Unlike previous Ames Middle School cross country invitationals, Sept. 18’s meet began with a moment of silence.

This year’s Ames invitational was renamed the Timothy Jenks Memorial Invitational to remember Jenks, an Ames High School student who was killed in a cycling accident last June.

The accident occurred when Jenks accidentally touched his wheel to the rear wheel of a cyclist. After the contact, Jenks’ bike was struck by an oncoming sport utility vehicle that was passing the cyclists in a no-passing zone.

Tonja Goodwin, Ames Middle School girl’s cross country coach, presented Jenks’ parents, William and Cynthia, with a framed photo of their son and explained the meaning behind changing the meet’s name to honor Timothy during a ceremony prior to the start of the meet.

“He always wanted to run hills and he always wanted to run hills at [Iowa State]. That’s why this [is] pretty special,” Goodwin said. “After he passed away, we decided that this would be a really good way to honor him and to get kids to think about running and athletics, and just to be a good person like he was.”

Goodwin said Jenks would have been at the finish line cheering on all of his teammates.

She added that Jenks always had a positive attitude and always wanted the best for everyone. His positive attitude during practices and meets with the cross country team was no different from his attitude in the classroom.

“I didn’t actually have him as a student, but I had his sister and all of the friends they had,” Goodwin said. “All of the people they hung out with were exactly the same. [Jenks] was a great student, he tried really hard at everything he did and helped others when they were in need. His character in the hallways was the same as it is out [on the course].”

Jenks was a triathlete; he loved to swim, bike and run. In school, Goodwin said he was very interested in science.

Goodwin knew Jenks during the two and a half years he spent at Ames Middle School. Jenks and his sister both ran cross country, and both teams practiced and worked together.

Goodwin said she most remembers his smile, his laugh and the fact that he always wanted to run hills.

Jenks’ middle school cross country coach, Matt Mattocks, said he was a very supportive and wonderful part of the team.

Mattocks said Jenks’ optimism, outlook on life and how Jenks tackled everything that came his way was what stood out most to him.

“[Renaming the meet after him] is the least we could do to honor a great young man,” Mattocks said.

Jenks’ hobbies were not just limited to running.

“He was in every type of music and he was into soccer,” Mattocks said. “It really was endless, the things that he did.”

Jenks shares a special place on the cross country team and within Ames Middle School. He was someone to whom his peers looked up and he always wanted the best for his teammates and classmates.

“He was the greatest leader I’ve worked with yet, and he just was a model all-around, a great guy,” Mattocks said.

Ames Middle School ordered a framed cross country jersey and two photos of Jenks, which will hang in the athletic hallway at the school.