Mike Rouse resigns as San Diego USATF president
Mike Rouse was elected president of the San Diego-Imperial USATF Association last September to great hopes. He even talked about bringing masters nationals back to San Diego, where the movement started in the late 1960s. That’s all moot now. Mike resigned as president effective June 23. He writes: “I changed jobs, and have different responsibilities, including a lot of travel the remainder of the year and first half of 2009. I could not properly fulfill my duties as president, and felt in the best interest of SD-I USATF that I should resign.”
Mike says his decision to step down had nothing to do with a complaint against him by association member Liz Tate (FloJo’s sister).
Arnie Robinson, the 1976 Olympic long jump champion, is the association’s vice president, but Mike and I aren’t sure if he’s taken over prez duties.
Mike would like Jay Beltz, who ran against him for president last fall, to become president.The decision will be made by membership at the annual meeting in September.
I asked Mike what advice he’d give the new board and president.
He replied: “Stay away from Liz Tate, and seriously look at the whole Youth Committee portion of the association. It is a cancer! Way too many personalities, with too many wanting to lead. It’s going to be an ongoing problem, I’m afraid.”
Mike also wrote:
I was disappointed to see your blog about my ordeal with Liz. Unfortunately, you only heard her side. I assume she didn’t tell you that before I acted stupidly and called her a name, that she had called me a racial slur? I’m SURE she left that out. She called me a “red-neck Graeme Shirley”, which really upset me. I was wrong — no doubt. But I have apologized, and am appealing the “grievance” decision.
I also assume she didn’t tell you that Arnie and her selected the four-person panel of “arbitrators,” which included three of her friends — one even introducing herself as “a friend for 15 years” — referring to Liz. She tell you that part? I doubt it. Oh well, it’s over, but I did NOT quit because of that.
Hope all’s well. It was fun while it lasted in spite of the ordeal with Liz.
One Response
Nationals in San Diego would be fantastic!! Perhaps the new Prez will continue to carry out that vision and share it with the right people…
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