Issue #9 NGB meeting times and locations

For those whom have office jobs, and I am certain for those with IT jobs that you have dialed in on your computer to work. You have had phone conferences from home, or a hotel. You have had internet web cam chats with your boss, or your customers for that matter. All of these tools bring communication among the masses available to anyone, anywhere in the world.  The days of scheduling a meeting to fit everyone's schedule, and to make sure everyone is in one place are over. Welcome to the 21st century. 

So why can’t USA Powerlifting grasp this concept? Here is the problem.

Every year since the inception of the ADFPA, there is an NGB (National Governing Body) meeting at the Men’s Open Nationals. This is the time every year where the representatives you elect from your state travel to discuss issues affecting the organization. Votes on new matters take place, and general business is discussed. There are also elections with for official positions within the highest levels of the USA Powerlifting.

Here are the problems that have cropped up over time with the timing and format of the NGB meeting.

A. It still is being held at the Mens Open Nationals only.

Now it was very logical to hold the NGB meeting at Mens Open Nationals. It has been the most well attended event in the organization history. Problem is the demographics of Powerlifting have changed, and it’s no longer the most attended event. This creates a challenge for many state representatives  to attend this event. Because many are lifters themselves and can not afford to travel multiple times a year. This creates a gap of representation at our NGB meeting for many states. 

B. Its held on Thursday before the Mens Open Nationals

The problem with that is many people have to take at least Friday off from work to travel to Men's Nationals, and can’t take more time off then that. Others do not have paid vacation time. Some get paid on commission and every day really is a working day.  And the rest often times have families and do not have the luxury of taking more time off. This causes some representatives not to attend the NGB meeting.

What this creates is a situation where those whom are elected now, get reelected almost unopposed all the time . And motions get brought up on the floor that no one from the states knows about, and gets passed by a narrow group of people. This in effect makes USA Powerlifting an Oligarchy. Not a Democracy, or an elected Republic as the leadership touts it to be. 

USA Powerlifting needs to take the following actions if it wishes to truly be a democratic body.

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why should I care?

I want to address one piece of feedback I got, and I want to address it to the masses since its likely others will ask the same question. It can be summed up like this, ‘why should I care?’. Up to this point, everyone whom has read this section of thepowerliftingforum.com has said agreed with at least some of the issues listed. Not only agreed, but said action should be taken now to resolve those issues. But others ask how this impacts them.

This is a good question. Because it may be hard to see how any of these issues impact you as a lifter. Most of you just do the following; send in your entry, train like an animal, compete, eat a big fat steak. Rest for a couple days and repeat. The thing is that all these issues listed tie back to one thing, and that is the contest you compete at. Where it be directly, or indirectly the issues do impact what you do as a lifter from the local level all the way up. 

Competing with USA Powerlifting means the highest standard of contest. Both its execution and for rules of performance. But this has lead to a leadership that I feel quite strongly has forgotten what has worked in the past, and rules are created yearly with disregard to its full impact. Further this leadership actions, or in many cases inaction, sends the message that it doesn't need to report to us. Us being the membership.

It's time to remind them that they do report to us. So in closing, this is why you should care. And start making noise to leadership to make some changes happen.

Back to USAPL Grievance page 

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Issue #8 Open Communication

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