US Speedskating/Board of Directors News

[Laura (Lori)]

April 7, 2010 EDIT: With the Spring Board of Directors meeting coming up, I'm renaming and expanding the scope of this thread to include discussion of issues related to the BOD as well as general USS news and announcements.

Follow all of USS' social networking sites (Up To Speed, Facebook and Twitter), as well as the US Speedskating official website for fun info for fans, as well as important news for USS members.

US Speedskating:
usspeedskating.org

Up To Speed:
www.usspeedskating.org/uptospeed/

Twitter (no need to be a member):
twitter.com/USSpeedskating

Facebook (no need to be a member):
www.facebook.com/USSpeedskating

[Laura (Lori)]

I think USS is onto something here, as documented by this article:

US Speedskating Finds Fans In Social Media
January 27th, 2010 | Written By: Jay Baer

Facebook As Home Base
I’ve written before about the potential of using Facebook as your social media home base, and in this instance U.S. Speedskating is doing exactly that. Facebook is more interactive and easier to update than the U.S. Speedskating Web site, and with 3-4 posts per day, and many of them photos or videos, the team is keeping fans engaged on Facebook. Wisely, they are trying to tie into the Colbert program as much as possible, without shifting the focus away from the athletes. Their recent Facebook program of having fans send in photos of themselves wearing their Colbert Nation caps is an example of this integrated approach.

Read the entire article at:

www.convinceandconvert.com/facebook/us-speedskating-finds-fans-in-social-media/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed

[bubblebuttsbabe]

source: www.jsonline.com/sports/etc/87630112.html

U.S. shuffles speedskating officials
Disappointment in Olympic results cited
By Gary D’Amato of the Journal Sentinel
Posted: March 14, 2010 |(0) COMMENTS

Bob Crowley has resigned as executive director of U.S. Speedskating as part of sweeping changes by the organization in the wake of a disappointing performance by the long-track team at the Vancouver Olympics.

Brad Goskowicz, president of U.S. Speedskating, confirmed the resignations of Crowley and high-performance director Guy Thibault in a phone interview Sunday.

Goskowicz said Bradley A. Olch, former mayor of Park City, Utah, would serve as interim executive director until the board of directors names a permanent successor to Crowley.

In addition, U.S. short-track coach Jae Su Chun, whose team won six medals in Vancouver, signed a four-year contract extension that will take him through the 2014 Winter Games in Sochi, Russia.

U.S. Speedskating was expected to announce the moves Monday.

"It's the normal transition after each quadrennial," said Goskowicz, a Wauwatosa native. "It's fairly typical."

Goskowicz said Crowley resigned by "mutual agreement." Crowley, hired as executive director in August, 2006, could not be reached for comment.

The long-track team won four medals in Vancouver, down from seven in Turin in 2006 and eight in Salt Lake City in 2002. The women's team was shut out for the second consecutive Winter Games.

"I think it's fair to say that we're evaluating the programs," Goskowicz said. "We really need to recruit more ladies. I think part of the issue is we just don't give the coaches enough to work with.

"But we do expect performance and we were a little bit disappointed with the performance in Vancouver."

A new board will be seated at the organization's annual meeting May 1 in Richmond, Va. Goskowicz said he hoped there would be a short list of candidates for the executive director position by then and added that Crowley will stay on to help with the transition.

Jack Mortell, U.S. Speedskating vice president and short-track Olympic team leader, will assume Thibault's duties until a replacement can be found, Goskowicz said. One of those duties is preparing the organization's four-year plan for the U.S. Olympic Committee.

"At the end of each quadrennial you see a lot of things you did well and a lot of things you could do better," Goskowicz said. "We came out with 10 medals (combined short- and long-track) and we left Vancouver a little disappointed. We feel like we left a couple on the table.

"So how are we going to be even better in the next quadrennial?"

Though the board will determine the direction of the program, Goskowicz said U.S. Speedskating must find ways to better utilize the Pettit National Ice Center in Milwaukee. The national team based at the Utah Olympic Oval in suburban Salt Lake City produced just one medal-winner in Vancouver: Chad Hedrick.

Shani Davis, who won gold in the 1,000 meters and silver in the 1,500, and three of the four members of the silver medal-winning men's pursuit team train in Milwaukee.

"No question a great number of our medals and athletes came out of the Milwaukee area," Goskowicz said. "They did not come out of programs in Salt Lake City. It points to the fact that we have something no other country has: an enclosed sea-level facility and a high-altitude facility. The Koreans and Canadians don't have that; even the Dutch don't have that.

"How do we make better use of the Pettit National Ice Center? We've got a bunch of really, really good long-track coaches in Milwaukee. We want to make those programs stronger as opposed to usurping what they've accomplished."

He said he envisioned a plan in which programs and support staff would be based at both the Olympic Oval and the Pettit Center.

"If we have trainers and nutritionists in Salt Lake, how do we have them in Milwaukee?" he said. "Let's make the most out of both. Maybe we have people who are venue-based that coordinate the programs with the local coaches."

Goskowicz said the re-signing of Jae Su was important for the continuity of the short-track program. All 10 members of the short-track team earned medals in Vancouver, including athletes on relay teams.

"Quite honestly, there were some other countries chasing Jae Su, including Russia, with some significant dollars," Goskowicz said. "We're really happy to have him with us."

Goskowicz is the chief marketing officer of MicroBioLogics Inc., based in St. Cloud, Minn. His four-year tenure as president of U.S. Speedskating ends May 1 but he will remain on the board as immediate past president.

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not guyyyyy! :/

[Laura (Lori)]

Thanks for posting this, BBB! I had mentioned this on the General ST Thread, but removed it until the news could be confirmed - there are some names that I heard earlier that (thankfully) aren't mentioned in this article.

[Laura (Lori)]

For those who would like to look over the agenda for the Spring Board of Directors meeting, you can read the issues that will be discussed at the following link:

usspeedskating.org/
Click the 'Competitions, Events, Results' tab
Scroll down to 'Spring Board of Directors Meeting' (Apr 30 - May 1)

Items of interest:
Bylaw Proposed Changes
Racing Rules Proposed Changes

[Laura (Lori)]

US Speedskating Announces Board of Directors Election Results

US Speedskating April 02, 2010

KEARNS, Utah - US Speedskating is pleased to announce nine newly elected members of its board of directors for the new quadrennial following elections held March 1-31, 2010. Each newly elected board member will serve a four-year term through Spring 2014.

"The membership has elected a very balanced board of directors with a good mix of new and previously elected board members,” said US Speedskating President Brad Goskowicz . "This will give us experience and continuity as well as new ideas and energy."

“This is an exciting time for US Speedskating. I look forward to working with our new board of directors and membership as we seek to grow participation in the sport of speedskating and capitalize on the success of our athletes in Vancouver,” said US Speedskating Interim Executive Director Brad Olch.

Those newly elected to the board of directors follow:

Elite Athlete Representatives
Ian Baranski - Long Track
Travis Jayner - Short Track
Nancy Swider-Peltz, Jr. - Long Track

Competing Athlete/Individual Members
Andrew Love
Katie Traver

Those re-elected to the board of directors follow:

Competing Athlete/Individual Members
Fred Benjamin
Tom Frank

Retired Elite Competitors
Dave Cruikshank
Jack Mortell

Those continuing to serve on the board of directors follow:

Brad Goskowicz remains on the board as Past President
Craig Wing remains on the board as At-Large Director
Andrew Blank remains on the board as At-Large Director

The newly elected board members will be seated at the beginning of US Speedskating’s annual board meeting on May 1, 2010. Board officers will also be elected and installed following the May 1st meeting. Committee chairs will be appointed by the newly elected President.

The election of board members is by secret ballot and under the supervision of US Speedskating’s accounting firm for collection and tabulation. Attached please find a copy of the election results. As noted on the attachment, there was a tie for the third Elite Athlete Representative position. The tie was broken in accordance with US Speedskating Election Bylaws Section 5.5 - Election: “To ensure equal representation, one athlete from the Long Track discipline and one athlete from Short Track discipline receiving the highest number of votes shall be elected. Should both of the two aforementioned elected athlete representatives be of the same gender, the next athlete receiving the highest number of votes from either discipline but of the opposite gender shall be elected. Should both of the two aforementioned elected athlete representatives be of a different gender, the next highest vote winner, regardless of gender or discipline, shall be elected.”

[Deleted]

To view this email as a web page click here.

The United States Olympic Committee (USOC) and its family of dedicated Olympic sponsors have empowered minority students with the F.L.A.M.E. (Finding Leaders Among Minorities Everywhere) program, a dynamic, educational program packed with leadership enhancement opportunities.

With the support of official presenting sponsor, Tyson Foods, Inc., F.L.A.M.E. is designed to inspire minority college students to cultivate their desire to succeed and rise above the ordinary. The young men and women selected to participate, who already demonstrate a pursuit of excellence within their own communities, have the opportunity to further their personal and professional growth through unique seminars and workshops led by Olympic and Paralympic athletes, USOC and National Governing Body (NGB) leaders and others who have achieved personal, professional or athletic success in life.

During the four-day program, F.L.A.M.E. participants will reside in the Olympic Training Center dormitory, eat at the Athlete Dining Hall, and have daily opportunities to interact with Olympians, Paralympians, and hopefuls. The program’s itinerary includes motivational presentations by Olympians and Paralympians, leadership seminars conducted by USOC and NGB staff leaders, networking and financial literacy workshops, Olympic/Paralympic sport demonstrations, field trips to local attractions, and information on the USOC Internship Program.

Previous speakers at the F.L.A.M.E. program have included Olympians and Paralympians such as the legendary 10,000 meter gold medalist Billy Mills (1960); silver and gold speedskating medalist Derek Parra (1998, ’02); and Paralympic track & field gold and bronze medalist April Holmes (2004, ‘08) to name a few. Presenters for the 2010 session will be selected in the coming weeks.

How to Apply
Qualified applicants should be minority undergraduate or graduate students (ages 18-24) who have demonstrated leadership through academics, athletics and community involvement. Special consideration will be given to applicants pursuing a degree in the field of sport management. Additionally, applicants must have a minimum college grade point average (GPA) of 2.75. Applications are available online at www.teamusa.org or by calling USOC Associate Director of Community Relations Erica Hutchinson at 719-866-4604. The application deadline is May 21, 2010, and selection announcements will be made no later than June 18, 2010.

[Deleted]

From US Speedskating--

Inductees into the 2010 U S Speedskating Hall of Fame are:

Athlete Honoree: Mario Trafeli
Contributor Honoree: Duane Riley

[Deleted]

USOC and the government:

Obama Greets Olympians, USOC Builds Relations with Congress
4/22/2010

Alana Nichols, Paralympic sit Skier; Katherine Reutter, Olympic Speed Skater; Heath Calhoun, Paralympic sit skier; and speed skater Apolo Ohno took part in a press event at the White House on Wednesday. (Getty Images) Obamas Greet Vancouver Olympians

President Barack Obama and First Lady Michelle Obama welcomed the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic team to the White House on Wednesday.

The Obamas spent around ten minutes with each sports team. After meeting the athletes individually, a formal ceremony was held in the State Floor congratulating the team for their hard work, winning 50 medals.

Michelle Obama used the event to promote her initiative “Let’s Move”, which hopes to fight child obesity.

The White House Office of Olympic Paralympic and Youth Sport sponsored the trip to the White House.

Originally the event was scheduled for Thursday but the White House moved the event up a day. Vancouver-like weather forced the event indoors, leaving no room for top USOC brass to watch the ceremony.

More than 200 athletes made the trip to D.C.

Congress and the USOC

For the first time, the U.S. Olympic Committee will have a legislative caucus dedicated to the Olympics and Paralympics. The move comes less than two years after losing the Olympic movement’s strongest voice within Congress.


Senator Ted Stevens advocated for the USOC in Congress. (Getty Images)Senator Ted Stevens, a Republican from Alaska, lost his re-election bid in 2008. Stevens wrote the legislation establishing the USOC as a private non-profit organization, the Ted Stevens Amateur Sports Act in 1978. Colorado Republican Ben Nighthorse Campbell competed in judo at the 1964 Olympics.

To prevent an immediate departure of talent, the USOC teamed up with several congressmen to create a caucus in both legislative chambers that will benefit the Olympic movement in the U.S.

USOC CEO Scott Blackmun tells Around the Rings the USOC wants to build permanent relationship with Congress.

He praised the work of Stevens and Campbell, calling them “champions” adding “they’re not there anymore and we think it’s important to have long term relationships in Washington.

“It’s important for us to have great relationships on The Hill and we recognize that we need to proactively work to build those relationships.”

During the USOC trip to Washington this week he would “be visiting a number of people on the Hill.”

He said the caucus will be the key way to ensure the USOC’s voice is heard in D.C. Blackmun added “there is no specific agenda here other than I think the American people expect us to be in close communication with Congress and I think, frankly, Congress is just as proud of the U.S. Olympic team as Americans are generally.

“I think they want to be engaged in what we’re doing.”

The Olympic and Paralympic Caucus

Dubbed the Congressional Olympic and Paralympic Caucus, 12 congressmen have already joined the House caucus, the formation of which was announced Wednesday.

The caucus is chaired by Representatives John Boozman (R-AR), James Langevin (D-RI), Ed Perlmutter (D-CO), and David Reichert (R-WA).

Representatives Brian Bilbray (R-CA), Marsha Blackburn (R-TN), Roy Blunt (R-MO), Jim Costa (D-CA), Susan Davis (D-CA), Steve Kagen (D-WI), Peter King (R-NY), Laura Richardson (D-CA), Chris Smith (R-NJ), Lee Terry (R-NE) and Henry Waxman (D-CA) round out the House caucus.

Doug Lamborn, the congressman representing Colorado Springs where the USOC is headquartered is not a member of the caucus but, his spokeswoman said “he is strongly considering joining.”

Lamborn said in a statement for Around the Rings "I have a good working relationship with the representatives of the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Colorado Springs, and the local members of the U.S. Olympic Committee. Fortunately, they have never needed serious Congressional help during my term in Congress, but I have made it clear that I stand ready to help, should they need it."

A member list for the Senate caucus is unavailable but Bill Bennett (D-CO) is sponsoring the creation of the Senate
Representative Ed Perlmutter (D-CO), is a co-chair of the Congressional Olympic and Paralympic Caucus along with John Boozman (R-AR), James Langevin (D-RI) and David Reichert (R-WA). (Getty Images)version.
The House caucus was created Feb. 12. According to the Dear Colleague letter asking for congressmen to join, the caucus is “dedicated to educating Congress about the goals and spirit of Olympic-related athletic activity, increasing diversity in athletics, promoting clean and fair competition, expanding youth sports, highlighting the benefits of sports to individuals with disabilities, and supporting the vision of enabling athletes to realize their Olympic and Paralympic dreams.”

Two of the chairs, Reps. Boozman and Langevin came to the caucus to support Paralympic efforts. Langevin is the only quadriplegic congressman.

Joy Fox, the congressman’s spokeswoman told Around the Rings for the past two years, Langevin has secured appropriations for injured and disabled members of the armed forces to be rehabilitated through Paralympic sport. The requests totaled $10 million.

Similarly John Boozman also worked to support disabled veterans. According to a statement from his office, Boozman “is familiar with the work of the U.S. Olympic Committee” and his staff “are working to provide funding to help veterans get involved in Paralympic activities at the community level.”

Funding from the Department of Defense for veterans rehabilitation projects is the only money the USOC receives from the federal government.

The announcement of the caucus comes at the start of the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Team’s visit to Washington D.C.
Helping to arrange special events such as the White House visit as well as other needs in Washington is Desiree Fillipone, who has been leading the USOC Government Relations office.. Two full-time staff members work with her in the office.
Recently, the USOC contracted the services of Dutko World Wide, a consulting firm that helps build relationships between organizations and governments to assist in creating relationships with the USOC and legislators.

[Laura (Lori)]

Andrew Love (Zen and the Art of Speedskating) is a brand-new Board member, and his latest blog reveals some of his thoughts as he enters these uncharted waters.

andrewlove.org/blog/?p=771

An excerpt (as he skates quietly around an empty rink, looking at the tracks of skates in the ice):

Lots of empty cubicles at the US Speedskating offices; tracks of who has gone before. I’m looking hard at these trails in the ice, what techniques are tried by what people.

Tags: Andrew Love / Zen and the Art of Speedskating

[Deleted]

This just in...

To view this email as a web page click here.

US Speedskating Announces 2010-2014 Board Officers



KEARNS, Utah (May 5, 2010) - In a well attended Spring Board Meeting in Richmond, VA, Brad Goskowicz (Ham Lake, MN) was reelected unanimously by the US Speedskating Board of Directors to a second term as President.



"The opportunities and challenges for US Speedskating have never been greater." Goskowicz stated. "I am looking forward to working with the newly elected Board of Directors, as President. I think this group of directors is a nice blend of experience and new ideas and will take the sport to a new level. We are already looking forward to Sochi and a record performance there in 2014."



Tom Frank (Westlake, OH) who has headed US Speedskating’s Membership & Program Development Committee since it's inception, was elected as Vice President and is expected to lead that body again over the next four years. "We are just beginning to hit our stride on our grassroots development,” Frank said. "The work we have done over the past two years set us up nicely for some solid results following the massive publicity we received from the Games in Vancouver.”



Katie Traver (Fitchburg, WI) was elected to the office of Secretary. Ms Traver is a newly elected Board Member, but has been the US Speedskating liaison to Speedskating Canada over the past four years. "I hope to continue my work in developing more programs and competitions with Canada, but I am looking forward to sorting out the many opportunities to strengthen our long track programs,” said Tra ver.



Jack Mortell (Evanston, IL) was unanimously elected as Treasurer. This is Mr Mortell's second term as a Board Member and an officer. "As our programs and organization continue to grow, a key Board responsibility is financial oversight and monitoring,” Mortell said. "We outgrew our previous methods and I am looking forward to working with staff to ensure better financial transparency and control over the next quadrennial."



The 2010-2014 US Speedskating Board of Directors also include:



Elite Athlete Representatives -

Ian Baranski (Rock City Falls, NY) - Long Track

Travis Jayner (Midland, MI) - Short Track

Nancy Swider-Peltz, Jr. (Wheaton, IL) - Long Track



Competing Athlete/Individual Members -

Fred Benjamin (Chicago, IL)

Andrew Love (Salt Lake City, UT)



Retired Elite Competitor -

Dave Cruikshank (Delafield, WI)



At-Large Members -

Andrew Blank (Miami, FL)

Craig Wing (Park City, UT)



US Speedskating committee chairs will be appointed by Mr. Goskowicz in the coming weeks. Committee chairs serve a four-year term to evaluate programs and recommend policy in the following areas: Amateur Skating Association Foundation; Coaching; Competition; Hall of Fame; Short Track; Long Track; North American Competition; Marketing; Membership & Program Development; Officials - Short Track; Officials - Long Track; and Sports Medicine/Science.



Minutes from the 2010 US Speedskating Spring Board of Directors meeting will be available online June 1, 2010 at webpoint.usspeedskating.org/wp/events/listmeets.asp.

[Laura (Lori)]

Tosa native to lead U.S. speedskating program again
By Gary D’Amato of the Journal Sentinel / May 6, 2010

Ten weeks after U.S. Speedskating won 10 medals at the Winter Olympics, Brad Goskowicz has been re-elected president of the organization.

Goskowicz, 54, a Wauwatosa native, becomes the first person in the modern era to serve consecutive four-year terms as president.

He was re-elected unanimously at the organization's spring meeting in Richmond, Va., this week.

In February, the U.S. long-track team won four medals in Vancouver and the short-track team won six.

The 10 medals fell just short of Goskowicz's prediction of 12 and after the Games, he was non-committal about running for a second term.

"Right after the Games everybody is exhausted, physically and mentally," he said. "It takes a while to get your batteries recharged. As the new board was elected, you kind of get that bug again."...

...Goskowicz said strengthening the coaching staff and identifying future Olympians were priorities.

"We had 15 medalists (including team events) at this last Olympics and eight of them were 21 years and younger," he said. "That means many of those medalists, in 2006, weren't even on the radar screen. Names like J.R. Celski and Jonathan Kuck. . . . 

"There's probably a whole bunch of 14-, 15- and 16-year-olds who could be medal contenders in Sochi (Russia in 2014)."

For the entire article:

www.jsonline.com/sports/etc/93032174.html

Tags: Short Track Speedskating

[Laura (Lori)]

US Speedskating Honors Speedskating Legends & Contributors
posted by Linda Jager - May. 07, 2010 12:13 PM

KEARNS, UT (May 7, 2010) The 2010 US Speedskating Board of Directors Spring Meeting and Hall of Fame Dinner provided an opportunity to recognize and honor a group of outstanding individuals for their myriad contributions to the sport of speedskating.


At the US Speedskating Hall of Fame Dinner on May 1, 2010, longtime contributor Duane Riley (Sun Prairie, WI) and classical era skater Mario Trafeli (Bloomfield Hills, MI) were inducted into the US Speedskating Hall of Fame. Olympic speedskating legend Bonnie Blair Cruikshank, who serves as US Speedskating’s Hall of Fame Committee Chairperson, honored Riley and Trafeli for their outstanding accomplishments and contributions to the sport of speedskating.

“What a great night to celebrate Duane and Mario into our Hall of Fame. Mario had great stories of the past to share with us, and the years that Duane has been involved is wonderful as is was all volunteer,” said Blair Cruikshank.

Read more, including info on additional honorees: Bill Cushman, Apolo Ohno*, Randy Dean and Jeff Kleinschmidt:

www.usspeedskating.org/uptospeed/posts/uss_honors_speedskating_legends_contributors.php

*The excerpts of the article that are related to Apolo are posted on his thread: therockerforum.proboards.com/index.cgi?board=tsl&action=display&thread=100&page=23

[Deleted]

IF YOU ARE A USS MEMBER, and have not updated your membership, this email went out today:

Dear Members,

At the recent board meeting held on May 1, 2010 a proposal was submitted before the board of directors that would change the membership year to a fixed year, rather than the current rolling year. That proposal was passed and the new by-law is written that the membership year now runs from July 1 to June 30.

With the passing of this by-law, all memberships now expire on June 30, 2010. All memberships will be affected and will need to be renewed starting in July. Renewal fees will be pro-rated. The calculations will be done automatically when the membership is renewed online.

For example, a competing athlete membership that was set to expire in August, will receive a one month credit towards the new membership. The renewal fee will be $68.25. A competing athlete membership that was set to expire in September, will receive a two month credit towards the new membership. The renewal fee will be $62.50.

First year competing athletes who have recently joined will need to renew and join as a competing athlete. The proration will be applied to the competing athlete membership fee rather than the first year competing athlete fee.

Work has been done with the database administrator for weeks to get the change over in place. The system has been thoroughly tested and the errors have been corrected.& nbsp; If you run into any problems or you think there may be an error, please don’t hesitate to contact me and I will be happy to help. Please call or email with any additional questions or concerns.

Thanks,
Breanna Bissell
Member Services Coordinator
US Speedskating



801-417-5360 | Fax: [phone] | www.usspeedskating.org

[Laura (Lori)]

Thanks, Gasp - I just realized that my membership expired. I wanna upgrade, so I suppose I should git-'er done!