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As 2001 drew to an end, it was a great time to reflect on BASOC's accomplishments:
Our Bid the final version presented to the USOC on June 1, described by the USOC as technically excellent!
The USOC Site Visit three days in August packed with presentations by
BASOC experts, visits to our venues (including the beautiful Bay), and most importantly, the opportunity for the USOC to meet 'the people' who represent the San Francisco Bay Area's Bid.
The 'Final Four' October 26, the USOC announced that San Francisco, along with Houston, New York and Washington DC, will move on to 'Phase II' of the bidding process.
Joinder and Undertaking Agreements signed by City and County of San Francisco and the State of California beating the November 30 deadline.
BASOC's growth more staff, new offices (as of 12/17/01), more volunteers, more Olympians involved, new board members, and great press.
And
following one of our themes, 'The legacy begins today':
BASOC's 'Training for 2012' program made its debut this past summer at community centers in San Jose. 2002 will see Training for 2012' spread throughout the region, targeting youth 8 12 years, imparting Olympic ideals of having a dream, setting a goal, working hard, being determined and persistent, and understanding that 'Olympians are just ordinary people who achieve extraordinary things.'
BASOC's Legacy projects began to materialize from the Monterey Horse Park (now with it's own logo, legal status, and board of directors. Phase I and Phase II will be built in the next few years, and Phase III will happen when the 2012 Olympic Games take place) to the Velodrome, the Tennis Center, the Whitewater course, the Olympic Village, and the Youth Legacy Foundation 2012.
Finally, we saw the legacy in the regional cooperation that comes from working together on an exciting project mayor's offices, transportation officials, housing advocates, environmentalists, Olympians, and technology experts all with 'five ring fever' who are thinking about how to make the San Francisco 2012 Olympic Games the very best ever.
What's in store for 2002 the Olympic torch arrives in our region January 18 and 19 and we can all imagine what it will be like to 'bring the torch home in 2012'.
January also marks 10 months to go until the US Candidate City is announced and there is much to do.
Our priorities are the following:
1. Working with the USOC Bid Administration Office to provide:
a. BASOC's plans for the 2012 Paralympic Games;
b. International Strategies how BASOC proposes to 'win' in the international phase (2002 2005) of the Bid Process;
c. Governance how BASOC will be governed;
d. Opportunities in the San Francisco Bay Area for Olympic Sports, National Governing Bodies (NGB's), and the USOC outreach, multi-sport events, training facilities, hosting Olympic and National Teams;
e. Additional information about various themes including transportation, the Olympic Village, housing/accommodations, sports experience, and sports facilities now on the drawing boards in our communities.
2. Continuing to increase our community, corporate, and political support locally and nationally.
3. Bidding for and hosting national, multi-sport and international championships.
It will be an exciting, challenging, and rewarding year. I'm so proud and honored to be part of the effort. We have great partners corporate and community, Olympian and individual. We thank all of you for your support, your energy, and your enthusiasm to bring the greatest of all sporting events to our hometown one we love!
As the Olympic Charter states: The goal of the Olympic Movement is to contribute to building a peaceful and better world by educating youth through sport practiced without discrimination of any kind and in the Olympic spirit, which requires mutual understanding with a spirit of friendship, solidarity and fair play.
What better way to end 2001 and begin 2002 than by working to bring the Olympic Games to the San Francisco Bay Area ---- improving our collective future by investing in the bearers of hope: our children and grandchildren.
In the Olympic Spirit
.Anne
Every four years, people of all ages and backgrounds come together to watch the Olympic Games. We're not talking about visiting Salt Lake City in 2002, but staying here, in the wonderful San Francisco Bay Area, to watch not the Olympic Games, but a highlight of the Games the Torch Relay.
The first leg of the relay begins in San Jose on Friday morning, January 18, 2002. The Torch will pass through downtown San Jose before making its way up to Oakland where the City of Oakland will host a free program and concert beginning at noon at the Frank H. Ogawa Plaza in front of City Hall. The Torch will arrive at Jack London Square around 3:00 pm where another celebration will take place. From here, the Torch will board a ferry to San Francisco.
Once in San Francisco, the Torch will wind through several of the city's most notable landmarks including Chinatown, Fisherman's Wharf, and Downtown San Francisco. The last leg of the Torch Relay will end at the Justin Hermann Plaza where a celebration will take place in the early evening hours.
The 7th World University Taekwondo Championship of FISU will be held June 12-15, 2002 at the University of California, Berkeley. Thirty-five countries from six continents will participate with teams of 8 male contestants and 8 female contestants in Haas Pavilion. For more information and how to register your university, check out: http://www.ucmap.org/events/wutc2002
Come and watch some of the world? most elite athletes compete in one of the most challenging Olympic events ?the Modern Pentathlon. This five-event competition requires expertise in the fields of athletics, equestrian, fencing, swimming and shooting. Don? miss this once in a lifetime opportunity!
Imagine hurling down an icy white corridor, on your back and feet first, at speeds over 90 miles per hour. You drop 390 vertical feet, covering 1,340 meters (4,400 feet) in an average time of 48 seconds. 'You're pushing the edge of control
it's you, gravity, and the clock,' says Brian Martin, 1998 Nagano Olympian and back driver of the leading U.S. luge doubles team gearing up for the 2002 Salt Lake Games. Brian and partner Mark Grimmette will once again take on the Olympic challenge, this time on home soil, as the team competes in Park City, Utah on the world's fastest luge track.
A native of the Bay Area, Brian was born and resides in Palo Alto. He was exposed to the sport in 1988 and progressed quickly, being named to the U.S. Development Team in 1989. Brian and Mark officially became a doubles team in the summer of 1996 as unfunded athletes. The team won a World Cup bronze medal in their first WC race together (Dec. 1996, Lillehammer, Norway). The doubles team finished the 1997-1998 World Cup season with finishes of 1st, 1st, 7th, 1st, 2nd, and 1st. This extraordinary season was topped off with a bronze medal at the Nagano Games.
We caught up with Brian prior to the holiday break to talk about luge, his connection to BASOC, and the 2002 Winter Games.
How did you become involved with BASOC?
I became involved with BASOC because Anne Cribbs was my swim coach. I have stayed in touch with her over the years
When did you first start competing in the luge?
I got introduced to the sport in 1988 by Olympic luge champion Bonnie Warner (1984, 1988, and 1992 Games). She held a wheeled clinic off of Sand Hill Road in Palo Alto. From there, I progressed up through different teams.
How did your doubles team qualify for the 2002 Games?
Through World Cup competition. In the first World Cup we finished third which was good enough to qualify us for the Olympic team. The second race didn't go as well!
What are your expectations for Salt Lake?
We have been preparing for Salt Lake for a long time and over the summer we worked hard on our start. It seems to be faster this year. There are a lot of good teams out there and I am going to give it my all to best them.
Why do you think the Games should come to San Francisco in 2012?
I think that the San Francisco Bay Area would be the greatest place to hold the Games. It is such a wonderful place with such cultural diversity. The area itself provides for great competitions. We have great outdoor venue opportunities and there is such a healthy sporting community. Plus, I would be proud as a Californian to host the Games.
How do you think it will feel competing in the Olympics on your home soil?
Competing in my home country will be great. Having a home crowd standing along the track, cheering us on, will make it a great race!
Are you able to train exclusively? Do you have another occupation outside of luge?
I train exclusively for luge. I have worked many jobs in the past in order to support this habit, but with better results, I have been able to concentrate more of my time to luge.
Why luge?
Luge is a great sport. First and foremost it is fun, sliding down a hill at that speed and pushing the edge of control. It is a simple sport you, gravity, and the clock. First one to the bottom wins.
Anything you want to tell the home crowd before the 2002 Games begin?
I hope to see some of you in Salt Lake! It will be great fun. Go fast!
Good luck Brian! We'll all be watching and wishing you and Mark a safe and successful Olympic Games!
A world-class facility can be nearly as vital to Olympic competition as the athletes themselves. When San Francisco Bay Area tennis aficionados noticed our region's lack of an arena fit to host an Olympic tennis competition, they set out to design one for 2012 and beyond. The blueprints they created detail the finest arena on the West Coast.
The crown jewel of the [Treasure Island] Tennis Center is an expertly designed 5,000-seat center court. This intimate bowl was crafted to provide better sightlines than any other tennis center constructed in recent years. The remaining courts flanking the stadium bring the Tennis Center's capacity to 15,000.
Athletes' needs will be met in an exemplary fashion. The Center will be fully equipped with expansive changing rooms, an athlete dining center, and secure passageways to all outlying competition courts. The Center will be fit
not only for the Olympic Games but also for any major tournament hosted in the San Francisco Bay Area -- the United States Tennis Association has already approved preliminary plans for the Center as an Olympic-quality venue.
Architects drew upon the strengths of the world's finest tennis centers from Wimbledon to Indian Wells to create a superior venue with a unique San Francisco Bay Area feel. It comes as no surprise, then, that San Francisco tennis legend Rosie Casals had a heavy hand in the Center's developmental stages. Casals learned to play tennis in Golden Gate Park at eight years of age and went on to a Hall of Fame career on the women's pro circuit. 'We want to make sure that when we build this, [the athletes] will come,' Casals said. 'And for the spectators, every seat is a good seat.'
Community access is also a priority, according to Casals. In addition to hosting large tournaments, plans for providing a tennis program for disadvantaged youth are in the works. The Center will be open for community recreational use as well. 'This is a facility that will promote tennis for people of all ages long after the Olympics,' Casals said. A facility built for the best, yet open to the masses, the [Treasure Island] Tennis Center will stand as the keystone of a San Francisco Bay Area tennis legacy.
Athlete and volunteer extraordinaire. This is the only way to describe Sharon Clark, a BASOC volunteer and one of our outstanding Paralympians. After competing in the Sydney Games in tennis, Sharon has become an active volunteer for BASOC and participates on several committees.
Sharon was highly active and involved in sports as a youth, playing soccer and other sports, until a car accident in 1986 left her paralyzed from the waist down. She knew she still wanted to play a sport when she got out of the hospital,a and with the help of her recreational therapist and other athletes coming to visit her during her hospitalization, it didn't take her long to get involvedin tennis. She even started practicing tennis in her hospital bed, 'I was even bouncing the ball off the wall,' she laughs.
With good coaching, a great spirit, and a lot of practice, Sharon became one of the premier tennis players in the country. After just missing qualifying for the Atlanta Games in 1996, she made it her goal to represent the USA in Sydney in the 2000 Games. 'You have to be one of the top two players in the nation to make the Olympic Team' she says. 'It's very difficult to make the top two spots.' Sharon is currently ranked as one of the top eight players in the world since making that commitment back in 1996.
Her experience during the Sydney Games couldn't have been better. 'It's a great place to go. The fans are excellent and are very spirited' she explains. 'The 10, 000 seat tennis stadium was filled for almost every Paralympic event. There were so many children at many events. The whole experience was so much fun.'
After returning to San Jose from the Sydney Games, Sharon was invited to a holiday dinner hosted by the Northern California Olympians (NCO) Alumni Association which acknowledged the Northern California Paralympians who competed. It was there that she was asked to join the NCO Board and several BASOC committees to help bring the Olympic Games to the San Francisco Bay Area. She sits on several committees including the Paralympic Advisory Committee and the Tennis Advisory Committee.
Sharon is also a member of the Home Depot Olympic Committee and works in the Gardening Department at a local store in San Jose a perfect fit since gardening is one of her favorite hobbies. 'They [Home Depot] are very helpful with all the traveling I have to do while I compete around the world and help spread the news about the Olympic Games.' She is an inspiration to everyone she comes in contact with on and off the court.
Sharon is playing better now than ever before and cannot wait to compete for a spot on the 2004 Paralympic Team that will compete in Athens.
Much of her motivation comes from one of her mentors idols, Steffi Graf of professional tennis fame. 'She has been through a lot of adversity with her life and to still be so successful with tennis is amazing' she explains.
When asked if she had any advice for other Paralympians or any other athlete trying to make the Olympic/Paralympic Team, she replies, 'Work really hard and stick it out. There are many days when you feel it's just not worth it, but when you achieve that goal, there's nothing more rewarding.'
What a rewarding experience it was to be the one to interview her. She is extremely personable and outgoing - its no wonder she has done so well in all her ventures.
Sharon Clark, Sydney 2000 Paralympian and BASOC volunteer, has graciously volunteered to write a series of three articles sharing her experiences in Sydney with all BASOC supporters. Sharon, a tennis Paralympian, has been competing since the early 1990's and she is currently ranked as one of the top eight players in the world. This month's article gives us a general overview of her unforgettable experience in Sydney.
"I hereby announce to you and the world that the 11th Paralympic Summer Games Sydney 2000 were the best ever. You have completed a perfect festival of sport and friendship." These words were spoken to the more than 100,000 people present at the closing ceremony, and I don't think any one of them would disagree. As one of over 4,000 athletes that were privileged to compete in these Games, I would like to share some of my impressions with you.
First of all, I have to say that the people involved were what made the Games so great. From the ten thousand plus volunteers, the incredibly supportive fans, the school children who came from all over Australia to attend events, to the talented athletes themselves, the energy of these people fueled the excitement and created an incredible atmosphere in Sydney for the Paralympics.
The attendance at the Sydney Paralympics was unprecedented. Over a million tickets were sold, and most events were completely sold out. The tennis stadium, which seated over 10,000, was filled with enthusiastic fans every day. The atmosphere for the finals was electric, and never before in the 25-year history of wheelchair tennis had so many people gathered to watch one match.
Some of my favorite spectators were the school children who came from all over Australia to see the eighteen different sports: Archery, Athletics, Basketball, Boccia, Cycling, Equestrian, Fencing, Football, Goalball, Judo, Powerlifting, Sailing, Shooting, Swimming, Table Tennis, Tennis, Volleyball, and Wheelchair Rugby. They were so excited to be able to attend the Paralympic Games, meet the athletes, and see some of the disabled sports for the first time.
I was also fortunate to meet some of the many volunteers. One morning, I sat down to have a cappuccino with some postal workers who had dedicated four weeks of their lives to deliver mail to athletes in the Olympic Village during the Olympics and Paralympics. They ended up becoming good friends who showed me all over downtown Sydney one day. When I gave them some extra tickets I had for the closing ceremony, they were absolutely thrilled.
I was amazed by the generosity of so many people who worked very hard to make sure the athletes enjoyed their Paralympic experience. I was also struck by the way Sydney, after hosting such a successful Olympic Games, revived its sporting interest so quickly to whole-heartedly embrace the Paralympic Games just two weeks later. Everywhere we went in Sydney, people seemed excited about the Paralympics; results were on the front page of local newspapers every day, and television coverage was live all day. Unfortunately, the Paralympic Games do not always receive this kind of media attention.
After four years of hard work, I was richly rewarded by a wonderful experience at the Paralympics. Meeting athletes from all over the world was very enjoyable, and feeling the excitement at the opening ceremony was intoxicating. I am very grateful to the million plus people who came together to make the Sydney Paralympic Games a great memory for all who were fortunate enough to be there.
Jim Woolwine has been there for some of the big moments in BASOC's young life. His first work with the organization came just as BASOC was putting in their down payment to the USOC to become a US Bid City. Jim was there when the bid was completed and submitted to the USOC, he was there for the USOC visit to all of the proposed Olympic sites in August, and was with Anne Cribbs in Salt Lake when the USOC announced that BASOC was one of the four Bid City finalists.
Now the Co-Chairman of BASOC's Executive Committee with Mike Bruner, Jim has used his experience as President and Chairman of Golden Gate Bank to help the fundraising efforts of BASOC. Jim received his B.A. from the University of Notre Dame and his MBA from the University of Chicago and has spent over twenty-five years in banking. We were recently able to ask Jim a few questions about himself and his Olympic role.
How did you first become involved in BASOC?
In 1997, I was chosen as the Northern California State Chair of the United States Olympic Committee (USOC), a position that no longer exists due to a reorganization of USOC fundraising practices. As the Chair, I often came into contact with the Northern California Olympians organization, headed by Anne Cribbs.
What has been your greatest challenge so far?
We have had a lot of successes that were unexpected, but garnering corporate financial support has been difficult. We have had a fabulous response from some companies, but so far the contributions have not been spread over a very wide group. 2012 is still a long way off and it is difficult for most businesses to make financial forecasts or commit to contributions that far in advance.
What will you be focusing on over the next six months to a year?
We want to be number one in the eyes of the USOC without a doubt. We need convince the USOC that BASOC will be the best partner for them in 2012.
What other activities have you been involved in outside of BASOC?
Besides playing golf as often as possible, I am a board member of Delta Dental of California, and I serve on the Board of Trustees of CHW Bay Area, a San Francisco-based regional healthcare provider.
Do you have a favorite Olympic moment or experience?
Experiencing the 2000 Games in Sydney really brought it all home for me. Seeing the huge effort and the joy of the Sydney volunteers really solidified in my mind how positive an experience the Games could be for the San Francisco Bay Area in terms of celebrating our community.
Thanks Jim, and keep up the great work!
A common theme among all BASOC corporate supporters profiled in this newsletter has been a commitment to public service. This Olympic booster is already a gold medal winner in its own right. Knight Ridder, one of America's leading publishers, has won the Pulitzer Prize's Gold Medal for Public Service three times in the last decade.
Headquartered in San Jose since 1998, Knight Ridder has supported BASOC early and often. The San Jose Mercury News and the Contra Costa Times are but two of the 32 newspapers nationwide that are in the Knight Ridder family. The company has supported the 2012 Bid both financially and with free advertising space.
The current corporation has existed since a 1974 merger between Knight Newspapers and Ridder Publications. Knight Ridder today is divided into two parts. The Newspaper Division has a chain of 32 papers from coast to coast. The company's online presence is through Knight Ridder Digital, operator of the Real Cities Network. Our local Real Cities site is bayarea.com.
Tony Ridder has been the Chairman and CEO since 1995. The company's dedication to bringing the Olympic movement to the San Francisco Bay Area flows from Tony. He says the Bay Area is an ideal site because "it shows some of the best of the United States physically, culturally, and meteorologically. It is an area of great human diversity, with a history of accomplishment from the Gold Rush to Silicon Valley."
BASOC CEO Anne Cribbs adds, 'Tony Ridder and Knight Ridder have been early and strong supporters of our Bid - in fact, Knight Ridder was our first Gold Founder, making a commitment to the bid effort in December of 1999."
Opportunities.
Anne Warner Cribbs knows how to seek out and create them. As an Olympic gold medalist at the age of fifteen, it was the lack of opportunities for female swimmers that meant the end of her swimming career. As co-founder of the American Basketball League (ABL), she helped create professional opportunities for a new generation of female athletes. As President & CEO of BASOC, Anne envisions the opportunities a 2012 Olympic Games would bring to her beloved San Francisco Bay Area, one that would leave a legacy for our children and grandchildren.
Born in Burlingame, Anne was raised in Saratoga and Menlo Park where she swam for the George Haines International Swim Center (formerly the Santa Clara Swim Club) and won her first competitive race at the age of eight. It was that very day that she declared her intentions to become an Olympian.
How did you get involved with BASOC?
In the second year of the ABL, Eva Auchincloss, co-founder of the Women's Sports Foundation, called me and asked me to be on the BASOC Board of Directors and I agreed.
After the ABL folded, and after about three months of sitting on the search committee for the Executive Director for BASOC, I realized that I knew more about the Olympic movement than the applicants. I've been connected to the Olympics and the Bay Area for years and know what I want out of a legacy for our community. So, I made BASOC an offer and they accepted.
Describe your role as BASOC President & CEO.
We're a pretty small operation and we all do the work that needs to be done. I think my biggest gift to BASOC is my ability to get different people to work together which I think is key to this job.
Do you see your role changing this year as we move closer to the U.S. Candidate City selection?
I think that my role will change a little bit but not a great deal. I am the one most responsible for our fundraising efforts and that will be one of my top priorities this year, as it has been for the last year. The second priority, and probably on equal footing, is our partnership with the USOC and getting them the information that they are requiring for the domestic phase of the bidding process.
Could you tell us a bit about BASOC's legacy projects.
I'm excited about the opportunity we have modeled after Los Angeles 1984 Games the Legacy 2012 Foundation. Some of the money we're raising now is earmarked for the creation of this Foundation. We use the motto 'The legacy begins today' whether it's the legacy of people talking to each other, sharing information, or creating programs like the Olympian's Training for 2012 program which is actually going on right now. It's really important that as we're bidding long term we are actively giving something to our youth.
What was it like when San Francisco was announced as one of four finalist cities?
It was tense. We were asked to gather prior to the 12 pm press conference in Salt Lake City on October 26th. It's hard to celebrate when there are four cities in the room who are devastated. They've placed their hopes and dreams on their Olympic bid and they feel like they've done their best effort and they didn't win. There's a real feeling of sadness and not wanting to celebrate too much, but a wonderful feeling of accomplishment that we've come this far.
Will you be attending the Salt Lake Games?
Yes. I don't know for how long but probably towards the beginning. We will have the opportunity to go behind the scenes and see the security, see the media relations, and that kind of thing. What I'm interested in is the overall vision that Salt Lake City has created, what it looks like visually, the way that people move around, the transportation, the signage, the operations part of it. We're also interested in the environmental commitment that Salt Lake City has made and how that is translated, how you see it there on the ground in terms of what's been done for the environment.
Why do you personally feel that the Games should be in San Francisco in 2012?
San Francisco is a favorite place for people to visit. Silicon Valley can give a lot to the Olympics in terms of technology and creativity. The weather here is very conductive to superior athletic performance. That's the yardstick we have chosen in conducting this bid what's the best competitive conditions for athletes. Because we have so many Olympians' input into the bid, I think our bid reflects that.
I love the Olympic Games and I love the San Francisco Bay Area. I think it's time the Olympic Games come here and we can give a lot to the Olympic Movement.
Please send comments, suggestions, and questions to: BASOC E-Newsletter, Attn: Berta Lim, 2479 E. Bayshore Road, Suite 703, Palo Alto, CA 94303, info@basoc2012.com
BASOC e-newsletter writing provided by dedicated BASOC volunteers, editing by Berta Lim, and writing and editing by Elizabeth Faletti of The Write Stuff! - Berkeley, CA (510) 486-1843.
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