‘No Hate’… just action! Professional BMX athletes bring their skills to Powhatan to teach high schoolers important life lessons

POWHATAN, Va. (WRIC) -- Professional BMX athletes with the "No Hate" tour strapped on their helmets and zoomed over to Powhatan High School Thursday morning to teach kids some valuable life lessons in an unconventional way.

An auditorium filled with 1,400 Powhatan High School students joined in applause Thursday morning as wheels spun, bikes flipped and breaths were held. Underneath the surface, however, the meaning behind this action-packed assembly went a lot deeper than one might expect.

"I got bullied pretty bad in high school," Logan Place told 8News.

All of the excitement was about more than just being a daredevil. Professional athletes like Logan Place brought the "No Hate" tour to Central Virginia to use action to create a reaction.

These bikers taught students about the power of inclusion, kindness and standing up for others -- all while keeping the adrenaline rushing with stunts and mind-boggling tricks.

"Bike riding was always the thing that I turned to as my outlet for all the frustrations I was dealing with," Logan explained when asked about why he felt so passionate about his work with the tour.

The athlete and father has been a professional bike rider for 10 years now, but he said he doesn't forget his past. Logan told 8News that he endured a great deal of bullying while he was in high school. It forced him to drop out, but after connecting with his passions, he eventually earned his diploma and a title as a professional with ASA Entertainment.

This special tour lets athletes who have been through it all bring light to the next generation.

"It's really important, especially for high school students, when they talk about bullying -- specifically cyberbullying," said senior student Peyton Wirt. "I think that, honestly, teenagers are the most affected by bullying and it's really important to spread the message, to create awareness surrounding bullying, but in a positive light."

The message transcends high school. Powhatan High School's Student Activities Director, Chip Boone, said there was something for everyone to learn at Thursday's assembly.

"They said that everybody faces it at some point," Boone began. "It doesn't matter who you are, you're always going to see some kind of bullying and to give students, or people, tools to use is great."

Between stunts, the athletes spotlighted the importance of mental health. They showed their audience how to turn a hobby or interest into an outlet.

"If you see our passion riding our bike and that motivates you to be the best at math, the best at playing the guitar," Place began. "That is the feeling I'm looking to give [to] kids. You'll never even know the kind of impact you made in somebody's life."

The "No Hate" tour travels all across our country — hitting all 50 states -- and sometimes even beyond. They told 8News that no matter where they are, their message is just as important.