Just out of curiosity, how much was team emj going to charge you to be honored by being a member?

they don't charge anything

For some it's a cost analysis.. the buy in on some teams is minimal compared to the savings on coaching, product, etc

Ah.

Didn't know that.

Yea meant to reply to that question earlier but was too busy crying after announcement day haha

Funny you stated this. Saw EMJ product again at Safeway yesterday (I've seen it at Target too), smelled the products & it does smell similar to how I categorize "horse's ass smell" (I've been on a lot of farms!) Sorry Rich Viola--just my take on it--it needs a scent re-vamp.
Just being honest on the smell. I could not even begin to want to apply for a team that I couldn't stand behind the product it is affiliated with. It is not appealing at all & wifey didn't think so either.

If the OP can't stand behind the product honestly (I couldn't--see above)...the gear deals aren't enough to lure. Changing your social media in the future & how you relate in person to EMJ people and marketing, is not worth it if you have to change who you really are, or your beliefs. Rejection sucks, but just be yourself. Not saying anything about the fast EMJ itself (I've coached a current EMJ team member) & that has nothing to do with their product. But their product is the driving force/focus, so if that is what they want to spend $$ on for marketing, more power to them. Just move on/get over it & don't be upset.

James,
Team "Me" has been done. Did you ever race Andy Drobeck when you were pro? He is a fireman/self sponsored so he just slapped a picture of his favorite Cat and "ME" over the top on his bike frame.

He "retired" so I'm sure he'd love it if someone else took it up.

Elliot

I think I was more butthurt when the best thing I got in the rejection letter was a coupon code to buy their products. LOL. Couldn't even send free samples.

Best of all, the code was only good for like 2 days, at least give me 2 weeks to buy something.

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USAT L1 and Youth&Junior Elite - USAC L3 - RRCA
The Cupcake Cartel
Skratch Labs Ambassador - Skratchlete
BOCO Ambassador

I saw Chucki V race in a singlet that said "for rent " and " your name here".

He didn't win but he was towards the front. One of the coolest things I ever saw at a tri.

Depending on your location, I might be able to offer you a spot on Team Zoot....

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Zoot Team Captain Southeast
2019 Sponsors: Canyon Bikes, Garmin, Smith Optics, Zealios Skin Care & Sun Protection, Speedfill Products, Gatorade Endurance, Ottolock, Theragun, ORR Carbon Wheel Systems, boco gear, Giddy Up Multisports

Yes this thread is two years old. I was looking for thread on National Age Group Teams but wasn't having luck. This one came up so I though I would throw in my 2 pennies worth and ask my questions about National AG teams.

The two pennies: I did a local race the end of 2019 and spotted the best dressed triathlete I had ever seen. He had a light blue kit, matching blue aero helmet that looked like it was customized to match his kit. He had custom ENVE carbon race wheels with light blue stripes to match his kit. He had blue cycling shoes, and calve high compression socks to match the kit. Even the frame of his bike was custom painted and color coordinated. We did a multi-loop bike course and did a wave start with just one person starting every 10 seconds. The guy in blue started a good 15-20 minutes ahead of me and as I started my second loop I saw the guy in blue pass me. I though I could hang with him so I used him to pace me fore a few miles but ultimately I was not able to hold on and he pulled away from me. When I got off the bike the guy in blue was still in sight. He was running well, but the run is where I shine and I was able to gain on him. The race had everything from a sprint to a full-iron distance. I was doing the sprint and the guy in blue the Olympic so he split off before I caught him on the run but at the finish line a local guy that I knew seemed to know the guy in blue and they struck up a conversation. I was in the circle with the two of them but didn't say much. The guy in blue seemed to be one of the most down to earth, good natured, good attitude people you could find at a race. I kidded with him about him passing me and running him down until the course split etc. I didn't have a clue what the EMJ on his shirt stood for. I assumed it was his initials or something, but a few weeks later I learned that there were national AG race teams and that they had open application for the 2020 year. I came across one team that had uniforms that looked familiar; like something I had seen before. It took a while, but I finally put two and two together and realized that the guy in blue that I had met at the race a few weeks earlier was on Team Every Man Jack. I figured that if they equipped everyone on the team that well and they were all that good of ambassadors for the sport that I wanted to be part of that team. I applied and even though I had been the overall winner at a sanctioned USAT event that year (the race that the guy in blue was at) and had podiumed at all the other races I did that year, I did not make the Every Man Jack Team. I applied for some back-up teams. I like the blue kits over pink but though that the Full Send team would be my second choice in teams. I didn't get on the Full Send Team either but did asked for and get good feedback on the selection process for Full Send after in the rejection letters went out. Full Send was very open about their selection process and told me exactly what they were looking for. Full Send didn't care at all about ST posts or social media foot prints. They has something like 17 applicant with USAT numbers over 100 and said they had to turn some of them away and that they were really just looking for the people with the highest USAT numbers and anything else that caught their attention or made them stand out on their application. I didn't think that USAT numbers were very fair because with a score of 100 as a 25 year old you don't even get USAT All American Honors while a Master Athlete with gray hair like me only needs about a USAT score of 90 to get All American Honors. I saw how Full-Send dominated at the USAT Nationals for over all places but wondered if they had anyone on the team competing in any of the Master's age groups. So...that team might not have been for me. I had back ups for my back-ups (I applied for a total of six teams) and was selected for two National AG Teams. It was hard choosing between the two and turning one down, but the one I am on has been great. There are lots of AG Elite Athletes, a few Pro/Elite athletes, lots of gray haired masters, and some young athletes in their 20's etc.

My thoughts last year were to go to the big national meets in 2020 post some good times and do a better job of emphasizing in my 2021 applications that winning a USAT sanctioned races as a gray haired Master is more impressive than a 23 year old posting a USAT Score of 100 and that I would offer something to the team that they were missing by not having older athletes. Well...I didn't get to race a single Triathlon in 2020 so the world has changed and I am wondering what that means for 2021 teams and Team Selections. I did get some top 20 placing on the USAT Virtual Duathlons that had thousands of participants. Will Team consider that in the application process? I did do my first live Duathlons in 2020 and was the over all winner at one of them. I should make USAT All American Honors in Duathlon. Will triathlon teams consider duathlons in their selection process? My question for ST is, with all that we have had to adapt to in 2020, what are the plans for 2021 Race Teams and what are the best options for National AG Teams in 2021? I want a team that has competitive triathletes that will push me but am okay with a broad mix of ability levels. I want a team that will get me better gear that I currently have. Below cost would be nice. I am not interested in 25% discounts. I want a company that puts money into its team not one that has the team as a source of additional revenue. I want a team that is close knit. Team camps (that are fee to attend) would be great. Private team forums would be great. Team events and team races would be great. I am not big on name dropping products on-line so I don't want a team that doesn't has quotas for social media posts and what not.

So... what are the best options for National AG Teams in 2021?

My favorite part about this old thread is that it stopped dead once someone offered you a spot on team zoot

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808 > NYC > PDX > YVR
2024 Races: Taupo

Is Team Zoot the best AG Triathlon Team Options for 2021? I see that Full Send is expanding to three tiers in 2021 and in the Snapple Team didn't have an application process for the 2020 team and moved in other directions. What teams are on the up and up? What Team are dated and old fashioned? What are the blue chip teams?

 
Most of these teams/lubs are about supporting a brand. What triathlon kit manufacturer do you wear? Often times they select people that already support their brand. I also don't think results are that significant for most of them either. This will be my third year on the Wattie Ink Hit Squad. There is also the Wattie Ink Elite Squad as well. But being an amazing athlete doesn't guarantee you selection onto either. But can you be value added to the team/club in away from the sport in general. Most national teams want people on their teams to race and race a lot.

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Washed up footy player turned Triathlete.

This was...fun...to read through again!

Ironically enough, the only triathlon I've done since this post was IMAZ 2019. Even better than being on EMJ, Zoot, or whatever, I raised over $4000 for Team Smile Train. So that was...signiiiiificantly more fulfilling as an experience as opposed to what could have been had this thread's application process gone differently.

Invest in yourself, not some other guy's company!

(raising money for Smile Train is investing in yourself IMO, well done)

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Eric Reid AeroFit | Instagram Portfolio
Aerodynamic Retul Bike Fitting

“You are experiencing the criminal coverup of a foreign backed fascist hostile takeover of a mafia shakedown of an authoritarian religious slow motion coup. Persuade people to vote for Democracy.”

Took a look at AP racing. Solid people, some fast cats, private FB pages, Zwiftpower team, gear discounts with some freebies, Potts himself is active on FB, and a ton of knowledge in the group.

https://www.andypottsracing.com/apracingeliteteam

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Wade Cruser | AP Racing

Paying for a team to be on seems kind of dumb...UNTIL...you realize it isnt.

Upfront cost: $300 - this gets you

• Top of line tri suit
• some t shirts
• hats
• water bottles

This would all cost around $400. So savings? $100. Especially if you need a suit anyway.

I also needed some new items.
Watch - savings $200
2 new tri suits to practice - savings $400 bucks.
Swim suits for the pool - savings $100 bucks
Helmet - savings $150 bucks
Wheels - didnt need them but save lots if I did
Bike - didnt need but savings if I did
Nutrition - basically paid half price for a seasons worth of nutrition - savings - ALOT


So yea you have to wear their kit and promote their stuff and the affiliated sponsors - but I saved probably $1000-$1500 bucks over the course of the season.

That is kind of worth it? If someone told me to wear a suit with a giant cock on it for an entire season and they would give me $1500 I would say make it a large veiny triumphant one.

So, you'd take dick for money?
Would that be considered the "dick discount"?

HAHAHAHHA, that was funny stuff man.

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Wade Cruser | AP Racing

I'll let you know when the realization that I'm paying $300 to advertise a Company's products doesn't seem like anything other than a brilliant PR move by said Company. Especially when the "discounts" you are being offered are probably less than (or, at best, equal to), the same flash sales offered by that Company every week throughout the year. They have not only convinced you to pay to advertise their product (yes, they are making money off you even with the "discounts"), they have convinced you that you are the one getting the value in this partnership. Brilliant move by them!

By the way, love you handle name!

Throwing my own (branded) hat in the ring here to say that most (although not all) of the responses throughout the thread seem to fall into two camps:

1. Anti-team on the grounds that team members are simply billboards and social media content generators who (worse yet) pay for the privilege.

2. Indifferent to the team concept as "nice if you're into that sort of thing, but not really for me."

Both of these general opinions seem to disagree with the idea that the "branded team" concept results in a benefit for the team member. Allow me to offer a bit of a counter-opinion.

FULL DISCLOSURE: I'm on Team Zoot.

1. The key reason I'm on Team Zoot is that Zoot tri kit and cycling kit fits me really well. I also tend to buy a good bit of both, and the team discount on the gear is a lot better than the "flash sales" or other sales. I save a nice chunk of money on things I'll actually wear and that I buy a lot of.

1a. Hand-in-hand with #1 is that if someone asked me what kitmaker I preferred, I'd tell them "Zoot." So I'm not trading my own personal preference just so I can match some other dudes/chicks that I've never met before.

2. The partner discounts are pretty damn sweet too. Even better, most of Zoot's partners are companies that I buy from. Not all of them, mind you, but a great many. So I'm saving a decent chunk of money there as well.

3. It's cheesy, I know, but when I see someone else cruising around LA in Team Zoot kit, I have a happy word or two for them, and them for me. And in years before, I've seen TZ (and others, of course), just go out of their way to be encouraging to each other on the course and just make the day a little bit better. Some events will even rack teams together, and it's a nice way to meet other people and share stories or course knowledge or just a hello.

4. I am spectacularly average at triathlon. Like straight-up 50th percentile. It's nice to feel like I have something in common with people who are competent, or, wonder of wonders, even good at the sport.

5. In general, and even more in pandemic times, I really only have social media to connect me to others. And that litany of hashtags that you see at the end of my posts connects me to other people, from sponsored AG'ers to pros to dudes in Poland who I'll never meet in person. It's not as good as a personal connection, but it's a broader sense of connection and unique in its own way. Those 20-30 minutes I'm on the socials every day bring me joy.

6. If Zoot sells a few pairs of bib shorts off all of this, even better. Then they'll make more bib shorts and I can have some.

Ultimately, for me, it's a net positive. I'm going to race anyway, I'm going to be on the socials anyway, and if a few keystrokes connects me to some cool people and provides some benefit to a company I like and helps advance their interests, then sweet.

It may not be for everyone. But it's for me.

What team is this?

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Washed up footy player turned Triathlete.

Yeesh. You're bitter. Also a lot of what you said is wrong.

I’m bitter? You started the thread. I’ve never been rejected. So, I could care less what they do. But, I’m just calling it like it is. What’s “wrong” with what I said? I’ve seen everything I’ve stated above in various triathlon teams (I’m not talking about the one you said you were rejected from)....mandatory fees, check. Required clothing or other purchases, check. Promote their products, check. Similar discounts available to non-team members, check. Brilliant PR move, ok, debatable, but I think so.