Below are Candidate Statements, in alphabetical order, from the Candidates for Board of Directors seats in the upcoming election for the New England Bicycle Racing Association. These statements are also available as a PDF document here: 2016 NEBRA Board Candidate Statements.
Kyle Butler
I am astounded and quite grateful to be nominated to be a member of the Board of Directors of NEBRA. For those who have not met me before, I am Kyle Butler, Event Coordinator and Co- Founder of Green Line Velo driven by Zipcar and Race Director for the Purgatory Road Race. I am a bike racer, race promoter, bike mechanic, cycling infrastructure advocate, and a cycling safety instructor. There are many hats I wear in the world of cycling and many of those hats have been positions that I have been elected to or hired, for the purpose of representing the needs and desires of the many cyclists I have encountered. I am hoping to broaden the reach of my representation and implementation of New England cyclists’ influence through the available position on the NEBRA Board of Directors.
For those aware of the recent change in administration for USA Cycling you know that we are within the dawn of a new era for shaping the operations, growth and support for cycling events both competitive and non-competitive as well as the culture itself. Striding in tandem with these changes are the representatives of NEBRA. If you look favorably upon the new direction of USA Cycling, you have the NEBRA administration and the collective voices of club managers and race promoters to thank for it. The local associations, clubs and promoters finally have the ears of USA Cycling and the tides of change are here.
I believe this is the time to move forward and continue to increase the support of the local associations, events, clubs and growth initiatives. We have all noticed or personally experienced to some degree the changes within cycling in New England. We have seen races cancelled due to unfortunate or unforeseen circumstances. We are all aware of the lack of gender inequality and junior development programs within our competitive racing scene. We have seen the support systems of large clubs falter, giving way to division and the loss of the teamwork ethos. These issues and more are present, spreading and need to be continued to be addressed and remedied.
On the other hand, we have model organizations hosting multiple events and and/or creating the growth of the sport from the ground up. These clubs such as such as Essex County Velo, NCC/JAM Fund, Minuteman Road Club, Cannondale Sports New England, CCAP, and others are setting the benchmark to which all cycling organizations in New England should be held. And with the new increased support from USA Cycling and the new information and programs set in motion by NEBRA, more of this positive growth is possible. This is where I see a grand opportunity as a candidate of the NEBRA Board of Directors to ensure this momentum does not cease. I believe in empowering clubs and promoters to reach their potential, to bolster the tenure of their events, to help fund fledgling programs which can give them the metaphorical push out of the nest to soar. I dare all clubs and events to emulate the best organizations and events in New England. And I want to offer the support they need as a member of the Board of Directors of NEBRA.
Thank you for your consideration and I’ll see you out there on the road.
Cheers,
Kyle Butler
Liz Campbell
Years riding bicycles as an adult: 35
Years involved in organized race: 28, since the first years of Killington Stage Race – Beast of the East
Years racing: 8
Years officiating and moto-reffing 12
In the past year and a half I’ve had the good fortune to review and communicate with just about every other Local Association in the United States. I’ve learned that each is different in how they operate. What I’ve found is they all wish to give the bicycle riders the best service they possibly can within their means.
Some LA’s have budgets of $320,000 receiving only $35,000 of that from USAC, and with $200,000 in the bank. Another LA has a $100,000 budget for instance, and a cash balance of $100,000. Both of those LA’s are similar in size to New England, neither rely on sponsorship money. NEBRA is the fifth largest LA in the country, based on membership, with approximately 3500 total members.
What do they do that helps bring in the addition revenue? They add value. In the first LA, they have extensive Championships which they promote extensively. The racers are enthusiastic about the series and feel they have something to be involved in. There are extra fees that the racers pay at registration. There is an annual membership the racers pay to be in the LA. But the LA gives back to the racers significantly in training programs, new racer programs, junior programs, equipment programs, grants, etc. The LA has several timing systems throughout the LA for the use of the promoters, as well as barricades and trusses, which are available for the promoters use. This saves the cost of the promoters renting, or buying their own equipment. There are per rider fees that the promoter pays to the LA for the use of the equipment. There are several sets of the equipment stored around the LA.
It’s my belief that we as racers and former racers like to have a sense of accomplishment. Sometimes that is winning, or top five, top ten, or finishing 24th, which is the best finish of the season. We mentally measure our results whether it’s in a race or on a training ride. We know if we’re having a good day if we finish our Wednesday training ride a minute and thirty-six seconds faster than last week, and Strava says so too! As a Local Association if we want to increase racer days, and increase racer attendance it would behoove us to increase ways for racers to measure themselves against others. Certainly the current structure of going out and racing singular races to see how each does against their peers TODAY is the norm, but why not expand that. Give the racers more options than just the Annual State Championship One Day Race.
Here are some options two different series a Spring Series and a Summer Series based on points which are all scored on categories:
Western New England Spring/Summer Time Race Series
Eastern New England Spring/Summer Time Race Series
Northern New England Spring/Summer Time Race Series
Southern New England Spring/Summer Time Race Series
Then there could be an annual points championship: Western New England Race Series
Eastern New England Race Series
Northern New England Race Series
Southern New England Race Series
To add to this we could do a SPRINT and KOM and QOM points Championship, using all the crits for the sprints and road races for the sprints and KOM/QOM’s.
Western New England Spring/Summer Time SPRINT/KOM/QOM Championship
Eastern New England Spring/Summer Time SPRINT/KOM/QOM Championship
Northern New England Spring/Summer Time SPRINT/KOM/QOM Championship
Southern New England Spring/Summer Time SPRINT/KOM/QOM Championship
And of course an annual championship.
Western New England SPRINT/KOM/QOM Championship
Eastern New England SPRINT/KOM/QOM Championship
Northern New England SPRINT/KOM/QOM Championship
Southern New England SPRINT/KOM/QOM Championship
There could be a Western/Eastern/Southern/Northern New England Cross Championship as well.
Bike Reg is a sponsor of NEBRA, perhaps they can work with us for this, if not, there must be a way to keep track of the points. At the same time, USAC keeps track of everyone’s points.
I understand NEBRA is hiring a media manager, this kind of information would be perfect to post weekly to public media, who’s where in the points standings, to fuel racers to go to the next week race. That’s what we want, yes, racers to go to more races, yes?
Not all of these ideas would be perfect for NEBRA, and there are many more to share, but the point is, there are many things that NEBRA can do to help get racers to race, and more things that NEBRA can do to help promoters. Some of the ideas and changes will take time to put in place, and for riders to adjust to, but the point is to add value to get riders interested and keep them wanting to come to come back. The same for promoters, add value so the promoters get back something that helps them put on races.
One big thing that I learned about other LA’s is about the board of directors of many Local Associations. There are many boards that don’t have the luxury of having a Diane Fortini or JD Bilodeau. They delegate the duties to the board members. I contend that I would like to be hands on while on the board of NEBRA. I would like to be an asset, helping JD to create and manage some of the projects that he is working on now, and any future projects that will be coming up. Perhaps some of the other board members would lend a hand as well.
Just to give a bit of history, I’m casually known as Queen of the Motos, the creator of the Moto Cavalry, (search on facebook, watch the spelling of Cavalry) which includes 180 motos up and down the East Coast and California. I’m pretty hard to miss out on my big yellow BMW, and harder to forget.
In the past four years I’ve trained and brought over 70 new Moto-Referees, who are officials, into the world of bicycle racing in New England, New York, New Jersey and Pennsylvania. I continue to do advanced training with all of the Motos and when they aren’t on motorcycles they are working on the ground as judges and referees, at road races, crits and cross races. They have become a significant part of the core officials in New England.
What I bring to the board is my years as a racer, and a dozen years of being an official and moto, dealing with promoters, racers, additional parties, as well as my own experiences both inside New England, and working at events across the country at both competitive, and non-competitive events, such as Pro level races and Gran Fondos.
I promise to bring a fresh eye, a healthy heart, and a sharp mind to the board.
Sincerely and eagerly, Liz Campbell
Lauren LeClaire
As a current board member, I have played an integral role in the recent reinvigoration of NEBRA and hope to build on my involvement through a full election cycle.
Qualifications:
• Current NEBRA board member: In November the board met to plan new initiatives for
2016. Action items arising from that meeting included forming a transparent and organized communication plan, creating and implementing women’s initiatives, and forming a robust fundraising plan to enable NEBRA to operate as a self-sufficient entity. As chair of both the social media/communications committee and the fundraising committee, it’s crucial I remain on the board to see these new endeavors to fruition.
• Elite road and cyclocross racer: As an active member or the racing community, I can leverage my competitive experiences to help NEBRA represent the concerns of the racing community. However, being relatively new to the scene, I bring fresh perspective and energy to my role as a NEBRA board member.
• Cycling advocacy: When I see a need in the cycling community not being met, I actively try to improve the situation. This is how I got my start in cycling advocacy. I co-founded “RAWR Bikes,” with the goal of encouraging more women to get into cycling. Through RAWR, I worked to create a welcoming environment for women in the sport. This effort was a stepping stone for my current role as the Communications Coordinator for the Massachusetts Bicycle Coalition (MassBike).
• MassBike: As the Communications Coordinator for MassBike I work to unite the racing world with those involved in cycling advocacy. It is important for racers to foster excitement and opportunities for cycling within our communities. An example of this work is the ‘Adopt-a-School’ program, which will connect local clubs with middle school students in the area. As a representative of both MassBike and NEBRA, I’ve been integral in facilitating the launch of this program for this coming spring.
• Race promotion: In 2015 I was hired as Media Coordinator for Providence Cyclocross. I also helped behind the scenes at The Night Weasels Cometh. Skills gained at these jobs and others are currently being applied to NEBRA’s new social media marketing
plan. Additionally, I have worked with Pedal Power Training Solutions assisting with social media, marketing, team management, and coaching. Through these experiences, I have become well versed in all elements of race promotion.
By re-electing me to the NEBRA board for my first full term, you are supporting someone who is deeply rooted in the cycling community and who can offer multiple and varied perspectives to the board. You are supporting a person who wants to donate her time and unique skillset to help make NEBRA a strong, self-sustaining organization that will be able to adequately represent and respond to the needs of all New England cyclists. I appreciate your time and support.
Mike Norton
As an active member of our cycling community since 1986, I respectfully ask for you vote in the upcoming election for NEBRA board member.
I began my cycling career as a novice Category 4 USCF racer back in 1986. My involvement in racing sparked a desire to see it evolve and flourish as much as my passion for the sport did. Throughout the years, I continued racing and becoming more and more involved in all aspects of the sport. Between coaching juniors to become National champions and directing and officiating bike races, I have remained committed to keeping cycling alive in the New England region.
I understand cycling from a variety of perspectives. As a racer, I know the concerns and needs that racers have, including the safety of a race as well as general considerations of accurate results, payouts, etc. From a director’s point of view, I understand the financial and time commitments necessary to work with multiple municipalities in organizing a successful event.
My experience as an official affords me the opportunity to acknowledge that results need to be accurate and timely, and that racers enjoy their involvement in the event.
I have viewed bicycle racing through a variety of lenses. I understand the perspective of each participant in the sport and most importantly, am passionate about keeping our sport alive in our New England region. I would appreciate your vote in our upcoming election and am committed to hearing your voice and ensuring that it is heard.
Sincerely,
Michael A. Norton
Category 2 USAC Coach
B USA Cycling Official
USA Cycling racer for 32 years
USAC Race Director for 30 years (Quabbin, Monson, Palmer, Sturbridge, and Brimfield training series)
NEBRA past president and board member
Colin Reuter
I believe I am qualifiedto be on the NEBRA board for the following reasons:
1) I’ve raced 30 bike races or more every year in New England for the
last 10 years, across all three disciplines, so I have a lot of
experience participating in the New England racing scene in its
current form.
2) I promote three races a year, using three different sanctioning
bodies (USAC, EFTA, Unsanctioned), so I have exposure to almost all
promoter concerns.
3) I started two websites (crossresults and road-results) because I
like cycling results, data and analysis. Many features on them have
been so successful that they were more or less copied verbatim on
USACycling.org.
4) I’m the lead programmer at BikeReg, so I spend all day long with my
finger on the pulse of New England events and think about online event
registration more than anyone ever should.
My long term vision for New England cycling is to keep it awesome, and
I think I have a unique set of experiences and skills to help an
institution like NEBRA understand and shape the racing landscape.
Thanks,
Colin
Steve Weller
I have been an active member of the New England cycling community since 2001, as a racer,
coach, race promoter and NEBRA board member (on the board since 2012).
I’m passionate about working to create and continue a sustainable and vibrant racing and riding
community in New England, and have worked over the last 4 years with the Board to help identify
and address the challenges that face our riders, racers, and promoters.
Most recently, I’ve helped to outline and establish a NEBRA-backed promoter support package,
which was presented ahead of the 2016 NEBRA summit. Additionally, I’ve worked with NEBRA
to increase our internet and social media presence, through which we’ll be better able to engage
with our members across New England.
I’m eager to have the opportunity to continue to serve the riding community that has been a huge
part of my life.