Dr. Richard “Dick” Schindler passed away more than three months ago, but people are still recognizing his impact on the Austin community.

Belita Schindler accepted the Quality Bike Products Community Impact Award on behalf of her late husband last weekend in California for his role with the Austin Cycling Team.

Belita thought Dick would have been excited about the award not for himself, but to bring more publicity to the team.

“He would have been tickled, but it would never have gone to his head,” Belita said.

Dick was one of several athletes, coaches, volunteers and organizations recognized for their role in high school cycling leagues across the U.S. at the 2014 National Interscholastic Cycling Association (NICA) Awards, held at the Clif Bar & Company headquarters, Emeryville, California, last Saturday.

Dick — who died Oct. 18, 2014, from injuries sustained in a biking accident — played a key role in forming the Austin Cycling Team last year. The team is for grades seventh through 12th, both boys and girls.

Dick’s award recognizes an individual whose dedication to high school mountain biking resulted in positive impacts on youth, the community and the organization. Dick was hailed as an outstanding representative of the Minnesota High School Cycling League internally and externally.

Belita and Gareth Hataye, a coach for the Austin Cycling Team, flew to California last Friday to accept the award.

“It went pretty well,” Belita said. “I was proud to be there.”

However, Belita admitted it was difficult to explain to people who her husband was in a two-minute speech she gave.

Belita was impressed by the other guests and the down-to-earth guest speakers at the awards ceremony.

“I’m glad I went out, just to meet the people that work at the headquarters, and listen to them talk, and see how not-fancy their offices were,” she laughed.

The guest of honor was 2014 mountain bike cross country world champion Catharine Pendrel of Team LUNA Chix and the master of ceremonies was Robin Farina, founder of the Women’s Cycling Association.

In all, the cycling association presented awards in 11 categories to 16 individuals and organizations considered to be the most outstanding student-athletes, dedicated coaches, and the most supportive volunteers, partners and sponsors to have helped advance the interscholastic mountain biking movement over the past year.