Northern Division
Spring Meeting Minutes
Saturday, June 12, 2010
Right Now Technologies, Bozeman, MT

Call to Order:  9:10 a.m.

Welcome/ Identification of Members present:  Irv Blaney, Cole Greer, Susan Carstensen, Bruce Krueger, Craig Krueger, Jeremy Ueland, Jarod Roberts, Jerry Wolf, Fran Noel, Paul Bussi, Bob Pettit, Richard Kramer, Susan Krueger, Sherri Hale, Richard Duncan, Aaron Ruddick, Peter Bedell, Bill Brandon 

Approval of Minutes from Winter Meeting

Old Business:

• Report of the President
• Program Status – Club reports:
• MSSEF, Missoula:  Learn-to-ski/Lil’ Griz program strong, kids moving up to YSL.  Will be losing only 1 older athlete, coach retention high also.  A few new board members, similar athlete numbers.
• BSSEF, Big Sky:  Younger coaches turnover, athlete numbers stable.  New Board President replacing J. Bildalhl.
• BSF, Bridger:  140 athletes last season, 7 in 5-day/week program.  Roger Bay moving on to  coach the US Women, Alpine program will be seeking his replacement over  the summer.  All BSF disciplines are joining under one new Executive Director, to be hired this summer.
• RMCollege ski team:  Continued strength, plenty of low point skiers on board for next season.
• DRT, Discovery:  Bill Brandon reports on their growing program, continuing enthusiastic growth, looking forward to their first YSL race in many years.  Kenny Manchester, Leif Cox coaching, replacing Rick Duncan.
• Terry Peak, South Dakota:  Appx. 15 families starting up their program again.  Estimating 30-40 racers total.  Oldest racer is 12.  Perhaps begin racing in 2011-12. Starting masters and high school programs also.  Fully supported by mountain management.
• ACC/WR overview – Jeremy Ueland
• Policy and rules updates / ND handbook/WR Manual: See the USSA Western Region Congress minutes for report:   http://www.ussa.org/magnoliaPublic/ussa/en/about/governance/meetings/minutes/alpinesportcommittee.html.  (Edit, 2011:  Link no longer works.  New link:  http://archive.ussa.org/magnoliaPublic/ussa/en/about/governance/meetings/minutes/alpinesportcommittee.html)
• Congress discussed the possibility of single pole GS, no outside panels.
• Level 100 courses: may add a GS & speed component.  
• Chelsea Steibach needs to know if ND wants a level 100 clinic…not sufficient interest as of now.  Great Western Ski Foundation monies need to be allocated.  Possibilities.  See the above link to WR Congress ACC minutes.
• Baseline impact tests to be established in preparation for assessing head trauma injuries.
• The Regional $2 head tax was taking the divisional head taxes away from the divisions.
• Divisions may host their own divisional FIS race, cannot admit out-of-division racers with the exception of ND and AK racers.  Athletes will be Limited to 8 starts.
• The National Development System J3 Fundamentals Camp and Topolino selections:  The 1st year J3 top male and female athletes from the spring YSL championships will make up the ND selection.  The ND ACC decided to send only 1 each gender, and set aside the #2 male/female spots as discretionary.  There is another slot available, but will be discretionary, and decided on a year-year basis.
• USSA WEST Team and camp reports are up to date at regional and NDS levels
• WR athlete tracking program- Physical Assessments-Sit Height data missing for many athletes. Deadlines for testing are June 1 and Oct 1. Mandatory for attendance to all J3 and older WR camps and projects. See the Western Region Handbook : http://www.ussa.org/magnoliaPublic/ussa/en/sports/alpine/development/westernregion.html  (Edit 2011:  That link no longer works, try:  http://www.ussawest.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/08/Western-Region-Poicies-and-Procedures-2010-2011-Final.pdf)
• Divisional Wax management issues; race wax is not consistently accounted for. Northern Division will buy overlays only. Each project will need to buy their own base waxes.
• J3 JO Issues-Seeding, Shootout, AK rotation. We will no longer pay the AK subsidy as part of the Junior Olympics fees. AK will host the JO’s in 2013, so each division needs to plan ahead and set aside funds for this if the cost is to be spread out.
• Dartfish.tv.ussa and USSA Center of Excellence has posted a large volume of content for anyone to access, i.e., Dartfish training videos. http://www.dartfish.tv/ChannelCollections.aspx?CR=p1490
• USSA Training System-LTAD Long Term Athlete Development see USSA website:  http://www.ussa.org/magnoliaPublic/dms/athletics/comp-services/docs/athletetrainingsystem/athletetrainingsystemmatrixalpine/ats_september_09.pdf (Edit 2011.  That link no longer works, try: http://archive.ussa.org/magnoliaPublic/dms/athletics/comp-services/docs/athletetrainingsystem/athletetrainingsystemmatrixalpine/ats_september_09.pdf)   Lester Keller should address this at our fall meeting.  Emphasizing skill sets/fun drills over gate training, monitor for progress across time.
• Coaches Education Level 100:  GS and speed component curriculum is being developed.
• Reminder that all hills need to be homologated for all levels of USSA races.
• Officials’ Chair Report – Bob Petitt
• In 2007 we had 145 certifications, this dropped off to 135 in 2009-10.  3/146 registered as Data Management, obviously nowhere near enough.  We also need to increase the Race Admin numbers.
• Race officials certifications need to be updated at a clinic or the USSA website will not record your races in your history.  Just paying for your official’s license at the yearly registration does not certify you as an official.
• Coaches & Officials Clinics. Liability issues:  USSA encourages purchasing the Club Insurance Policy through USSA, ~$3000, and covers club members on and off the race course, throughout the season, during fundraisers, etc. SRST uses this.
• Homologations:  Bruce Crane , Paul Mahre, Bruce Krueger
• TD Schedule / Expense Policy Review:  All TD’s/RA’s need to submit their TD reports to USSA so they can track expenses.
• Medical Service Plan:  Minutes from coach’s meeting at each race must include the discussion of the medical plan for each race, each day.
• Northern Division Manager – Sherri Hale - Financial Overview & Travel Issues
• Where we stand currently:  Revenues down as compared to previous season, but are up and in good order when compared to the 10-year history.
• Season report to date –(invoicing & reconciliation).  Only one $49 balance remaining from 2006; soon to be resolved.  2009-10 income down due to fewer racers, and there were no FIS races.  We will have a FIS race again this year.
• Divisional dues are being raised over the next 3 seasons by an eventual 10% to pay for USSA’s decision to bill us for all membership/points management duties.  All race expenses finalized for this past season.  All development funds were dispersed to the athletes.
• Race attendance confirmation/WR cancellation refund policy.  Late pull-outs must still pay for the race expenses; injury and illness are the only exceptions.
• ND Forms update; there was good compliance last season.
• Coaches Expense/IRS Mileage Reimbursement/Coach Per Diem (IRS) Review.  Each club decides transportation details for their own athletes.  No 15-passenger vans are to be used to transport athletes to regional events.
• Divisional  Coats will be purchased for WR champs and the YSL top 3 overall athletes.
• Head Tax- Development Portion YSL and A-J3.  Next season:  funds will be down.  YSL allocations will remain the same.  Jeremy moves that the Devo portion be split ½ for low-point skier expense reimbursement, ½ for scholarships.  Susan Krueger 2nds.  Motion passes.
• IMD Championship Quota:  We instead choose to promote our own championship event.  There is a quota for ND.  5 athletes attended last year.
• Budget 2011
• ND Board
• Sponsorship/Fundraising for Qualifiers.  Jarod and Rick Duncan are drafting a template to send to state-wide organizations that could help us with either our YSL or J1-3 series.  Bronze/Silver/Gold levels.  Exposure opportunities include:  traveling YSL bibs, Company name/logos mounted on scoreboard, unofficial results, and ND championship coats.  YSL series:  $10,000; A-J3:  $9,000
• Sponsor for Biographies/Profile booklets for the YSL Championships:  Sherri Hale and Paul Bussi propose a photo/yearbook/race program idea, similar to a sports tournament program, including team & athlete photos, merchant ads, bios. i.e., potentially 150 YSL, 100 A-J3 photos.  Athletes would have to opt in each fall if they want to be included.  Electronic e-book suggested to augment this.
• Aaron Ruddick:  Possible joint training opportunities within individual teams in Far West and PNSA.  Speed events and tech training.  J3 and older early season possibilities.  Contact Aaron Ruddick if interested.  Aaron is trying to pursue a joint ski pass that athletes could use at numerous areas to help with athlete expenses.  Rocky and Far West has this opportunity.
• Aaron will also help us pursue a universal liability release form that will work with all ski areas.
• A 1970’s-era copy of the bylaws has been digitized by Rick; this is available for revision by the membership.  Will post to ND website.
• Goals and Tentative Schedule for Fall Meeting

New Business:

• A new ACC Member will need to be elected next fall meeting.  BSF, Great Divide currently without representation.  Nominations need to be submitted to Sherri Hale or Jeremy Ueland.
• Calendering :  All clubs are reminded that the ND handbook states that each club needs to be present at the ACC meeting in the Spring if they are to be awarded any races the following season.  YSL Championships are currently decided based on a rotating calendar.  Big Sky, Whitefish and Silver Run have hosted; Bridger Bowl is next in turn.  ALL CALENDAR ASSIGNMENTS ARE TENTATIVE, AND ARE AWAITING CLUB AND MOUNTAIN MANAGEMENT APPROVAL.  The Western Region calendar will most likely change.  The fall meeting will include a calendar session to come closer to a final schedule.
• For the record the ND Gold Cups are in the possession of the 2010 winners; Carter Theade (Red Lodge High School trophy case), and Travis Haller, MSEF.  They name plates have been updated.
• Sheri will invoice each club on July 1.  Dues need to be paid up by Fall .

Meeting adjourned.

Fall meeting in Missoula tentatively Sept 17th.