TeamUSA on Standby

By Channing Cash

Since this whole covid19 started, our training and waterways have been shut down. All our races have been postponed or cancelled. Therefore the season 2020 is closed out. The team is kind of on a standby not knowing what to expect. This has been sad news for all of us as athletes. We all have been training so hard for the Tokyo 2020 Paralympic Games. 

Everyday I start with coffee on my standing frame, doing my stretches and meditation. I saw on the news there is a shortage in face masks in the healthcare field, and I saw how many people are volunteering their time at shelters and food pantries. I started thinking about what can I do to help out during this time. I reached out to the healthcare field and the food pantries and I started spending my time sewing face masks and donating them. My mission is to donate as much as I can until this event is over with. I have a lot of great friends who support this mission by offering me materials and funds for the project. I started taking in custom orders too. 100 percent of the proceeds from the face mask donations go to the food pantries here in Los Angeles. This was my way to give back. 

As far as my training goes, I would travel away from the city and go out camping on BLM land just to keep healthy and active. I would paddle on my stand up paddle board on whatever waterways I can find. And course I would load up my Lasher handcycle, which the GoHawkeye Foundation has help me with. I love riding my handcycle. It allows me to get that much more personal and up close to the rocks and plant life when I’m on trails. This bikes means a lot to me. It’s my outdoor therapy. I am so grateful. This really helps me cross train from paddling. I miss my water time and  my teammates but we have to understand it’s better to be safe then risk anything. In the meantime, I’m spending my time wisely. Hopefully, everything will be back to the normal soon and continue on my journey representing TeamUSA!