When you think back on your elementary, middle, and high school days, odds are you can think of an outstanding and impactful teacher you encountered along the way. We can confidently assume that Paul D. is that influential teacher to so many of the students he's taught throughout his career as a Physical Education teacher in Northern California.
Paul has spent the majority of his life teaching others to live actively. He kicked off his career in the personal training field, where he taught folks in their 30s, 40s, and 50s how to reclaim the spark for life that they once had as a kid. During his time as a personal trainer, Paul realized that some of the not-so-great habits his clients developed growing up could have been avoided completely, had they learned about the importance of staying active when they were young.
After having that realization, Paul switched career paths and became a Physical Education teacher. He wanted to teach kids to be fit for a lifetime, not just in the present, or in order to excel in athletics. He wants them to stay active for the sake of leading a healthy and active life.
Paul completed his undergraduate Physical Education degree at Sacramento State University, and earned his California teaching credentials soon after. He then became a gym teacher at Yolo High School, and realized that educating kids was exactly what he was meant to do.
Early on in his Yolo days, Paul noticed that his students loved to play handball, which happened to be one of his favorite pastimes. He quickly turned the community's interest in the sport into an entire Yolo handball program: providing proper equipment, rule guidance, and scheduled tournaments! The kids' participation in his handball program skyrocketed almost immediately once he got the ball rolling.
Handball is a sport anyone can pick up and learn fairly quickly, which is why Paul loved it so much. It was perfect for his students who hadn't grown up playing competitive sports.
Later on in life, Paul experienced not one, but two torn ACLs while teaching and playing sports. These injuries set him back a bit in terms of staying active, and that is when the idea of an electric bike came into his mind.
For Paul, "biking has always meant enjoyment and freedom, and it's great not only physically, but also mentally." Being able to take off with the twist of a throttle takes Paul back to when he was a little kid, riding around Sacramento without a care in the world. He holds that sense of freedom and lightness near and dear to his heart, and we are so glad to be a small part of his awesome journey.
eBiking can mean a whole lot more to people than simply a way to get around. It can mean freedom, fun, immersion in nature, and autonomy to so many as well. We are extremely thankful to have awesome educators and people like Paul riding our eBikes, and can't wait to see the adventures to come on this epic journey.
Check out the video below for a first-hand look into Paul's life!