thanks for the UNITY !!!!
:)
I sincerely feel that as soon as the majority of our remaining boat racers can go home after a weekend of boat-racing feeling GREAT about their efforts, that they will be our sports FINEST form of advertising!!! This will only occur as our sport evolves ( or as the case may be "realigns" ) itself to recognise the involvement of the very least among us... We will have to say to the "back-markers"... "WE ARE HAPPY YOU ARE HERE!!!! " (that is a general behavior,necessary on the part of the race commitee and veteran racers )
There are participants in every category, at every level who show up on countless weekends of boat racing with no expectations of winning, yet are happy to be part of our chosen sport, they are genuinely thrilled to be part of our activities...a kind word or offer of help from one of the people who have always had a seat at at the " cool kids table" can and will go a long way towards them having that indescribable "warm and fuzzy feeling" on their long ride home... That is simply much more benificial to our collective progress than
the alternative "long ride home" wherin our fellow boat racers are left to ponder the haunting question of "why do I bother with this"...
...going to fix another drink :p ...more to come :) :)
The Internet Boards/websites Are Lighting Up Recognizing Our Problems!
It is excellent to see everyone grasping our dilema with carefull thoughts and comparissons on how to bring us back from the brink of going down. It is my hope that this discussion is just not venting? That it is discussion that pursues and actions changes.
Lets make that happen and it starts here and there and it must be put together.
Some how political differences that divide our sport need to be eliminated for the common good. We used to do it but we did not change with the times to continue to successfully do it.
Can we make changes fast enough without burning out people dedicated to changing what needs to be changed and quickly.
You can take volunteerism only so far and that stops too with different types of burnouts and expenses no one should suffer by those wanting to help making sure everyone does a fair share within their abilities and means.
We are all different and we all have something we can do and contribute something unique to do all this.
*In that spirit of "Can Do" we need to establish and vet a true database of people who want to advance the common good, weld it all together and get it going. This proposed database or databases need management, organization and maintennance coupled to the ability to do short and long term planning that can cut across all kinds of lines and hangups to make changes.
This is not pie in the sky and a place to start.
*Question is? Who will sponsor such a database of like minded people doing the same things with the gifts given them? Ron Hill??? Ted March??? Charlie Williams??? etc. etc. We are talking a new kind of organization here of Can Do'ers that is not a threat to properly running and rationalized for the good of the sport - Sanctioning/governing Body or Bodies.
We can talk but when does the buck stop here? :)