Graeme Shirley, a lightning rod in USATF masters politics, was struck by a bolt from the blue Wednesday night at his USATF association’s annual elections (see photos) in San Diego. He was voted out of office. At the start of the meeting, he was association president. But he ran for secretary of the USATF San Diego-Imperial Association board of directors and lost to incumbent Sharon Powell, a coach and frequent masters track official (often as a starter). The vote was close: 20-18 in Sharon’s favor. After the 90-minute meeting in the back of Road Runner Sports, Graeme was still in shock. But the M60 long sprinter and middle-distance runner was able to conjure some humor (even if he wasn’t smiling): “I may have some time to train now.”

Although he still has a seat on the board (as past president), Graeme won’t be filling an elective position in his home association for the first time since 1982. He’s a member of the national USATF Rules Committee, but reappointment to that gig is in the hands of others.
Graeme’s loss wasn’t the only shocker of the night. When local USATF mambers gathered at the big-box shoe store, they were given slips of paper for the four offices to be decided. On the president slip was only one candidate — Jay Beltz, the incumbent vice president of San Diego-Imperial USATF.
But when USATF official Jim Skelly opened that part of the meeting, a fellow sitting off to the side was nominated for president to oppose Jay. The new candidate, Mike Rouse, handed out a one-page biography that highlighted his current job — as territory manager for Mizuno USA.
After brief remarks by Jay and Mike, and a few questions, Mike was elected president by a vote of 22-17. Mike is an ultramarathoner and triathlete whose wife, Kim, made news by finishing the Ironman Hawaii despite breaking a collarbone 17 days earlier in San Diego.
Mike’s enthusiasm (he called San Diego “the greatest city in the world”) and the friends he emailed to come vote for him may have helped turn the tide. Mike said he wanted to bring national and world championship meets to San Diego. Even the Olympic Trials.
But he’ll face a steep learning curve. At the end of the meeting, when he took over the reins, he tried to adjourn the meeting by himself. Someone reminded him of parliamentary procedure to ask for a motion and an a second before taking a vote on adjournment. He also seems unfamiliar with USATF rules and national politics.
And he’ll have to burnish his track credentials as well. His bio sheet lists as being a member of the Kansas City Track Club (1996-1998) and San Diego Track Club (1998-present). Not sure he’s ever run a standard track race.
In other votes:
— Incumbent treasurer Lolitia Bache defeated Stewart Payne 24-14. Stewart, who entered the race at the last minute like Mike, is a retired Marine sergeant major who coaches and manages youth track clubs.
— Arnie Robinson, the 1976 Olympic champ in the long jump, was elected vice president 28-9 over Jay Beltz (nominated after he lost the presidency vote). Arnie wasn’t present, however, since he had P.E. responsibilities at San Diego’s Mesa College.
But back to Graeme.
The meeting saw some dirty laundry aired — with FloJo International youth club directorElizabeth Tate (FloJo’s sister) accusing Graeme of lying about various issues and “not playing fair.” She said: “(Graeme) says he’s the only one who knows the rules and calls himself an asset…. He’s a liability.”
Also disputed was whether board minutes were taken off the association Web site. Charges were flying over who had access to what site and whether individuals had dropped the ball.
(Graeme, the previous webmaster, also had some association materials on his own Web site.)
On the sidewalk outside Road Runner Sports, Sharon Powell offered an olive leaf to Graeme, repeating what she had said at the meeting about respecting his vast knowledge of USATF rules and regulations. She told him: “I hope we can work together” but asserted that in her two years as secretary, “it was like a wall came down. I’d like for us to get back to where it was before.”
She said “negativity” had taken over the board.
Graeme said: “I haven’t been negative at all.”