotter’N Hell Hundred is the biggest touring race in the nation, maybe even in the world,” Coach Julie Carter said.
Typically, students who show an interest in the cycling team begin as walk-ons. As they progress as an athlete, they are awarded scholarships down the road. About half of Team Arrow’s 27 current riders are on some sort of scholarship.
“We give away $16,000 each year in scholarships,” Robert Clark, Vice President for Institutional Effectiveness, said. “The awards are split in half each semester. If Person A gets $1400 total, they would receive $700 in the fall semester and $700 in the spring semester.”
The scholarship money awards vary from year to year. Similarly, riders on the team do not all receive the same amount. The sizes of the scholarships are decided by a seven-member board.
Clark said the highest amount he’s seen given out was $1,800 in a single semester. Bailey Hess, sophomore rider, says she’s awarded $150 each semester.
The scholarships seem to be paying off. MSU, a Division II school, is ranked 8th in the nation.
MSU is ranked above schools such as The University of Florida, Texas A&M, and Iowa State, according to USACycling.org.
Since MSU is the only school in Texas to offer scholarships, some bitterness from competing schools exists.
“MSU has a stranglehold on the conference,” said Texas A&M racer Shane Haga. He said other schools despise the MSU cycling team because of its status as a varsity team, as opposed to being a club sport like most other schools.
“It’s their choice to go to a school with cycling scholarships, or without cycling scholarships,” Carter said. “I don’t know why other schools don’t invest money into their cycling teams, it really pays off.”
Clark said the reason why most schools don’t give out scholarships and invest into their team is because they lack dedication.
“It takes a lot of dedication to coach a team, do recruitments, and organize races. Thankfully, we have a very supportive cycling community,” Clark said.
Overall, the MSU Cycling Team benefits from its privileges. It shows in the record books, and in the national rankings. Team Arrow continues to zoom past the competition with its superior athletes.