Cheslik (second from right) participates in a cycling competition.
Cheslik is also coaching Calvary’s Cross Country team (left to right: Josiah Stout, Adam Weeks, Cheslik, Bethany Cathcart and Kara Adams).
Cheslik says Calvary course taught him to train his mind for endurance
Tyler Cheslik, a Business Administration and Sports Management student at Calvary, placed second in the Missouri State Championship Criterium. The criterium, a bike race consisting of several laps around a 1- or 2-mile circuit, took place August 23. Cheslik, who has been cycling competitively for five years, “was second in the race in the Pro/Category 1/2… [and] first in the state of Missouri.”
Cheslik said his interest in cycling started when “my youth pastor let me try out his road bike, and I really enjoyed it… so I decided to buy my own.” Now he competes on a regular basis while pursuing his bachelor’s degree, working as lieutenant on Calvary’s security team, and coaching the cross-country club team.
Looking at his time studying Business Administration and Sports Management, Cheslik said, “There’s a lot of things I learned at Calvary that influence the way I race.” He referenced a Sports Psychology class taught by coach Tressa Shoemaker and said, “It taught me about the perseverance of the mind” and how to train his mind for the endurance competitive cycling requires. The 2020 cycling season is winding down, but Cheslik looks forward to the 2021 season, where he plans to “Pursue more high-level events where more pro teams are competing… I’m planning on doing more of the USA [Criterium] Series that all the pro teams are going to be traveling to, and I’ll be at the level now that I’ll be in the same races.”