PE classes cycle through new biking unit

A bicycle program started three years ago at CVHS with the help of a non-profit organization, Cycles For Change. About six different instructors from the organization come out during the four day lesson to teach students in PE. On the last day, a trip to Lake Chabot awaits the trained students as they get the chance to put their biking skills to use and bike off campus. If you are looking for a new bike then click here to see the best bike of 2017.

“(Principal Blaine) Torpey had an idea about bringing bicycle awareness to our school. He introduced it to our department and we ate it up,” said PE teacher Mark Williams.

The students learn about the safety, laws, hand signals, and the ABCQ checklist all cyclists need to know. Safety includes wearing a helmet and the ABCQ checklist. The checklist stands for Air for tires, Brakes, Chain, and Quick release. No matter how experienced a cyclist may be, if any of these failed to function, trouble would ensue.

Hand signals are crucial ways of communicating when pedaling and sharing the road with others. Bending the left arm in an “L” shape means turning right, and extending the left arm parallel to the ground informs the cars behind that the rider is turning left. To make the hand signal for stopping, an upside down “L” is made with the left arm. This rule also applies to the DMV test.  

“For me, as an experienced biker, the best part about it was hanging out with my friends at Lake Chabot and also just a change of the same PE routine. It also helped me remember stuff that’ll be on my permit test,” said sophomore Jaret Unit.

Considering the positive responses Williams gets each year from students who have taken the biking unit, he hopes for more of these types of classes in PE. The class he wants to add the most to the PE curriculum is a class for walking.

“Not everyone can do bleachers, not everyone can lift weights like these guys…it’s intimidating to see those people with nice six packs but everyone can get involved in walking,” he said.  

In past years, there have been swimming classes taught in PE. However, the time it took to get ready and shower took up most of the class period and made it an overall unproductive period. Being able get out of school and bike to Lake Chabot is a much better use of time.