Discussion: Hmm

Wasn't Ali 8th, same as the women's relay team? Why is it so hard to get these things right?

Yes. Seriously, attackpoint.

It's written by the E.D. (who's overextended, imho). See my other post.

The letter I received was signed by Phil Recchio, the Annual Fund Chair.

And years ago, a US women's ski-O relay team did finish 6th at the SkiWOC.

I see that I commented on your post before you had written your whole post. I pretty much entirely agree with you.

Sponsors of competitive teams often get their names on the team uniforms. I'm tempted to create an organization of all the individuals who have donated to the US teams, call it "Not OUSA", donate a bunch of cash to the teams, and get the next uniforms to have a panel on the sleeve or wherever with the group name on it.

I understand that OUSA has to make some tough choices in its goals to expand, but the hypocrisy of this letter and the errors demanded comment.

Might have been okay if it had continued, "And they did it on their own! We need contributions so that we can support then going forward".

Calm it down, boys. OUSA facilitates team donations, and at least in the letter it is informing donors of the teams' existence. You are OUSA.

[I do understand the frustration.]

[Especially after reading the budget memo.]

You are right Neil, and there are individual OUSA Board members who have been extremely supportive of the teams. That is, of course, greatly appreciated. But Ian's initial point remains valid.

I disagree with the statement that OUSA "has done absolutely nothing specifically to support the teams". There's more to support than finances. Yes, money is important, but it's not fair to the people in OUSA who have worked hard to help the teams to ignore their contribution. Maybe they would have done the work without the umbrella of OUSA to work under, but the fact is that the ESCs, the logistical/administrative functions, the PR, the web love... it's all part of OUSA. I'm grateful for it. OUSA is supportive of the teams.

Also, when I give money to the teams, I'm giving to OUSA. That's how I think of it, and that's the reality. If OUSA can get more donations by touting successes of the teams, that's a good thing in my book.

So yeah, disappointing that teams haven't gotten much funding recently, and also very annoying info isn't correct, but I think this year OUSA is supporting teams more, someone who attended Board meeting at SML champs can maybe comment?

@Cristina: the tone of my note does come across as more antagonistic to the OUSA leadership in general than I intended. I appreciate their hard work trying to expand orienteering in this country, and while I disagree with some of the policy measures OUSA is taking, that is inevitable given the space of possible approaches to this problem.

I'm not overly aware of the ways OUSA supports the team; could someone fill me in with concrete examples? It isn't that I dispute Cristina's remark, merely that I'm not aware of specifics.

An obvious question is how can the federation support the teams? Most of the athletes, particularly the serious ones, do what they do because it is what they want to do not because of any federation incentive. I have the luxury of living in Boston (and New England generally), where there is a cluster of elites interested in training and improving. Much of the opportunity that I have is provided by that community.

Canada's High Performance Program (Handbook) is an example of a national effort to guide and support elite competitors.
The HPP provides

• some funding (the letter notes hopes to increase this funding) from the COF and donors
• access to national team infrastructure like uniforms, training camps, national team selection
• Coaching, though in what quantity I do not know
• Possible discounts for event entry fees

I think the clearest benefit from the HPP is a sense of identity - that a member of the HPP is explicitly sanctioned and encouraged by the federation. I think that some of the function of the HPP is currently filled in the US by the elite community - for instance, most of the training camps are organized ad hoc by enthusiasts and competitors themselves. Local clubs also organize such activities, like BGR's training camp in June 2011.

HPP is only one example, and I'm sure there are many other paradigms for elite support. I would like to see a more formalized support relationship between OUSA and developing elites, particularly those who lack the benefit of a strong local community. It doesn't seem to me that the HPP requires substantial overhead - there is some administration, but it mainly seems to serve as a catalyst for the competitors themselves to direct their own efforts. The HPP info letter lists the administrators of the HPC, and it looks like an expanded US ESC. The info letter also notes that COF gives $2500/year to the HPP, and most of the other funds are raised through fundraising and donations.

I'm dissatisfied with the level of support I perceive from OUSA. Like any volunteer organization (e.g. NEOC), I'm sure they have plenty of great ideas and insufficient manpower to make these possible. I know that these points have been raised, and some action is being taken. While I am eager to see how that action results in progress, I see no problem in continuing to register my displeasure with the current state.

Ian--yes you're right about Phil Recchio. I didn't have my letter handy. But it sounded like some of the e.d.'s work.

As to the budget, I've seen (boardnet) that there's a board teleconference scheduled for Saturday; time not yet set. Proposed budget should be available Wednesday. Contact a board member if you want to be included.

So the ESC work behind the scenes, the ranking system, having (or having had? is there one now?) a squad coach, the 'Orienteer of the Year' awards, that counts for naught?

The money required to do any squad camps etc on a national level without screwing over those in Seattle or VT or wherever is huge. It would make more sense to only hope for Team money from OUSA, and build a regional NE Elite Programme for training camps in the NE, if that is what you are looking for. And create a NEE Cup based around meets in the NE and use sanctioning fees to fund the NEEP.

Or just invest loads in orienteering programmes in schools in Peekskill/Harriman/... and see what comes out. We need more local orienteering.

Board teleconference scheduled for Sunday evening, 8 pm, Nov. 13. Contact Glen Schorr by Friday, 5 PM eastern, if you want to be included. Agenda includes: Budget; Championship bids; Rules changes re: championships; and a change in the contract with the membership director regarding access to database.

Touché, Janet - that the logical response to disappointment with some OUSA actions is to attend a board meeting. I find myself too committed to consider becoming active with OUSA, but there is a small chance I will attend the meeting. Thanks for letting everyone know.

@ndobbs: I am very grateful for all the infrastructure that exists in the US for elite orienteering. My broader thesis (somewhat outside the scope of this note, which was to remark on a letter I received) is that very little of that infrastructure has anything to do with the OUSA leadership or the Board of Directors.

The ranking system is effective and important, though such a system is absolutely critical for any meaningful national competition and doesn't explicitly pertain to the elites. The ESC is obviously important to the function of and works very hard to sustain the US team. My understanding is that the ESC operates without any OUSA support or involvement, and would function identically as an independent entity. The 'Orienteer of the Year' awards are a great step, but they are a far cry from what I would consider meaningful federation support for elites. There is no squad coach.

I understand that almost everything I suggested in the earlier comment entails considerable work, and the OUSA leadership are already stretched just pursuing the development plan. However, allocating a few thousand dollars to the elite programs - just a token of support - has a small opportunity cost. As tight as our budget is, surely that sum could be found.

It would seem that the elites in Canada identify with their national governing body (note that the HPP is almost entirely developed and run by Team Members and former Team Members) and consider their efforts to be part of the NGB's efforts, while there is an almost antagonistic relationship between American elites and their national governing body? I'm not sure what causes this.

May I take a slight liberty to promote discussion?
Team OUSA is an example of a national effort to guide and support elite competitors.
Team OUSA provides

• some funding (the letter notes hopes to increase this funding) from OUSA and donors


• access to national team infrastructure like uniforms, training camps, national team selection


• Coaching, though in what quantity I do not know


• Possible discounts for event entry fees

I think the clearest benefit from Team OUSA is a sense of identity - that a member of Team OUSA is explicitly sanctioned and encouraged by the federation.

Ian -- I don't have the time right now to answers your complaints fully, but I will mention several things.

1. OUSA financial support for the Teams.

Senior team -- went from nothing maybe a decade ago to 1K a couple years to 3K for 2 or 3 years, to 6K I think in 2009. In 2010 had Executive Director expenses and number went back to 0K. Hope was that this was for the short term. Has been 0K in 2010 and 2011.

Junior team -- Regularly got more support than the Senior Team over the years, don't know the numbers, usually whatever was needed at the last moment to pay JWOC fees.

Ski-O -- Don't know

Coach -- Got 6K, I think for two years, maybe 2007 and 2008, can't remember. Main problem was finding and then keeping coach. Had two, neither lasted too long for various reasons.

Orienteer of the year awards -- For 2011, 1.5K

For 2012 -- Should be decided Sunday. The numbers that were being talked about at the last Board meeting totaled in the range of 18-25K for the Teams, which represents about 50% of what the teams spent in 2011. Not a done deal yet, but that is a significant change. Where does that money come from? Mainly two areas -- unrestricted contributions to OUSA, which are hoped to be higher, and revenue from starts, which are also hoped to be higher.

The thinking for 2010 and 2011 was that hiring the ED was the right way to go for the long term. And that to make the numbers work in the short term, other expenses had to be cut. 2K was allocated to the junior team (because they have a harder time raising funds), nothing to the senior or ski-O teams. In the long term there was and is the hope that both financial support for the teams and the pool of competitive orienteers will be greater.

I'm pretty sure the leadership of the teams understood this, and bought into it. It may not have been understood by others.

And just to emphasize, the Board is considering significantly more financial support for 2012 than COF plans for its HPP. And for a country with lots of snow, the COF is giving zero support for anyone wanting to go to the Ski-O World Cup in Tahoe.

2. There is a national team infrastructure. You may not be aware of it, but the ESCs of the Senior, Junior, and Ski-O teams do a substantial amount of work. Some done by former team members, some by parents, some by other interested parties, and a good bit by members of the various teams.

3. We have had trouble getting a national coach. Tried twice, didn't quite work. Then ran out of funding. I assume there will be a third try as funding increases.

4. Remember that basically everything that happens to advance the team happens because someone does it, whether that someone is an official of OUSA or not (or COF or not). Sometimes we are lucky and people raise their hand and get substantial things done. Sometimes we aren't lucky and no one steps forward and something doesn't get done. Same holds for the COF.

My theory is that the more we can encourage and support various individuals trying to get things done to help the teams, then the more progress we will make. Everybody contributes in one way or another, and then ideally we all enjoy the successes. Waiting for an amorphous OUSA to wave its magic wand isn't the answer. Getting all the parts of OUSA to keep moving forward is.

Thanks Peter.

Great points. Also, I don't think Janet's post was sarcastic or pointed--it is merely pointing out basic things that can be done. Maybe just a start, but it's something.

BTW--where is Sammy? This topic is right up his/her alley.

We have sally instead.

Here's some background on the HPP from what I know from talking with those on the High Performance Committee (HPC)

Canada has a group called AthletesCAN that is composed of national team representatives from most (if not all) recognized sports. AthletesCAN is an advocacy group of athletes for athletes. Their flagship event is the AthletesCAN forum held every year in a different city where the reps and other athletes get together and talk about issues affecting athletes (when I went in 2010 we talked a lot about self marketing and sponsorship). Many years ago (2006?) Charlotte MacNaughton encouraged Brent Langbakk to go when forum was held in Whitehorse as Brent lived in Whitehorse. Brent came out of forum and encouraged the COF to create an athletes rep on the COF board, a position which he then filled until 2010 at which point the athletes elected Patrick Goeres to the position.
The HPC was formed a few years ago by a few people interested in promoting competition in orienteering, namely Brent, Magnus Johansson, Adrian Zissos, Patrick Goeres. Magnus took on the role of National team coach and has been hugely instrumental in driving things forward for the HPP.
The interesting thing about the HPC is that it is almost entirely domestically focused. One of the first initiatives was the creating of the red group at Canadian Champs in 2008. They've been pushing for the creation of arenas and arena production (spectator controls, radio controls, announcers, etc.). More recently they've been quietly pushing for small amounts of prize money at events for the elite classes. They've done this by leading by example in providing prize money at events in which HPC member are involved in the organization.
In 2011 they introduced the Canada Cup Elite Series in which points are awarded to runners. At the end of the series the winner got $300 and a pair of compression socks valued at $100. 2nd and 3rd place also got a pair of socks.
This year the HPC also introduced a summer training camp in Whitehorse with coaching that many of our juniors went to prior to JWOC and there is now talk about forming a national training center based out of one of the clubs near universities and lots of maps which would have a coach. This year also marked the first year of the rising star awards in which Carol, Emily, and Robbie were each awarded $1000 for their achievements, involvement, and future potential, and Brent was also given the new role of Junior Team Coach.

That said, I don't think money is the most important thing (though of course it does help). What has made the most difference to me is the sense of community and really belonging to a group (the HPP as well as AthletesCAN). Ultimately though the reason all of this has happened is because a few people have a vision and have stepped up and are making it happen. There's no waiting for anyone else to do anything and since they don't ask for much at all from anyone no one's going to try and oppose them.

And no we are focusing negligible effort to Ski-O in terms of the HPP though we do encourage athletes to go to SkiWOC. We have chosen to focus all of our efforts on the main discipline rather than spread ourselves out worrying about a bunch of different disciplines.

Thanks for the info - PG, the meeting data - JanetT, and the data about the HPP - Jeff. I definitely am grateful for all the hard work the ESC and the community more broadly puts into sustaining the elite program. I will listen in on the Board meeting on Sunday and see what transpires.

Board-related documents, including meeting minutes, can be found here. I agree that there is not much in the minutes on the discussion, but in general the minutes include a list of folks that were there in one way or another. I understand that it's not always easy to attend the board meeting, but I think most of the folks attending would be happy to discuss it after the fact. PG had made a great report on his log, but I can't find it there now. [Edit: Whoops, not on his log. Here.]

Anyhow, here's the list from the last board meeting at which the budget was discussed:

Board Members
Maiya Anderson Present
Pete Dady Present
Scott Drumm Not Present
Clare Durand Present
Donna Fluegel Present
Peter Goodwin Present
Amy Williams Present via phone
Frank Kuhn Present
Greg Lennon Present
Charlie Bleau Present
Pat Meehan Not Present
Lou Pataki Present

Executive Director
Glen Schorr Present

Visitors
Bruce McAlister
Peter Gagarin
Eric Weyman
Robin Shannonhouse via phone
John Torrance
Clem McGrath
Ken Walker, Sr.
Gary Kraght
Tapio Karras
Matt Robinson via phone
Mike Minium via phone

My recollection is that the board agreed in principle to fund 50% of the expenses of TeamUSA for 2012, even if it meant that OUSA would run a deficit.

With apologies for the formatting or the lack thereof, here are the TeamUSA budget items proposed for this Sunday's discussion:

2012 2011 Strategic Plan Goal(s)

Income

Team USA Support/Development
SENIOR TEAM
Contributions $7,000 $7,000 Team USA
Fundraising $1,500 $3,500 Team USA

JUNIOR TEAM
Contributions $3,800 $3,800 Team USA
Fundraising $3,800 $3,800 Team USA

WUOC TEAM
Contributions $3,000 $0 Team USA
Fundraising $1,000 $0 Team USA

SKI O TEAM
Contributions $2,250 $1,000 Team USA
Fundraising $0 $1,000 Team USA

TRAIL O TEAM
Contributions $1,000 $700 Team USA
Fundraising $3,500 $5,000 Team USA

Expense

Team USA Supporrt/Development
SENIOR TEAM
WRE Expenses $500 Team USA
WOC Fees Accomodations Board $12,000 $12,000 Team USA
Athlete travel Support $3,000 $3,000 Team USA
Team Sponsored training Camps $1,000 $1,000 Team USA
Uniforms $500 $300 Team USA

Junior Team
JWOC Expenses $11,000 $11,000 Team USA
Athlete travel Support $2,000 $2,000 Team USA
Team Sponsored training Camps $1,000 $1,000 Team USA
Uniforms $400 $400 Team USA

WUOC TEAM
WUOC Expenses $4,000 $0 Team USA

SKI O TEAM
WSkiOC Expenses $2,000 $4,000 Team USA
JWSkiOC Expenses $2,000 $4,000 Team USA
Athlete travel Support $500 $1,000 Team USA

TRAIL O TEAM
WTOC Expenses $5,000 $5,000 Team USA

I think all would agree that expenses greatly exceed income. It should be noted, however, that the income side is comprised of contributions and fundraising.

The ESCs generally take care of the fundraising and from what I see they work very hard at doing so. They are not content to just make do with the tried and true and are continually brainstorming about enhancing revenue for the benefit of the teams.

One recent initiative was to implement an online giving website which was announced with great fanfare and on which the donor could specify the specific beneficiary(ies). The last I heard, there had been only one (1) donation made.

In terms of contributions, these are typically solicited from the orienteering community at large, and specifically from the membership of OUSA. Many of those who are likely to make contributions also pay income taxes and are able to deduct contributions that are made to charities. If the goal is to raise the most money for the teams, then it would be best if those individuals donate through a charity rather than just give their after-tax money directly. In order to cast the widest net in the most efficient way, it makes sense to solicit from those who have given in the past. I would hope that using OUSA's charity status in this way isn't offensive as that is certainly not the intent.

I agree that all these efforts are understaffed and at times that is going to lead to mistakes and even gaffes. One way to fix this might be for more people to help. Especially those that care. I have asked for help at different times and in different ways and have yet to receive an offer. If you are reading this and have talent or expertise in raising funds and just a little bit of time, please get in touch. Remember, you are OUSA!