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USAPL President
Larry Maile
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The following messages reproduced from the 2004 NGB Meeting Minutes
President's Message
June 1, 2004
-Update on activity over the past year:
-the national office has been relocated to a new building in Columbia City, IN.
-Drug Testing: international lifters now pay for their own OMT prior to their meet.
-Working with all programs to be more efficient and hold down costs.
-Working with a formal marketing company. We are 4 months into our 6 month contract. Looking at unifying press releases, increasing name recognition…
-Improving marketing of our merchandise. Purchases can now be made on the internet, via our website.
-Our website has been updated, and will be continuously updated. There is a meet director resource section and lots of new downloads. The downloads are a cost cutting measure, so the national office does not have to mail forms out.
-We are a volunteer organization, from the spotters and loaders to the meet directors. We have increased the number of state chairs, and there are only 3 states without a chair. There are two new committees dealing with drug testing: OMT Committee does the scheduling and the TUE Committee (Therapeutic Use Exemptions Committee) which brings us into compliance with WADA.
-Our youth program began this year. It has been well received by our members. USAPL likes what's happening with this program, the IPF does not. The USOC mandates that youth programs be a part of their sport organizations. It is important for this program to continue to grow and develop our younger lifters.
-We have had several training camps around the country. Johnny Graham hosted high school coaches in Texas, targeting the improvement of their programs. Programs have also been run to focus on training and equipment in Fort Wayne, IN and Spokane, WA. Another camp will be held this August in Michigan.
-We are beginning to contact members whose membership has lapsed. We have sold 2200 memberships in the first 6 months of this year, and have 3300 active members. Lapsing members now get a notification letter, and past members who have not rejoined are being contacted by Erin Dickey. Erin has found that very few members went away because they were angry. Most left because they had life changes, some stated they left because of an injury. We get most of our sign-ups at meets. Many of the lifters that do not have current membership still feel affiliated with our organization.
-Newsletter: We would like to start this back up, but we are not financially ready to do so. We are looking at ways to be able to do it. The cost would run between $3-6 per member. This program is a priority.
-In lieu of our newsletter we have a column in Powerlifting USA. Mr. Lambert has been very good to us by publishing what we send to him. We appreciate our layout. We are also on the process of negotiating a column with PurePower. A column/advertising in the NSCA Journal is also being considered. This would target an important group (strength coaches), but will cost $1,000 per issue, 6 issues a year.
-Meet sanctions: 140 sanctioned meets each in 2001, 2002, 2003. 102 meets have been held so far this year, with 118 sanctions paid for. We are on track to have more meets than in the past. We are seeing that most lifters compete within 150 miles from their home, so we need to continue to offer meets in various locations.
-Feedback on the IPF: Great things are happening for USAPL lifters at the IPF level. Our women's team placed 3rd at worlds with 6 medalists, and our Master's team is very accomplished. Since 1997 we have had only 2 positive drug tests at the IPF level. We have about 140 lifter appearances per year at IPF world events. Regardless of this, the US is not well received at the IPF level. They are critical of us, and not happy with our youth, raw and lifetime divisions.
-We still maintain our commitment to our drug-free program. The philosophy of Brother Bennet still lives with us.
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USAPL VP
Johnny Graham
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Vice President's Message
-First, I want to give a special thanks to all the members for having the confidence in me to fill the past year as YOUR USAPL Vice President.
-These past 12 months have REALLY been a learning experience for me. This learning experience has also given me the chance to go to many USAPL events around the country and the world, watching the best drug free men and women compete. Every trip I learn something new, from watching the best professional meet director on the world run outstanding events, to watching coaches and lifters put a new twist into lifting. In this sport there is never a dull moment.
-With the good, also comes the bad. Yes, we do have lots of work to do. Some things that ALL members must know, and I MUST do, will be addressed in this memo.
First, and foremost, we have to improve our membership. How is this going to happen? All state chairs must get out there and inform the members, teams, gyms, and above all the high schools of our organization. I have always felt that the future of our sport depends on the high school lifters.
We have to get ALL of our officials on the same standards of performance. One official badmouthing another on the rules to others when you are not in the "HOT SEAT" will not be tolerated. All officials must present themselves in a professional manner at all times. Anything less will not be accepted.
We need more meet directors. We have a selected few people that are willing to make the sacrifice of hosting national events year after year. After a while, lifters will lose interest in going to the same place. This is also meant for state meets too. Once again, state chairs, ask those great local meet directors to bid on national events, and SUPPORT them.
All members of the Executive Committee must be available to the members. Too many times I have heard from lifters saying that members of the EC won't return their calls, and wait weeks to respond. We are elected by the members, for the members. Listen to what the members have to say and give them the best possible support needed. This also goes along with professionalism to the members. We all have other professions, but we also had those professions when we ran for office. Without proper leadership, we will fail as a unit.
The competition is out there, and just waiting for us to drop the ball. All members must support this organization if you also want us to continue to succeed. Let's work together and stop finding all the negative that will bring us down.
-We are doing a lot more great things than bad. Our OMTs have skyrocketed during the past year, and we will continue to address this issue. Our treasurer has done a great job on saving the organization money on many things from insurance and mailing to phone bills. He will address this in more detail.
-The coaching committee has done an excellent job in insuring that the coaches selected to coach our world teams meet some very strict standards. They have left no stone unturned to put the best possible people out there to lead our lifters. This was truly evident in the great success of our masters and women's teams. Many people helped in making these teams that brought back team awards. With their untiring leadership, all of our teams will give their highest level of support and effort.
-We now have our own national office and the members have been able to speak during normal working hours. This is a big plus for us.
-We have set record numbers at most of our national meets during the past year. This is because of the great job that people like the Howards, Fletchers, Phantom Warriors Powerlifting, and Harts have worked hard to bring the members high quality events.
-We are constantly working with travel agents to make all efforts for our teams traveling abroad easier. With the world situation as it is today, this puts less stress on the lifters and makes the events a pleasure.
-Yes, there is much work to be done, but with your support, and the support of the leaders you elected, we will get it done. We are a team of teams, and with all the committees working as one we will continue to be the BEST powerlifting organization in the world.
TEAM = Together Everyone Achieves More
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