The Board-
The news came on Friday. My peers in the general membership have elected me to US Speedskating’s board of directors.
It is a deep honor.
After reading the election results, RZ and I took a walk down the alley next to our house.
She took every opportunity to stand in the puddles, often looking me right in the eye and saying “WOW!” as the cold water soaked into her sneakers.
Standing in mud & puddles teaches you so much more than looking at them from a distance. You know immediately the temperature of the water and how deep the puddle really is. With patience you even begin to notice reflections, rocks, crinkles in the asphalt, other puddles in the fissured alleyway-
I’m not making any explicit metaphor that speedskating is a muddy puddle, or that board of directors galumphs around like a kid in a fancy parka in the alleyway of small sports.
But I will do my best to communicate what is going on as this soaks into me. I’ve shied away from politics on this blog for SO LONG, I did not even mention I was running here.
But that will not be possible anymore.
Unlike every board member who came before me, I was clearly elected by a constituency of masters skaters. If you want to know the platform of policy items I ran on, here is what I wrote to the members.
What I did not say in the bio is that I have no illusions about the pummeling I have volunteered for. Complaining about things or people is easy; creating decent public policy is dammed hard. Triply so in a sport so many are so passionate for.
And there is this idealistic belief that I hold to; it goes something like-
“if you can make a difference in something you care about, then you have a moral obligation to do so”.
The hard work I have done with International Masters Speedskating has been incredibly rewarding, but this is totally different.
I am friends with many who have served in the Board of Directors. Better folks than me have been chewed up & spat out by volunteering in speedskating.
Despite my words & outlook here, don’t assume I don’t also have an iron set of policy fangs when it’s time to chew on hard issues. I hide them well, but I’m a veteran of many organizations, and my parents are Jedi masters of this stuff.
But I do have this moral belief, and maybe if enough of us stick our feet in the puddle, it will become a better place.
It might even freeze by next winter, and be good skating (short track, a very, very short track).
Stay tuned–
Filed under: USS board
I like puddles. I love them so much I have several pairs of sneakers so I don’t have to freeze. What good is it to look into a puddle if you’re not going to at least test how deep it might be.
As it stands with all puddles, you cannnot always see the bottom and so, you shouldn’t ever just “jump in with both feet,” assuming it is shallow. Just as we gently place our blades down on the ice to “feel” what we can push against, know for sure how strong of a push you can execute before you do so.
#1 moral:
don’t step into a puddle deeper than eye level
#2 moral:
don’t push against something unless you know where it will take you, otherwise you lose all control and your effort is wasted
the ‘doggie dance’ in a huge mud-puddle:
http://sphotos.ak.fbcdn.net/hphotos-ak-snc3/hs193.snc3/20058_273206052827_267887097827_3472362_454566_n.jpg
my puddle experiences as a kids were to jump up and down!!
K
Every time i see a puddle i have to step in it. Tony always says “don’t do it ” but i do anyway. It’s fun.
Puddles are the best, especially when there is MUD involved!
If anyone can do it on the board of directors it’s you. Best of luck with this new challenge.
P.S. puddles are fun.
Mike T
Hi Andrew,
A new step… what a challenge!
Congrats from Holland!
Stephan
[…] Andrew Love has been elected to US Speedskating’s Board of Directors- The Board- […]
First …CONGRATULATIONS…
and then Ah.!!..Puddles …endless memories and comments…with ONE recurring theme .. FUN…
something that U.S.S. has no concept of….
I sincerly wish you a lot of luck.
Vinny G.
Congrats! From your letter it seems you definitely will be a push in the right direction!
Puddles…nothing better on a warm rainy day!
Congratulations on the USS board. I’m a reader of your blog and can read between the lines that you’ll make a great, “high-minded” board member who’s interest is for the sport, first and foremost. Also glad to see you have your eyes open to the challenges you’ll face, as you note in this particular post–good luck!
Next time in Norway, Andrew:
Buy kids’ gear which also makes parents enjoy puddles; lightweight rubber boots, waterproof trousers with straps under the boots, waterproof jacket. Our 2-year old grandchild loves spashing in the icecold, muddy puddles in Trondheim these days. And he is completely dry when we evenually manage to haul him back into the house.
That picture is a great one! Just seeing the top of the picture, I thought she was just standing there… and scrolling down more and more I just laughed!
You’re really brave to take on a directorship. You’ve already suffered a lot of pain for your sport, but to volunteer for a bureaucracy…! this is a great gift you’re making and your constituents are truly blessed; you’ll be a voice of both passion and reason for them. May it never grind you down.