Someone mentioned the other day that while the USAT age group commision had a readily located mission statement, such a statement could not be found for USAT as a whole. Well, the other day, the March/April issue of USA Triathlon Times arrived in the mail. On the cover, it states:
USAT’s mission is to provide leadership and structure for the growth and development of excellence in the sport
(emphasis and italics theirs)
I have read this a dozen times and I still am not sure what this means. They want to grow excellence in what exactly? Quality of races via RD development? Quality in competition by development of athletes? Would that refer to age groupers or just elites? Or, if you are cynical enough, is this just some pabulum offerd up to appease USOC?
i stand up and accept responsibility for asking the mission statement question. asked a couple of times directed at the two folks i thought best equipped to respond, Slowman, and Lew Kidder. neither did.
i have not received my tri times yet. the cover statement sounds kinda fuzzy. the appeasement question appears to be the crux of the issue. USAT is in the midst of a major identity crisis. that could be due in part to having no clear direction. distinct mission statements generally provide that focus.
kinda fuzzy? How about so vague as to be basically useless? The statement has no way to allow a member to verify that the USAT is indeed successfully completing its ‘mission’. And maybe that is the point of the vague statement.
i try to lean toward the conservative side on the judgment calls for this sort of thing, especially with a group like USAT.
i just can’t imagine how anyone connected with USAT, particularly the board, can make a decision regarding assett allocation or program development, without having a stated purpose for existence. maybe that should have been part of the by-laws revision.
i keep thinking someone out there with loftier thoughts than i will offer some ideas why this should even be a question…
Haven’t you guys ever worked in corporate america? That is an awsome mission statement! What do you want it to say?:
Our mission is to provide good race insurance and cater to race directors as they try to put on exciting races with our logos all over them, all while making a buck.
Our mission is to provide good race insurance and cater to race directors as they try to put on exciting races with our logos all over them, all while making a buck
that would be a better one.
“USA Triathlon’s mission is to provide excellence in leadership, structure and education for the growth and development of the sport. USA Triathlon’s vision is to set the standard of excellence as a world leader in the sport by promoting a healthy lifestyle and encouraging participation and achievement.”
Mike Greer directed me to this text, located on the “About Us” page of the USAT site.