From time to time we recieve editorial letters and comments regarding stories and other editorial letters and comments. On occasion we publish whole or part if there's a hot topic. Recently there was a lot of buzz regarding timely results for area races. The KCA published a response at their site here, and we've chosen to publish a rebuttal to the example letter we published from a local racer concerned about the issue. Click on read more below for that reply. (We will host a permanent section for your comments and editorials in the near future. ed.)
Dear USCF racer:
Record, type, forward. Ah it seems so simple a formula. Sometimes it is, sometimes not.
Is there any particular reason why it took over a week to post the results from the “championship” weekend? No, there are several but lack of commitment was not one of them.
One reason was Margretta De Vries was out of town volunteering to officiate at some national level USCF races. She was not committed to volunteering as she normally does to transport and manage the KCA Registration system like she usually does every other weekend. She was committed to work out of state, on her own dime, for a NRC USCF race.
So it fell to several other volunteers to transport, setup and implement the system at 3 races in 10 days in dispersed parts of the state. I’m not sure how committed they are, but I’d say pretty damn committed individuals since the do things like Curt Shelman did at the Masters and Juniors State Championship last weekend:
“First off, I had no intention of doing ANYTHING at the State Age Group Champs except race my bike…but I ended up doing the flyer, permit, course set up, registration and CR of the event…plus I loaned my Merlin to a guy whose bottom bracket failed 10 minutes before the race and would not have been able to ride unless I allowed him to use it…so I guess my bike raced at the event!!!”
He should be committed.
Now to tell a VERY long story short, there was a breakdown in the “forward” part of your formula. And yes lack of technology was an issue. A little USB or Wi-fi here or there and we’re all good but it was not lack of commitment as you accuse. The existence of technology does not guarantee it’s flawless implementation nor the magical ability of a lightly trained registration staff volunteer or official to post races results to a website from a remote location with a simple mouse click.
I really don’t understand the “we are again, without results” part. The results were posted accurately and timely at the events like they are at every race in the area where the KCA Registration system is implemented. It’s safe to say that most race results are posted on the KCA website and to USAC within a couple of days of the races if not the same day. Furthermore, Kansas has led most states in the timely submission of results into the USAC Results and Rankings System for several years.
Please remedy on the behalf of Quality? What ?? The day TQM visits bike racing is the day W. E. Deming rises from his grave. Ok we won’t let Margretta travel during race season again (OK to travel the third week of January!) but we do so on behalf of our commitment to supporting USCF bike racing.
So I ask you please do not question the commitment of the KCA Board or any of the many people such as myself, Margretta and Curt who volunteer tirelessly to administrate, officiate, promote, organize, and lead USCF/USAC racing community so you can attend nice, safe, fun bike race.
Curtis Martell
Not a KCA Board Member