Post by schlager7 on Mar 3, 2007 21:44:14 GMT -6
The thread on the Coach's board was experiencing significant thread drift into Gulf Coast Division issues, so I am moving my response here so those purely interested in coaching matters may ignore the rest...
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Augie,
I do truly appreciate your reply. If I may...
A couple of quick points.
It is not up to the membership to force USFA promotion upon the USFA officers, but the USFA officers to promote the USFA fencing. Your site is great, but the USFA site is where it belongs.
Perhaps it is a difference in philosophy. I contend it is incumbent upon anyone and everyone who wishes to see fencing take its place as a vital and successful endeavor to do everything each one can to promote the sport and not just vote someone into office to have them do the work while the rest of us sit on our hands and cry that it is someone else's duty.
Then, too, I do have an unfortunate history of taking matters into my own hands, critics and elected officials be d****d.
Or, to quote my own personal mantra, "If not me, who? If not now, when?"
Perhaps, but I promise you that she was no more universally loved as division chair then as USFA President now, (a reference to recent dissent, not, repeat NOT, an endorsement of that counter-movement).
That is not a mistake and, from what he has told me, Mr. Weathington holds nothing against you and you, yourself, in high regard.
Since I have run an unofficial division site for a few years, I have made it a point to review the websites of all of the divisions that have one, all of the sections that have one and been allowed membership on most of the Yahoo Groups that serve instead of division websites at some divisions.
It is true, the Gulf Coast Division website is the worst in the USFA... except for all of those that are far more out of date, backward or just plain filled with errors and out dated material.
The truth is, most of us are spoiled. We have near instant ability to publicize and market our news and views and hold little truck with sites that may lag behind. Yet many, many places are far more backward. Recall that in 2002, the official site had not been updated since 1999.
Most division websites run little more than two sentences per "news item" (if anything at all) and a link to someplace else (USFA site, club site, etc). There are divisions that update their sites only once or twice per year.
As to the Gulf Coast Division...
Could it be better? You bet.
Could it be worse? It was, and not so long ago.
If you see a flaw or a need not filled, it is one thing to point out the imperfections in the service of others. It is something else again to take a deep breath and do something yourself and make yourself a target.
I congratulate Andrey on his award and once more ask that someone, with access to more details than I, generate a suitable piece. I repeat my offer to post it on the rogue site. It is not official, but it registers over 100 hits per day.
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Augie,
I do truly appreciate your reply. If I may...
katyblades said:
John,A couple of quick points.
It is not up to the membership to force USFA promotion upon the USFA officers, but the USFA officers to promote the USFA fencing. Your site is great, but the USFA site is where it belongs.
Perhaps it is a difference in philosophy. I contend it is incumbent upon anyone and everyone who wishes to see fencing take its place as a vital and successful endeavor to do everything each one can to promote the sport and not just vote someone into office to have them do the work while the rest of us sit on our hands and cry that it is someone else's duty.
Then, too, I do have an unfortunate history of taking matters into my own hands, critics and elected officials be d****d.
Or, to quote my own personal mantra, "If not me, who? If not now, when?"
I lived through Nancy Andersen's administration. She no longer was chairman only because she moved. I don't remember anyone running against her. I remember her telling me that if someone wanted the position and even nominated themselves she would step down. She had to move to Princeton to even be allowed to step down, and even then there was a void. I am not certain there was a lot of scandal in that administration.
Perhaps, but I promise you that she was no more universally loved as division chair then as USFA President now, (a reference to recent dissent, not, repeat NOT, an endorsement of that counter-movement).
When I was chairman, I also made the mistake of saying I was willing to do it. I had to pick and train a successor, plus talk him into the job, (sorry Glenn). I did not even have opposition because if I had I would have stepped down. People probably say my administration was scandal ridden also.
That is not a mistake and, from what he has told me, Mr. Weathington holds nothing against you and you, yourself, in high regard.
Since I have run an unofficial division site for a few years, I have made it a point to review the websites of all of the divisions that have one, all of the sections that have one and been allowed membership on most of the Yahoo Groups that serve instead of division websites at some divisions.
It is true, the Gulf Coast Division website is the worst in the USFA... except for all of those that are far more out of date, backward or just plain filled with errors and out dated material.
The truth is, most of us are spoiled. We have near instant ability to publicize and market our news and views and hold little truck with sites that may lag behind. Yet many, many places are far more backward. Recall that in 2002, the official site had not been updated since 1999.
Most division websites run little more than two sentences per "news item" (if anything at all) and a link to someplace else (USFA site, club site, etc). There are divisions that update their sites only once or twice per year.
As to the Gulf Coast Division...
Could it be better? You bet.
Could it be worse? It was, and not so long ago.
If you see a flaw or a need not filled, it is one thing to point out the imperfections in the service of others. It is something else again to take a deep breath and do something yourself and make yourself a target.
I congratulate Andrey on his award and once more ask that someone, with access to more details than I, generate a suitable piece. I repeat my offer to post it on the rogue site. It is not official, but it registers over 100 hits per day.