WHY??

Thursday Jun 10 2010

Last weekend I was elected to the Board of Directors of CurlManitoba. I had been encouraged by people, both inside and outside the Board, to let my name stand. And to let my name stand for the Vice-President's position, if I was elected to the Board. It wasn't something I planned to do and it took a fair bit of thought before I finally agreed.

I could think of lots of reasons why not to get involved at this time. Mostly, I can see a handful of potential conflicts of interest that I am going to have to tiptoe through in the years ahead. More on that later.

In the end, I could see more reasons why I should get involved. They all come down to one point, however. I hate to sound like one of 'those old guys' who remember the good old days. But, I do remember the time when the Manitoba Curling Association was held in high regard by sport organizations in the province of Manitoba and by curling organizations in Canada and around the curling world. We were innovators; we were leaders of the sport.

I don't think we are anymore and I think I have been asked to help try to re-establish that reputation.  It has to start at home and it isn't a one-person job - far from it. Every person on the Board of Directors and every member of a curling club executive and every Manitoba curler needs to believe in the organization.

We may never achieve the status we once had but that's no reason not to try to re-establish ourselves as innovative thinkers dedicated to the betterment of our sport.
 
Much like the struggling curler who spends so much time trying to correct the individual flaws in his/her delivery that they forget they need to keep their eye on the broom if they're going to make the shot. It seems to me that we have gotten so bogged down in details that we have taken our eye off the broom. "The Button" in this case is growth of our sport and we'll only make the draw to that button if we believe we can make that shot and if we keep our eye on the broom.

I mentioned the challenge of conflict of interest. Part of my personal challenge will be to continue to express opinions about the direction our sport is taking and needs (in my opinion) to take WITHOUT overlapping into confidential information that is available to me only because I am a Board member.

I have already told the Board Members that I will continue to express opinions - the same opinions that I will carry into Board discussions of issues facing our sport. However, I do believe strongly that no member of any Board should be anything but supportive of a decision once that decision has been made.

As  a board member I will not criticize a decision of the Board once that decision has been made and I know that from time to time that could be tough since I don't expect I will agree with everyone on the Board of Directors all of the time.

It was only once I got into the first Board orientation session that I saw the written confirmation that my view of the future for CurlManitoba is shared. And please note, I expect this to be the only time I will publish a piece of information that I received exclusively inside the Board.

It shouldn't be a secret, and maybe it isn't, but I have never seen this Vision statement for CurlManitoba in a public document.

MISSION:  To provide, develop and grow the sport of curling in Manitoba, Canada and the world by providing leadership, services, and programs for the curling community from grassroots to elite.

VISION: We are inspired and led by a future where…..We are a recognized World Leader in Manitoba`s and Canada`s premier and largest winter sport.

If I can make a contribution to bringing CurlManitoba a few steps closer to that Vision, then it will be worth the effort.
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IF YOU HAVE AN OPINION or comments or suggestions you want to share with me as CurlManitoba Vice President please send them to me at vicepresident@curlmanitoba.org. These communications will be treated with the same respect for confidentiality that I will bring to information I acquire in Directors meetings.

I believe that you, as I do, want to help grow curling in Manitoba. I believe there must be a strong provincial organization to lead that growth. Together we can make it happen.

No, that's not a campaign speech - turns out I was already elected. It is simply my way of defining what I believe to be the job ahead for all of us in the sport of curling Manitoba.

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