WMA Prez Hacker calls for younger council candidates
The latest WMA handbook is prefaced with this revealing note from South Africa’s Monty Hacker, interim president (until 2009). “Fellow WMA members, I must begin by drawing your attention to the loss of two of our former presidents in the space of just two years, Torsten Carlius (Nov. 2005) and Cesare Beccalli (Dec. 2007) in their late sixties and middle seventies, respectively. As we remember their passing we become more and more aware of our need to re-think the composition of our Council. In doing so, we must endeavour to bring onto our Council and committees, younger people willing to give voluntarily of their time and experience to our sport.”
Monty’s note continued:
That serving on our Council is in many ways a thankless task, should not deter younger people from coming forward to put something back into and serve our sport of masters athletics, which they dearly love.
There are many amongst us who are highly critical of the work done by the Council and/or individual members of it. These are the people whom I invite to come forward, put their hands up and volunteer their expertise and advice to our sport at the very coal face.
They will be warmly welcomed. I, for one, invite those younger member of our masters community who are willing to serve to meet and discuss with me the contributions they believe they are able and willing to make.
Interesting. So what does this mean to you? Well, not much, given the obstacles to running for WMA Council, still firmly controlled by Europeans. But it’s a great reminder that the masters movement doesn’t belong to the elderly. Theoretically, anyone over 35 can run for office. Start by looking at your own USATF local association or national governing body. Vacancies abound.
2 Responses
Mr. Hacker, you are not simply calling for younger candidates for the WMA Council, are you? You too are obviously keen to ventilate your displeasure at current criticism.
There are some organisations I would be proud to join. But from my own unfortunate experience I would not touch certain WMA officers with a bargepole, let alone rub shoulders with them.
So Mr. Hacker, do not restrict the field of candidates. We just need efficient and honest WMA officers. And we do not care if they are young or old.
Anthony Treacher
M65 British Athlete
Well Ken, come on! You re young, non-european and critcial!
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