Fred Rodriguez and Tom Danielson were on hand at the recent benefit dinner for the Northern California high school mountain bike league series dinner in Mill Valley, California to award scholarships to two lucky young riders as part of the Fast Freddie Foundation’s annual collegiate scholarships.
Gianna Pieraccini and Grant Laceywon each won a $1,000 scholarship based on the combination of scholastic achievements, racing resume, commitment to community service and an essay. Both scholar-athletes are now freshmen at the University of California in Santa Cruz and still racing their bikes.
Every year, the Fast Freddie Foundation gives two $1,000 scholarships to high school seniors who have raced in the league and who will continue their education at university. The scholarships are one way that the Fast Freddie Foundation hopes to encourage young cyclists to continue their education while still racing at the highest possible levels of the sport.
"Allowing kids to go to college without sacrificing their potential as bicycle racers is one of the primary reasons I formed the Fast Freddie Foundation," said Freddie. "When I graduated from high school it seemed impossible to aspire to race on an international level and still go to college; I tried for one semester and then had to make the decision: a college degree or race to my fullest potential. Hopefully with programs like this, we can avoid that decision for the next generation of top American racers."
Tom Danielson is also very committed to making it possible for collegiate athletes to compete at the highest levels. Since he signed his first professional contract, Tom has set aside his own money to fund scholarships and programs through his alma mater, Fort Lewis College.
To learn more about the Fast Freddie Foundation visit FastFreddieFoundation.org.
