I get complaints about how critical I am of the USPA and the PTF and how I should give them credit for the good things they do, and maybe there’s something to it. The problem is I find very little to compliment them for doing.
Two bright points, however, might be in the USPA’s appointment of Rick Sears as Chief Umpire and their re-establishment of the Umpire Committee. The recent high marks the umpiring received in the course of the Pacific Coast Open bodes well for the program as it moves back east for the Aiken season before winding its way to Wellington for the high-goal season.
Initially, I was uncomfortable with the decision of having a working umpire as Chief Umpire, but the results and the comments by other top umpires have confirmed the choice as being sound.
The reprisal of the Umpire committee is another fine move, and an acknowledged effort to open the process to public criticism as well as suggestions that might be implemented in an effort to improve the consistency of the calls.
The efforts by the Rules Committee have to be regarded as overdue and look to merely mimic the actions taken by the English. I’m pleased that they could finally implement actions that will make the game faster moving and more enjoyable to watch. I am only sorry that we weren’t the ones to recognize and react to the problems first. I guess I should be happy that Hurlingham is making the moves and recognizing the wisdom of their actions, we copy them.
It is now time for each and every other committee in the USPA to account for their existence and show some positive action, some justification for their existence.
Yes, there are a number of volunteers in the USPA who love the game and devout their time and efforts on behalf of the game, but quite frankly, a lot of them just aren’t very effective.
Just go down the list of committees and ask yourself what they have accomplished recently. We had specifications on a safety helmet adopted and required only to realize that there is no such helmet in production. Our Marketing Committee had a discussion on whether or not we even wanted spectators at the games and the Equine Welfare Committee has so many members that they couldn’t agree on the definition of a horse (remember the maxim that a camel is a horse designed by a committee).
Also notice that the committees are peppered with employees of both the USPA and the PTF. I was under the impression that these employees were supposed to serve as advisors, not policy makers, but that was just my impression.
It’s time to make everyone who assumes a position in the association or on a committee to either produce or make way for someone who will.
th000000928am08, 72008vUTC09bUTCSun, 28 Sep 2008 04:38:40 +0000 11, 2007...08:46p09
Credit Where Credit is Due
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