Compared with many of the people running for a position on the Board of Directors, I am a relative new-comer to NHRC having joined in 2001. I was struck then, as I remain now, by the remarkable individual and collective feeling of commitment to our organization.
I accepted the nomination for President because I believe I can help NHRC move more effectively into the future. I bring to this role a shared feeling of commitment; considerable management experience in my professional life; a solid background on the Board as a Director and most recently as Vice-President; and regular involvement in the activities of the club. In addition to my Board positions some of my more significant contributions to the club include my current and past work as member of the Regatta Committee, with the women's sweep program as co-captain and fund raising for the purchase of Synergy. I row sweep and scull regularly and compete in both.
I have an ambitious agenda for the Board and the club. I divide that plan into three broad categories.
- Improved opportunities for rowing, competition and membership
- Effective management of club's business and finances through its committees
- Strategic decisions
I share my fellow nominees' views that we need to develop a richer coaching program, a more competitive environment, more racing opportunities, and a younger membership. One of the primary ways that I want to achieve those goals is by expanding and empowering our committees. Each committee should have a well defined charge (a.k.a. a job description) , goals for the year that address the issues that are most important to NHRC members, and the budget to accomplish those goals. We also have two very important strategic decisions to make this year regarding a Jr. program (Hopkins or other) and whether to undertake development of the downstream property.
---------More specifically, here are some of my ideas:
Coaching Committee – Good coaching and a competitively successful club are closely related. Annual issues for the coaching committee to address include recruiting coaches, establishing the schedule and managing the budget. In this year's program I would like to see again an increase in the total number of coaching sessions; active involvement by the coach in establishing line-ups for practice, races and structuring the schedules; video sessions; and regular land-training workouts. I would also like the committee to consider offering coaching in additional time slots (e.g., 8-9am, 3-4pm) in order to provide more opportunities. Finally, I feel the Board and club should look seriously at the pros, cons, expense and overall feasibility of creating a permanent coaching position and establishing a tiered coaching program.
Membership Committee – I want to expand this committee's charge to include an active recruiting role with the goal of attracting younger, experienced rowers. I also want the Membership Committee to gauge the impact of the two initiatives we introduced to lower the cost of membership for younger masters. I am pleased that as a Board Director I played an important role in establishing the one-month introductory payment option. Similarly this year I was instrumental in developing the proposal for a Jr. Master membership and the modified initiation fee payment schedule.
Some recruiting ideas that we might try include: each Spring sending NHRC information to crews at colleges and universities who race at the HOH; holding both a Spring and late Summer open house; posting information at area health clubs; exploring event venues at which we might set up a tent to promote the club (with a shell and erg perhaps); increased media coverage.Boats and equipment – We all want good boats to row and race. This year we will continue to improve our shell inventory. The expectation based on recommendations made last year is that we will purchase a 4+ and/or a 4X. This decision should be made early in order to have the new equipment for the full rowing season. Also as part of an annual review of our equipment we should look at our entire inventory of boats and oars with an eye toward retiring older equipment that is no longer used.
Communication – The activities of the Board and its committees should be entirely open and transparent. Goals for the year, committee charges, proposals, minutes, financial reports and all other documents should be available from the Catch blog. Other documents that should be made available there include a member's handbook that summarizes the rules and policies of the club and contact information for key club members.
Building and Grounds – I am personally concerned about the space between the two ramps. This November I watched as one of our members almost slipped into it on an icy dock. I propose that we make eliminating this risk in some way a priority and would like to know if you agree.
Regattas – The Head of the Housatonic has grown so much that last year the net revenue from it represented approximately 30% of our total budget. Because of its success over the last few years we have been able to increase the coaching budget, introduce a coxswain budget, purchase new boats annually and put money in the bank. NHRC's financial stability and our future goals are closely tied to the continued success of the HOH. We need to treat this regatta as a strategic business opportunity by running the most professional, well staffed regatta on the East coast, proactively seeking sponsors, advertisers and media coverage.
Strategic Decisions
A junior program – We were approached by Hopkins about a year ago with a proposal and more recently by the Yale Community program to host a junior rowing program. Details about the proposals with an unbiased evaluation of the pros and cons should be presented in full to the membership for their review and decision. I propose that this process should happen quickly because I do not want the question of a junior program to dominate the Board's and club's agenda this year as it has this past year.
The Downstream property – This past year a Board committee has been looking at developing the downstream property. Their work will be presented to the membership as an important first step. As a club we need to express our collective opinion about this major endeavor. Is this the time to begin a second construction project?
---------
I look forward to hearing your reaction to this platform over the next week. I hope that I share your goals for New Haven Rowing Club, and that you will support my candidacy for President.
-audrey
audrey.novak@ gmail.com
Posts
