PRESIDENT MESSAGE FROM THE 85 OLYMPIC MEDALS AND COUNTING
Greetings Everyone, Well the second half of the season has begun. As I
write this letter, the Long Track Team has started their international schedule and the Short Track Team is preparing to depart for their final international compe- titions. So far, the US medal count for the 2011-2012 World Cup season is 25 medals---13 Short Track and 12 Long Track. As I look at the calendar, it is hard to believe that there are only 2 years until the Winter
Olympics in Sochi, Russia. It seems like just yesterday we were watching the Winter Olympics unfold in Vancouver. Our athletes are training hard for 2014 with many others training and working towards competing in 2018. With the passage of the recently revised US Speedskating By-Laws at the
Fall Meeting and an increase in the size of the Board from 13 to 15 Directors, an election will be held early in this new year for three additional members to be added to the Board of Directors, two from the General Membership and one from the Retired Elite Competitors. Please take the time to vote if the elec- tion happens to be taking place in a membership category that you belong to. Later this year, there will be an election for the three Athlete Representative Directors aligning the terms that they serve on the US Speedskating Board of Directors with the USOC Athletes’ Advisory Council. The Board of Directors Spring Meeting will be held in Cleveland, Ohio on
April 21 and 22. This is also the weekend that the US Speedskating and the Hall of Fame Committee will induct new members into the US Speedskating Hall of Fame. Please mark your calendars and watch the US Speedskating website for more details on submitting proposals, meeting times and agen- das. While in Cleveland, take the time to visit the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Cleveland Museum of Art, Lake Erie Science Center, the new Greater Cleveland Aquarium at the Power House and the many other attractions Cleveland has to offer. Since becoming President, I have made it a point to get to several events
across the country to watch the competitions as my schedule permits --- both long track and short track. Many of you have taken the time to stop me, in- troducing yourselves and share your concerns. I want to say thanks for the opportunity to talk and exchange ideas. One last thought as I close this letter. Looking forward, I am concerned
about the need we have in our organization for not only skaters, both long and short track, but also the need for more officials and coaches. I would like to ask those who are no longer involved actively with the sport to consider becoming a coach or an official. Ask the Coaching or Officials Committee how to get started. Skaters---invite a friend to practice. Share with them the fun you are having and what brings you back to the rink, day aer day, week aer week. Together, WE can make a difference in growing this sport!
Good Skating- Tom Frank US Speedskating President 4 RACING BLADE Winter 2012
www.usspeedskating.org
RACING BLADE Winter 2012 ©2012 All rights reserved
Racing Blade is produced and published by US Speedskating. The entire contents of this publication are copyrighted ©2012, all rights reserved and may not be reproduced in any manner without permission from US Speedskating.
US SPEEDSKATING 5662 S Cougar Lane Kearns, UT 84118 P: (801) 417-5360 F: (801) 417-5361
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US SPEEDSKATING BOARD OF DIRECTORS Officers Tom Frank - President Katie Traver - Vice President Brad Goskowicz - Treasurer Andrew Love - Secretary
Directors Ian Baranski Fred Benjamin Dave Cruikshank Travis Jayner
Susan Sandvig-Shobe Nancy Swider-Peltz, Jr.
PHOTO CREDITS Bella Faccie Sports Media/Thomas DiNardo, Steve Penland, Getty Images
EDITOR Linda Jager
COPY EDITOR Kelly Pugliano
CONTRIBUTING WRITERS Tamara Castellano, Kaari Cox, Nicole Detling-Miller, Shane Domer, Nanna Meyer, Kelly Pugliano, Anouck St. Gelais
PUBLICATION DESIGN Breanna Bissell
COVER PHOTO Courtesy of Bella Faccie Sports Media, Thomas Di Nardo © 2012
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