(upbeat music) >>Have fun.

Here we go.

(timer beeping) (upbeat music) >>DeAngelo, that man is one of one.

>>He was always trying to look outside of that box.

>>You could see that he was curious.

>>He was creating the identity that he wanted.

>>I said, I didn't think black people do that.

You livin' dangerous.

>>Once he says this what I'm doing, he dead set on it.

>>I just wish we had more DeAngelo Washington's in this world.

He's introducing something to us.

He created space.

He's a trailblazer.

(birds chirping) (playful music) >>Right now we are in Windrock, Windrock, Tennessee.

It's a bike park.

I call it the man's outdoors playground.

(DeAngelo laughs) We are here for the Tennessee National and that's one of the races where the big elite crow guys can like start to qualify.

I'm here to have fun and hit hard.

(biker exclaiming) That's why I'm here.

(ominous music) Have fun.

Here we go.

(timer beeping) My name is DeAngelo Washington, known as Angelo.

I'm from Richmond, Virginia.

Born and raised in Creighton Court.

You don't know what Creighton Court is, it's a housing project here in Richmond.

Oh, this is where it all went down.

At the time I didn't know any better.

I didn't know it was a bad place per se.

Nothing right here from this spot has changed.

>>What some would call the hood, the ghetto, the projects, to us it was just, it was home.

>>I don't think he really liked it too much, but that was where we had to be at the time.

>>Growing up, you always heard, like, "You not gonna be anything.

You from this place.

You hang with these guys.

You're not gonna be anything in life."

Even from school teachers.

You hear it so much you start to believe it.

This is my old spot man.

This one right here.

Was I gonna be stuck in Creighton Court the rest of my life?

Was I gonna be a drug dealer?

You either chose the streets or you played sports.

Yeah, we just used to come over here and just hang out man.

Watching basketball or getting ready to go play a baseball game or something like that.

Both my uncles played baseball.

My mom, she played softball.

So baseball was like our family sport.

>>We loved baseball.

>>End up playing baseball for the local rec team that translated to high school.

I ended up meeting my baseball coach, Coach Davis.

He's like a father figure to me to this day.

>>He was well disciplined, eager to learn and very coachable.

That young man was one of the best baseball players we had as well as his friend Doron.

>>DeAngelo was good.

He had clean hands.

He could run.

You kind of just identify him as the other good black baseball kid in the city.

>>In the inner city, baseball isn't that popular.

It's not ordinary from the demographic and the situation he comes from.

>>We were anomalies.

Our skillset in baseball was not close to anybody else that we were playing with.

>>I felt a need to expose these kids to other things and let 'em know it's something else out here.

>>It's always, "Man, you better than this, but you can play sports and you can get outta here."

I was searching for, I'm the next A-Rod.

You couldn't tell me that I wasn't gonna be A-Rod.

So yesterday I felt pretty good.

Just a matter of feeling out the bike on a proper downhill track.

Now today we get to like really push to feel how fast we can go.

I'm going to go get this.

Prepare for it like it's a World Cup race.

Prepare for it like it's the highest standard.

(energetic music) It's a nervous feeling overall until you, like, actually start riding.

Then you like, oh I've done this before.

Yeah.

It's just like, oh, pure bliss.

(DeAngelo laughs) (energetic music) (energetic music continues) I finished fifth.

I'm stoked on that one.

So that's a confidence boost right there.

(DeAngelo laughs) (door thudding) (rocks crunching) So I went through high school.

I became known for like, oh, that's D, he play baseball.

Going into the 12th grade, that's when my mom moved.

We probably be going to a county school because back then that was a thing.

You go to Richmond Public School or you go to a "county school".

So I transferred my senior year and that was just like, pfff.

It was clean.

I never had to worry about being in a fight.

And that's when I learned about the SATs, like guys was already getting like offers to go to school.

I'm like, hold on, what?

Like yeah, I played baseball.

Like I'm pretty decent at baseball.

Like why I'm not getting a scholarship?

(ball thudding) >>The only limit that we ever had was exposure.

If we had social media, it looked different.

Nobody was coming to (indistinct) Creighton or watching any black kid play baseball and they still not.

>>I can't afford to go to school.

It was too late for me.

Stopped school, started working at Home Depot.

2008, at that point I had my first daughter.

Pretty much going through a lot.

I kinda like did some research.

I'm like, how can I get back into baseball?

I just love it too much.

NABA, National Adult Baseball Association.

One of my friends, he said, "Yo, I'm managing a team this year.

I need you to come play."

I'm like, "Oh, for real?

Just count me in."

♪ Welcome to big leagues ♪ ♪ Welcome to the big time ♪ ♪Pressure Peak and then ♪ you swing ♪ ♪ Youre heading ♪ ♪ for the big time ♪ >>So when we were young, we fit, we're in shape, we cocky.

We wanted to pull up to a baseball game, play our Young Jeezy, be fly and kick your butt.

>>If you would've seen how all of us carried ourselves, you wouldn't know us from a major league team.

We were putting the work in.

>>If he wasn't at practice, he was still practicing.

>>Worked our butt off to get to be that premier spot in the league.

We were literally on top of the world.

So that's what made the accident so bad.

(tense music) >>2014, season roll around.

This was our season.

We was gonna win championship.

Game start, we get a guy on first base.

Me and Doron we're just talking outside the dugout.

This guy, he's up on that warm it up.

>>I remember him saying the bat is so in loaded right, which just mean the end of the bat is heavier because he had the bat weight on backwards.

>>He goes to swing the bat with the bat weight on and the weight come off.

It's hit me.

Bam.

Completely crashed the right side of my face.

>>His head hits the back of the wall and he's sliding down the wall.

Blood shoots everywhere.

Projectile.

>>Teammate go, "I got his teeth."

>>He didn't want me to see him.

He just kept on saying "No, no.

I don't want you to see my face."

>>Get plastic surgery on my lip that night and I had to get reconstructive surgery that next Friday.

>>When I got that text, my heart just dropped.

>>I had five fractures in my face.

The biggest one was from here that kinda like traveled all the way across.

The scary one was this one right here.

Kinda like threw off my vision, messed with my depth perception on the field.

Balls that I normally get and I wasn't getting them.

>>Deep down I knew he was going to be okay, but I kind of felt a loss because I knew how much he loved that game of baseball.

>>I love this sport but I can't be out here like tricking it up like this.

And that's when I really was just like, (sucks teeth) I think this might be it, man.

>>None of what happens now happens without that moment.

(airy music) >>He was actually fairly new to riding when I met him.

He just seemed curious.

(ominous music) >>2015, coworker, Jeff Haas.

One day during lunch he was just like, "Hey Angelo, you want to take my bike out for like a easy stroll?"

>>Richmond area really has good mountain biking.

He didn't know the trails at all, right?

He was unfamiliar with it.

>>I really don't want to do that.

You know, what I look like?

I'm a baseball player and I play real sports, right?

"You just take my bike out round the gravel.

Just enjoy yourself.

It's your lunch break."

(ominous music) >>So Angelo does three dimensional design for us.

Around 10 years ago he actually met one of the principals of the company at a career fair.

We really saw a passion.

Really that reflects throughout all of Angelo's interests.

>>I met up with him after lunch.

"It was pretty cool man, thank you.

Like it was real relaxing."

He was like, "What are you doing Friday afternoon?"

Met up with those guys on Friday.

You shoulda seen me.

I was just like, what is this?

(upbeat music) Every person had a like a missing tooth.

I was like, oh that's kind of cool, like.

Crashed about every a hundred yards.

And I fell in love with that sport.

I want to do this.

Nothing else.

I want to do this.

>>I'm like a mountain bike?

>>Bikes?

He's riding bikes?

>>Dude, that wasn't the plan.

You getting scarier.

>>Yeah.

As soon as this end drove, I'm going to get another one.

>>Oh this fool done lost his (censored) mind.

(Doron laughs) ♪ You are in with a God ♪ ♪Youre not dealing♪ ♪with a project♪ ♪ Get it done with just a nod ♪ >>It gave me a thrill and it was a new challenge.

This is, like, taking me out.

Like this is fun.

>>I didn't understand it.

That's not a cultural thing for us.

>>Didn't even know it existed.

>>It didn't take long before he surpassed me in speed and endurance.

>>The first time he showed me footage, I was like, "Did you speed this up?"

And he was like, "No, this is real time."

>>That's another example of how he's not cut from the same cloth.

>>Once he says, this is what I'm doing, that's what he doing.

>>(laughs) What's that?

Holy (censored) >>I noticed that same love and passion for baseball.

>>Baseball is real technical.

Scanning the trail is real technical.

So as we scan up and down the trail, it's the same thing.

We just taking in information.

Just like taking it in the ground ball.

>>I remember one day saying, "You're gonna replace baseball with riding."

He was like, "Never."

Ask him how that is now.

>>My first three, four years, I took it as I'm preparing like I'm a World Cup racer.

My first downhill race, I ended up winning.

I did it!

(censored) yeah, dude!

I did it!

Hold up, me?

Me, single, me?

♪ You are in it with the God, yeah ♪ That probably was the most stoked I've ever been with myself.

>>Sure enough, I'm seeing videos, I'm seeing competitions.

Raising in the ranks.

>>One year he was on the cover of a magazine.

My son still got it in his room.

>>At one point Verna was calling me "Podium Baby".

Every race I was on the podium.

>>Man, anything this young man touched would turn to gold.

(train rattling) >>Now I'm biking.

It gave me a new identity.

I hop on my bike and like whatever I was going through, it's out the door.

I'm in the woods now.

As a whole, as a community, it's so welcoming.

>>Hey.

Got it.

>>How'd it go?

>>Oh dude.

>>How is that work man?

But I don't get to fellowship with like other black men or women like on a race circuit.

Their comfortability, it's not there.

>>When we started coming out to races, we were the only black face we would see.

>>When I first started racing, I was actually pushing up to the start gate.

It was like a few older black ladies and she goes, "Baby, we don't do this.

That's a white person's sport."

(tense music) It's always been, I get weird looks from other black people.

>>You're crazy.

Black people don't do that.

>>Why can't I do this?

Am I not supposed to be riding a bike?

Okay, watch this.

>>The thing about both of us is that we'd rather do the other thing always.

(upbeat music) >>And you can't duplicate.

You can't, ain't no copy/paste DeAngelo, the individual.

>>All of us have tattoos on our wrists that says D4G and that stands for Destined for Greatness.

We honestly just landed in better situations with that mindset.

>>Far as mountain biking go, we kind of limit ourselves.

We just need the exposure to say I'm here.

>>And so now he's getting opportunity to display who he is, what he is.

>>I'm just glad that he was bold enough to stay the course.

>>Certain things that we have to break ourselves.

(people chattering) (dogs barking in distance) >>Junior, (indistinct).

>>We got some new faces.

You might remember (indistinct), Jamari, Nas, and Chip from last year.

>>Verna has been the anchor in me to be like, you need to be the representation.

>>I was like, you have now a duty to show that black and brown kids can do this as well.

>>Somebody see you doing this, they probably say, shoot, you know I want to try this, too.

>>Winning a couple of races and stuff like that, people see you and always ask the question like, "Hey Angelo, you ever thought about coaching?"

I really didn't want to coach at first.

I just wanted to race.

The requests became more so I had this little fun day out at Pocahantas.

60 people showed up.

I was just like, oh what?

There we go!

Oh!

Tristen, he's on the team.

Every time he seen me he was like, "Hey, you had any thought about coaching me during a race yet?"

Connected with Dave Kern, which is the other coach.

He was kind of like, "Any help you need to get this thing up and running, let's do it."

That's when I decided to start Line Drive Mountain Biking Academy.

The goal was to start with five kids and I wanted them to like really get the experience of a coach.

Looks good.

Everything on here is good.

Just want me to sign this one right now?

>>Yeah, just down at the bottom.

>>Last year it was kind of a rough year for me racing.

I decided to push myself and come to find out I was pushing myself and making mistakes.

(bike crashing) (DeAngelo grunting) (censored) Lot of crashes.

Like not getting able to get to like the big show, which is the race.

So basically I got a pretty big deal fracture.

So I go get an MRI on Friday just to make sure my ACL is still intact.

But if they're still intact, she said six to eight weeks and then start some PT.

Hey.

>>Oh so they did give you a new brace?

>>Yeah, they gave me a new brace.

>>He's had quite a few injuries lately.

It can be stressful 'cause then you think about work and you think about the kids.

>>Look at that, look at that.

(DeAngelo laughs) (Verna claps) Me, being realistic, I can't race pro because it takes way too much dedication.

I got a family and kids.

I can't afford to do that.

Yeah.

>>Yeah, good job.

>>If I can't be healthy, you know, I can't give them 100% of me.

Say, I got my chest protector on.

>>In this season of our life, with plus two to three kids now it's more about who we've become as men.

>>I was starting to take it way too serious like I was taking baseball.

Coming from that face injury, like, the sport wasn't the same for me anymore.

I don't want that to happen to me now.

When I crashed at Rock Creek, I was so wrapped up on self.

I was so low until the kids on my team came to me in the pits.

>>Don't let it get to your head.

>>I'm trying not to.

>>I know.

Don't let it get to your head unless the whole season's gonna be like this.

>>Every last one of 'em said, "You can't quit man.

We come to race because you racing."

And it's kinda like, I'll race, but this is what it is right here.

I'm finding my ground again and like coaching.

(bright music) Today we're gonna tackle Snowshoe Mountain for some downhill.

You guys ready to give it a try?

This is my high rated position right here, right?

So look at my pedals.

Pedals are level.

So, Richmond Cycling Corps is a non-profit.

What they do is help introduce underprivileged kids to the outdoors.

Another beautiful weekend at Snowshoe.

Good job.

I don't have the funds to donate money, but I do have the time to donate my teachings.

Welcome to the Magic Wonderland.

Matt Kuhn, letting me help those kids and be a part of that program.

That's my duty these days is to be like more active in my community.

It's a big deal for me.

>>He had the same passion for nationals that he did for setting up these cones and setting up these boards to teach somebody how to do it.

>>There we go, Matt.

There we go.

>>And that's when I knew that, like, that's the greatness he was destined for.

>>Recently started seeing him showing younger kids different riding techniques and skills.

>>There we go!

Yeah, boy!

>>Man, this dude's a born leader.

>>Nice and wide.

Look at that!

I like it!

Yes!

>>If you touch DeAngelo and what he enjoys, you going to get something from him.

>>Say race day.

>>Race day!

>>So right now we about to head to the finish line.

I wanna be the first face these guys see once they finish this challenging course.

>>I like seeing him taking on a team of younger riders.

Your time, it's limited for actual downhill racing, but coaching, your time is unlimited.

(team cheering) >>We are stoked on that with two riders still on course.

Fifth place, I'm happy with that.

>>It's good to see somebody in that element align with who they are.

Especially a young black man from Creighton Court.

>>It's hard to get outta those conditions.

>>What he's been through to get to this point and to see him persevere like this is huge.

>>There's just some really good people in that neighborhood that get overlooked.

>>Lemme see what you got.

Lemme see what you got.

Don't let him pluck it this time.

>>When you look at DeAngelo's story, he'll talk about like his childhood and stuff and you never see hopelessness.

(bright music) To know that he is having the ability to like reach back and show these kids like there is hope, it is tangible.

>>Yeah.

Start to have fun on that bike.

>>Him teaching it now allows for kids from Creighton Court to have access to a way that they had no idea existed.

>>It was challenging.

It really taught me, I'm gonna say, a lesson.

>>You gotta always try something new.

Never give up.

Good job, dude.

>>There's a cohort of minorities that's being brought together that's only gonna cultivate more people and all that does is lead to a greater evolution of the sport for everyone.

>>Thank you so much Angelo.

You really do so much to support our youth in this sport.

>>Really everything that he's doing now, helping the kids, just makes me proud of him.

>>I was 28 when I first started riding.

If I can introduce kids earlier to this sport, that's my goal.

They always said dream big, right?

(upbeat music) (upbeat music continues) >>Tell DeAngelo soon, I'm coming for a lesson.

Coming for a lesson very soon.

(upbeat music continues) (theatrical music)