PARKER BURGESS J unior Parker Burgess participated in many sports throughout his life, but in December of 2012, Burgess began participating in an activity that he did not have much experience in: cycling. Burgess said that when he arrived at Harding, he was looking for a source of steady activity. He decided to invest in a good bike and began cycling with friends. For Burgess, cycling was a challenging activity that cleared his mind. He said his favorite place to cycle was on back roads because of the beautiful scenery. According to Burgess, he loved cycling partly due to the challenge and reward of pushing through the mental and physical barriers and reaching new levels of endurance and speed. "A lot of times, you get in there, and you get into a routine of a certain time and a certain mileage,'' Burgess said. "When you get to that next level though, it is a huge step. You have broken that threshold, and you can go in there and go a little bit harder the next time." In the spring, 2013 alumna Marci Ingram approached Burgess and his friends about helping to form Harding's brand-new cycling team. They all readily agreed, and a new team was formed. The team was sponsored by the Searcy radio station Cool 104.7 and held several rides or races that served as fundraisers for organizations such as the American Diabetes Association. Unfortunately, the team only lasted for one semester due to many members graduating, but Burgess' passion for cycling never faded, and he was optimistic the team would reform at some point in the future. 2013 alumnus Matt Irvine, who began biking about five years ago, also joined the cycling team in the spring with Burgess. Although Burgess had just begun cycling, Irvine said he was always optimistic and up for a challenge. "Parker is very determined,'' Irvine said. "He always pushed himself, and it paid off. He could do longer distances as time went on, and he always had a strong desire to do better." Irvine went on to say that although Burgess was new to the sport, he maintained a positive attitude and eagerly joined his teammates in the challenging rides. He did not let the other members' experience intimidate him but enjoyed learning from them and having fun as a team. Junior Chris Pollreis had known Burgess for two years and was also on the cycling team with him. Pollreis said that Burgess always had the will and drive to push himself, which was why he was not only good at cycling but was also a great leader. "Parker is a great encourager and biking partner,'' Pollreis said. "He has always been someone who would pick me up when I got to a wall. Parker has always been able to push himself through the barriers that come while biking 50-plus hours [a week]." Burgess said that he hoped the cycling team would be able to ride again in the spring. According to Burgess, it was hard to stay motivated without his encouraging teammates. "Being a part of a team makes it easier because they are counting on you," Burgess said. "I have slowed down on my mileage, which is understandable, but instead of driving places, I usually bike. My friends and I will go to Sonic, but I ride my bike there. It is just a little something extra that I can do to still be in it." Unexpectedly taking up the new activity of cycling proved to be a richly rewarding activity for Burgess, as he participated with friends to challenge each other and grow their strength and passion for their sport. Bethany Nicholson Jessica Bonham Chelsea Bradley Ryan Brown Abby Browning Trey Burch Abby Burck Jonathan Burnett Yuanyuan Cai Janae Callicoat Michael Canterbury Erin Choate Kayla Christopher 135
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