The USAC Wants the ACA to Rejoin as a Local Association
Tuesday, August 23rd, 2011The USAC wants the ACA to rejoin as a Local Association (LA). Below is the URL to the information on the ACA web site regarding this request.
http://www.americancycling.org/articles/our-relationship-usac-continuing-conversation
There is much information on the ACA web site including the ACA Position Statement and a ACA USAC Comparison Chart.
This appears to be a very HOT topic. There are many emails and
much dicusion regarding what the ACA should do. I sent a email to the IC3 Adult
Race Team members asking for feedback regarding this issue. The following is
the compilation of all the responses I received to the email I sent.
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Rich
Here is the scoop -
We want the ACA to stay around or NO MORE JUNIORS. The USAC wants
to take the money from ACA and we all lose. There are 12 pros who don’t want to
pay for dual licensure. There are just a few master cyclocross racers upset. Otherwise
it is a farce.
We want the ACA to stay and unless you have been on the inside
with the ACA it is confusing. Please reiterate to the racers we do not want to
join the USAC unless you want no more than one or two races in CO a month.
Kathy
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I’ve read mixed reviews on this. Could be good in opening up to
more races but may be costlier to race.
Matt
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I read the position paper of the ACA on the website. I understand
that that position paper might be skewed in favor of independence (which it
is), but apart from that there are economic reasons NOT to join USAC with entry
fees and our ability to be and stay local with a comparative advantage with
junior cycling. (reason 1 not to join). The position paper also recounts some
‘take it or leave it’ attitude by the USAC in joint racing and cooperation with
litle relationship building in the USAC to the ACA direction. The third
position relates to IC3 value to junior racing which seems to take a back seat
with the USAC alliance.
I would be interested in others’ reads, but prima facia and
without a position paper from the USAC on the pros, I would vote against the
ACA joining the USAC. I would especially like to
hear the junior position from IC3 (Elliott and Hecht) with the cross over
participation and junior program….thanks for including us..
Larry Varys
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Rich,
This issue has been around for a long time. Overall, moving into
USAC will mean fewer races and more cost. Their association uses up a lot more
of the money than ours does. The biggest one to me is the junior programs. USAC
supports elite junior racing and the grass roots junior racing is on the back
burner. As well, they take our money and don’t feed as much of it into the
general junior
programs. Overall, I think the ACA does a much better job than USAC.
The ACA is going to send out a survey soon to get an idea what the
membership wants to do. Then there may be a vote. If they merge, I am sure
there will still be bicycle racing in Colorado. It will just cost more and be
different.
Blessings,
Dick
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Hi Rich,
Yes I saw this. My vote is AGAINST the change. I believe CO riders
are way better represented by ACA.
Ray Roetman
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Before you decide you are for joining, read the detailed
comparison that the ACA sent out
(and has on the website). Overall it looks like most of our money will be
sucked up to support national and our freedoms will be limited. Right now we
have the freedom to cater more to junior development and the mature cat 3 and 4
riders, who are the foundation of our membership. Under
the current situation, we get all the benefits of an independent ACA as well as
the option to buy a USAC license and participate in all their events. So far I
have had lots of good racing without feeling the need to buy a separate USAC
license. If we join USAC then we would have to charge extra money to continue
our junior programs, which may be the equivalent cost of being forced to buy
both licenses. I’m not sure how it might affect our ability to offer options to
older cat 3 and 4 riders, but we may have to take on some constraints there. I
haven’t made a final decision yet, but it’s starting
to look like a bad deal.
Paul
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Rich,
I didn’t get a chance to respond yet but I would have said the
same…DO NOT JOIN THE USAC. If you’d like more detail please call me, I am very
well versed on this issue. I’m ecstatic at the stance IC3 is planning to take
in voting NO.
Thanks!
Bruce Hecht
303-881-7589 Cell
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