A Snake River BMX competition held recently brought riders together from across the western United States — and for one East Idaho team, the event carried a meaning that went well beyond the race results. The Arch Angels, a BMX squad made up of former High Speed team riders, competed wearing jerseys stitched with the name and number of the coach who shaped them: Nicholas “Uncle Nick” Cureton.
Cureton passed away three years ago from a stroke at age 43. A South Fremont High School graduate, Army veteran, and outdoorsman, he had coached BMX riders and led the High Speed team before his death left a gap in the East Idaho cycling community that his former riders chose to fill — not by moving on, but by carrying his memory forward.
A Team Built as a Living Memorial
The Arch Angels formed specifically as a tribute to Cureton, drawing from the pool of riders he once coached. The team spans a wide range of ages, from 6 to 35 years old, reflecting how broadly Cureton’s influence reached across generations of local BMX competitors. Their jerseys are blue, featuring a winged logo, and each one displays Cureton’s signature along with his number — 44 — on the left shoulder.
The detail is deliberate. Before his final season ended, Cureton took the time to write personal letters to each member of his team. Those who knew him say the gesture captured who he was as a coach and as a person.
“He was the heart of the track,” said Milez Hernandez, who has raced BMX for more than a decade. “He was a really good guy.”
KaMel Hernandez stepped into a leadership role with the Arch Angels following Cureton’s death, helping keep the team together and giving younger riders a place to race and grow. The responsibility, Hernandez said, is something she thinks about during events like the Snake River BMX competition.
“There was so much love,” KaMel Hernandez said. “I’m reminded of what I’m doing … It’s for the kids.”
More Than a Race Team
The Arch Angels represent a model of community-driven sports culture that has long been part of East Idaho’s identity. Snake River BMX, the local track that hosted the recent western-region event, draws competitors from a broad geographic area, but the Arch Angels’ presence added a layer of local significance that resonated beyond the competition itself.
Cureton’s background — military service, a connection to the outdoors, deep roots in eastern Idaho — made him a natural fit for the kind of coaching role that leaves a mark long after the final race. The letters he wrote to his riders before his last season are a detail that speaks to the relationship he built, one that his former athletes clearly consider worth honoring.
For a team ranging from elementary-school-aged beginners to adults who have raced for years, the Arch Angels also serve a practical purpose: giving young riders from the region a competitive home and a culture rooted in something more than standings and trophies. The blue jerseys with No. 44 on the shoulder make sure that anyone watching knows whose legacy they’re racing under.
East Idaho has seen several strong examples of community spirit in 2026, from record sponsorship numbers for the Downtown Idaho Falls Flower and Wreath Program to grassroots fundraising efforts following local tragedies. The Arch Angels add to that picture — a small team from the Snake River region choosing to show up, compete, and make sure a good man is not forgotten.
What Comes Next
The Arch Angels are expected to continue competing in BMX events across the region throughout the racing season. KaMel Hernandez remains at the helm of the team, keeping its focus on youth development and on the values Cureton embodied as a coach. Snake River BMX will continue hosting competition events, drawing regional participation and giving East Idaho’s young riders a high-profile stage to develop their skills. For the Arch Angels, every race is another lap in Cureton’s honor.