Board of Directors

	Jon Tanklage, President Jon is a Southern Cal native who grew up water ski racing and off-road racing, learning to speed across all sorts of terrain. A long-time recreational rider, Jon began mountain bike racing in 2001. He was the Masters National Cross Country Champion in 2004 as well as a two time California State Champion. He was ranked #1 over-all Expert racer in the United States by NORBA in 2004 and competed in the UCI Masters World Championships. Jon refined his teaching and leadership skills as a water ski instructor in Lake Arrowhead during summers while he was competing a bachelor’s degree in Business at USC. Jon became a USA Cycling Coach in 2005 and will be coaching Rim of the World High School in the SoCal Interscholastic Cycling League. He also coaches the Coates Cyclery/Kaiser Federal Bank Mountain Bike Team and a limited number of private clients. Jon is married and has three children ages 10, 8, and 7.
	Dustin Luton, Treasurer Dustin has always been interested in outdoor sports since his childhood years, but mountain biking did not enter the equation until about 12 years ago. One day he decided to go for a ride on a friend’s spare GT Karakoram. Dustin could barely make it up the local climb without walking. But after this ride, it was all over, no sport could compete with the freedom, difficulty and beautiful scenery that goes with mountain biking. It wasn’t long before he was riding every time he had a spare moment. Again, life seriously changed after his first experience with mountain bike racing at a 24 hour event. The experience hooked Dustin on the mountain bike racing scene for the next 10 years. Since then, Dustin has focused on ultra endurance mountain bike racing and has completed such races such as La Ruta De Los Conquistadores, TransRockies, Cascade Cream Puff and numerous 24 Hour events. Dustin is lucky to have the support of his beautiful wife, Celeste and two children, Hannah and Donovan. They somehow seem to understand his need to get on the bike regularly. When Dustin is not riding his bike or spending time with his family, he is the Chief Operating Officer of Kaiser Federal Bank, a small community bank in Southern California. Prior to this position, he was a partner for McGladrey & Pullen, a CPA and consulting firm.
	Andy Somerville, Secretary Andy has been a bike fanatic for as long as he can remember, and in 2008 after achieving most of his on-bike goals, began exploring ways to give back to his beloved sport. That year he coached a group of Team-in-Training riders to finish their first 100 mile bike ride, obtained a USA Cycling coaching certification and started a high school mountain bike team in Orange County for the inaugural season of the SoCal league. In addition to coaching and managing the Newport Beach Composite high school team along with head coach James May, Andy is also active in promoting Team Duke, the athletic fundraising entity of the John Wayne Cancer Foundation. He was recently named the 2009 Team Duke Athlete of the Year. Two of Andy’s kids are league racers and when he’s not riding, fixing or cleaning a bike, he works as a Marketing professional in the consumer products field. Andy credits his wife Maggie for her undying support of his volunteer activities and her invaluable assistance managing a gaggle of excitable teens on race weekends.
	Celia “Cici” Arenas Cici found cycling in 2002 through the encouragement of her then boyfriend – now husband Andres. She was immediately hooked, and her passion led her to increase her involvement in the cycling community. As a member of the Pasadena Athletic Association Cycling Club she became a Board Member and founded the monthly Ladies Ride, which has had great success and continues to draw more women into cycling. Watching her 13 year old son’s eyes light up participating in his first cyclocross race in 2007, Cici knew Devin had found the same passion she had, but soon learned it wasn’t easy to find mountain bike organizations for youths. “Where will the next generation of cyclists come from?” she wondered. When she heard about the SoCal League she knew she had found her answer. Whether it’s late in life (like Cici) or early on (like Devin), her goal is to help parents and their children, find that passion for cycling and make it easily accessible to everyone.
	Scott Craft Scott comes into the league with fifteen years of teaching experience at his Alma Mater – Rim of the World High School. His true passion is coaching, which he has done successfully for twenty years at Rim. Mostly coaching wrestling, he has lead four CIF teams as well as individual placers to become champions at CIF Masters and State. He fell in love with mountain biking because of the similarities to wrestling such as sportsmanship, physical endurance, mental toughness and the individual and team aspects. Scott has a B.S. in Kinesiology and a Masters in Administration. He is very proud to start the first mountain bike team at Rim High along with Jon Tanklage, who brings his own experience and knowledge of the sport.
	Jonathan Kaye Jonathan couldn’t believe something as great as High School mountain biking existed when he met Paula Rogers and John Tanklage at the CORBA Fat Tire Fest. After five minutes he knew he had to be involved with this sport and started sponsoring the Burroughs High School team. Jonathan enjoys riding with the team and supporting the students at races. He spends his weekdays at Kayo, manufacturing private label clothing for the major department stores. His apparel company is in downtown Los Angeles where he serves on the Board of the Weingart Center. The Weingart Center empowers and transforms lives by delivering innovative solutions to combat poverty and break the cycle of homelessness. After getting his three kids off to college, he and his wife Nancy moved to Malibu to enjoy the quiet nights and beautiful beaches. Jonathan rides the Santa Monica’s from his front door and hangs out with the riders from the Topanga Canyon Bike shop and the North Ranch Bikers.
	Sean McCoy Sean McCoy began his racing career at the age of 4 in the sport of BMX. He raced as an Expert BMXer from the age of 12 to 16. At the same time that he was racing he began competing as an amateur surfer. At the age of 21, when the sport of mountain biking was emerging he began racing mountain bikes in the downhill and cross-country events. He joined the staff of Mountain Bike Action magazine in 1989 as an official tester and staff writer for the magazine. In 1992, he left the staff of the magazine to pursue his dream of being a professional surfer in Hawaii. He became the State’s fifth ranked long board surfer and was ranked 10th in the world. In 1995, he came back to California where he rejoined the staff of Mountain Bike Action Magazine. Since then he has been involved in the sport as both a member of the staff of Mountain Bike Action and later Road Bike Action Magazine and riding whenever he got the chance. That wasn’t easy being, a husband, father of three children and finishing up his BA in Business Administration. In 2007, between his kid’s soccer games and ballet classes, missing the competitive nature of the sport, he began once again to train and race. As soon as he heard about the effort to start competitive high school mountain bike teams with SoCal he knew he wanted to be involved. He has enjoyed volunteering on the track, helping the students and spreading the word to people in the industry.
	Arin Resnicke After having been born with Asthma, bicycling became a mandatory part of daily life as a necessary survival mechanism for Arin Resnicke. By high school he had ridden and raced road bikes, toured overnights, raced BMX, and created the 1st high school bicycle club sanctioned for school-hour rides. Arin was the 12-time promoter of the world renowned Keyesville Classic Stage Race and became a NORBA official, eventually moving up to USA Cycling National level official, and then ultimately being invited to Switzerland to the UCI headquarters to achieve the rank of International Commissaire, one of 15 in the United States. He has also been the Chief Navigator, Crew Chief, and Team Director of eight separate Race Across America (RAAM) teams capturing several 1st and 2nd place finishes. He is very happily married to his beautiful wife Gina and has two incredible daughters. Laura, a freshman in college, and Caroline, a sophomore in high school, as well as his ‘four-legged’ kids, his Rottweilers, Miss Ellie and Auddie. Arin is an award-winning architect and is licensed in several western states through his own firm, Golden Empire Design Architects, Inc.
	Paula Rogers Paula started cycling at a very young age and saved for her first real bike at the age of 12. She found Triathlons in the late 1980s and raced all over the U.S. competing in Ironman Canada and Ironman Hawaii. She learned much about the limits we set on ourselves. She took up mountain biking in the late 80s. This was a new and crazy sport for her! She raced nationals all over the US. She loved the outdoors and getting away from the city while hanging out on the weekends with racers and their families. Paula had a set of fraternal twins in 1993. Wow talk about new challenges. The twins came to events with her and raced all the kids’ races. While carrying a little bike in each hands she realized what a blast it was to watch the kids race. Paula heard about the SoCal League while at a cycling relay race with one of the twins. She went to the Leaders’ Summit and upon returning home started the Hart District Composite Team. Paula is an avid Cyclocross race and is the current California state champion in her division.
	Erik Trogden Erik has been competing in the dirt on two wheels for over 25 years, first in desert racing, then motocross, and now mountain biking. He began mountain biking as a way to exercise and explore the mountains around San Diego in the late 80’s, and now trains and races as much as his schedule permits. He is the Product Manager for Turner Suspension Bicycles in Murietta, CA and is a former teacher and middle school principal in Carlsbad. He believes students need to feel connected to their schools and communities to be successful, and sees high school mountain bike racing as a unique opportunity for students to interconnect, stay fit, and have fun! Erik is grateful for the support of his wife Stephanie, and looks forward to seeing his own children racing in the league in 2014 when they are in high school!

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