Today was the two year marker for Beth and I. We went out for dinner at a restaurant that I will mercifully let remain anonymous. I got the Ono and a "Spicy Asian Salad". It should have been labeled massive fire gut salad. The Ono was pretty clearly the left overs from the weekend. It sounded good on the menu but was a horrible mix of unrelated flavor in reality. Curry, fish and bread??? We also guessed it could have been the "B" squad in the kitchen, in reality it was probably the "C". No matter what, this is what I felt like doing when I got home:
Monday, September 24, 2007
Friday, September 21, 2007
Which way to go?
There has been a lot of talk since the ACA Executive Director tendered her resignation about whether or not the ACA should return to the USAC as a sanctioning body and have the ACA be the local association. I believe there is a time and a place for everything, including returning to the federation but that time is NOT right now.
It is inevitable that someday the ACA will be forced to return to USAC. This is not solely to keep the members happy but is a true necessity in the current insurance market. With rising costs of primary insurance, more racers are hitting the start line without it and relying on the secondary policy that the ACA and USAC offer. The ACA pays in a small fraction of what USAC pays into their policy yet we're getting almost the same benefits. In 2008 the ACA will pass on the per rider, per day insurance surchaerge increase that was received in 2007. The ACA managed to pay that increase for the promoters in 2007. Unless there is a dramatic change in the insurance industry standards, the ACA should expect to see their rates continue to rise into the foreseeable future. At some point the benefits that the ACA provides will no longer outweigh the additional cost of insurance surcharges and promoters will be forced to permit through USAC. It is my best guess that this will happen within the next 3-5 years.
Despite the need to eventually become a USAC Local Association it would be a mistake to do so at this stage in the associations development. The transition to USAC should be at least a year long process to ensure that promoter and racer benefits from ACA are not compromised during the move. Additionally, the ACA should use its current financial strengths to improve it's members benefits prior to reintegration. These could include, but are not be limited to, a new website for even faster results and points tabulations, online license sales, online race registration, race kit improvements, improved executive transparency and more detailed documents on the operation of the association. By striving to offer more benefits to members while maintaining its focus on grassroots racing and junior development the ACA would increase the value of the association in the eyes of the USAC. If lines of communication between the organizations were open during the solidification of ACA improvements it would ensure a smooth and positive transition to the USAC when the time is right at some point in the next 1-3 years. If developed and executed correctly the ACA could become the standard by which all other Local Associations are evaluated.
I encourage everyone to support the Executive Committee in an effort to appoint an interim Executive Director to ensure a smooth transition on October 22nd. Obviously this is not a position that can be transitioned overnight. Also encourage them to conduct a thorough search for applicants to review in order to find the best candidate for Executive Director. That candidate should be committed to work for the ACA and it's Executive Committee with goals to improve benefits, maintain a focus of grassroots junior development, and establish open communication with USAC in an effort to become the Local Association within 1-3 years.
It is inevitable that someday the ACA will be forced to return to USAC. This is not solely to keep the members happy but is a true necessity in the current insurance market. With rising costs of primary insurance, more racers are hitting the start line without it and relying on the secondary policy that the ACA and USAC offer. The ACA pays in a small fraction of what USAC pays into their policy yet we're getting almost the same benefits. In 2008 the ACA will pass on the per rider, per day insurance surchaerge increase that was received in 2007. The ACA managed to pay that increase for the promoters in 2007. Unless there is a dramatic change in the insurance industry standards, the ACA should expect to see their rates continue to rise into the foreseeable future. At some point the benefits that the ACA provides will no longer outweigh the additional cost of insurance surcharges and promoters will be forced to permit through USAC. It is my best guess that this will happen within the next 3-5 years.
Despite the need to eventually become a USAC Local Association it would be a mistake to do so at this stage in the associations development. The transition to USAC should be at least a year long process to ensure that promoter and racer benefits from ACA are not compromised during the move. Additionally, the ACA should use its current financial strengths to improve it's members benefits prior to reintegration. These could include, but are not be limited to, a new website for even faster results and points tabulations, online license sales, online race registration, race kit improvements, improved executive transparency and more detailed documents on the operation of the association. By striving to offer more benefits to members while maintaining its focus on grassroots racing and junior development the ACA would increase the value of the association in the eyes of the USAC. If lines of communication between the organizations were open during the solidification of ACA improvements it would ensure a smooth and positive transition to the USAC when the time is right at some point in the next 1-3 years. If developed and executed correctly the ACA could become the standard by which all other Local Associations are evaluated.
I encourage everyone to support the Executive Committee in an effort to appoint an interim Executive Director to ensure a smooth transition on October 22nd. Obviously this is not a position that can be transitioned overnight. Also encourage them to conduct a thorough search for applicants to review in order to find the best candidate for Executive Director. That candidate should be committed to work for the ACA and it's Executive Committee with goals to improve benefits, maintain a focus of grassroots junior development, and establish open communication with USAC in an effort to become the Local Association within 1-3 years.
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