Co-Captain Floyd Greenwood
’19 is “the calm presence in the group,” according to Co-Captain Abigail Johnson ’19.
Co-Captain Floyd Greenwood ’19 came to Andover as a new Lower, where he joined the cycling team to complement his interest in mountain biking. He quickly improved over the seasons and now competes in the Boys A level races.
Since joining Andover Cycling, Greenwood has learned the importance of having a close and supportive team environment.
Greenwood said, “Even though we’re all individually racing, [cycling] is very much a team sport. I think I’ve really learned the importance of a team because I’ve always been riding by myself and hadn’t been part of something like this before coming to Andover. Coming to the team really made me feel just how important it is. You’ve got the support of everyone there for you and I really enjoy that.”
According to fellow Co-Captain Abigail Johnson ’19, Greenwood brings to the team his experience as a Senior Outdoor Leadership Opportunity member.
Johnson said, “Floyd and I have actually been Solos together in Outdoor Pursuits, so we’ve actually led groups together for the past few terms. I’m always really impressed by Floyd in that he always seems to be the calm presence in the group and makes sure that everyone stays on track. He centers everyone, and also reaches out so that everyone is being involved. I would say he’s a very rock-solid presence on the team, he’s always present and positive.”
Greenwood looks up to previous captains as role models and hopes to inspire the same passion for cycling in his teammates.
“The past two Captain’s I’ve definitely looked up to are [Jess Wang ’18] and [Isaac Newell ’18] last year, and [David Shamritsky ’17] from two years ago. Hopefully as a Captain I can inspire the people who are still unsure about the sport to really enjoy it and pursue it,” said Greenwood.
According to Head Coach Thayer Zaeder ’83 and Anthony Minickiello ’20, Greenwood is a helpful and encouraging teammate, especially to newer cyclists.
“Floyd brings a generous and helpful attitude to the team. He is fair and open minded, and also able to give suggestions without seeming arrogant. I think Floyd will set a good example of leadership by being on time and eager to help others, as well as showing a willingness to train hard and take pre-race season seriously,” wrote Zaeder in an email to The Phillipian.
Minickiello added, “My favorite things about Floyd as a teammate is that he has a great sense of humor, is super kind, and gives great advice. As a captain, I think he will provide support to members who are feeling unconfident or need to be cheered up before the stress of racing.”
Greenwood’s dedication and work ethic motivates the team to give its maximum effort during practice, according to Grace Hitchcock ’20. According to Johnson, he is always willing to train with teammates outside of practice to help them improve.
In an email to The Phillipian, Hitchcock wrote, “He demonstrates a great deal of resilience and strength at both practices and races, really teaching the rest of the team what it means to push yourself to be the best cyclist you can be… It’s a lot easier to push yourself when you are watching a leader like Floyd do the same, it’s really motivating and inspiring. He brings his dedication and drive to each one of our rides, and that undoubtedly makes the team so much stronger as a whole.”
Johnson added, “He makes sure everyone knows he’s there if they want to go on additional training rides with him. He’s always there for people if they want to talk or continue their training to get better, which I’ve always really appreciated.”
Heading into the season, Greenwood hopes to continue the traditions and fun spirit of the team as a captain.
Greenwood said, “Last year we started hanging up posters on the wall and funny pictures of everyone and at the end of the year. We also made a video compilation of funny moments throughout the season, so I’m hoping to keep that up as a captain. I’m just excited about meeting all the new faces this season.”
