I don't like to write here when I'm feeling really negative. I do, occasionally, but try to avoid it. That is why there has been nothing here in a while, and why there probably won't be much here for awhile further. I'm upset at missing the trot again this year, and upset about what orienteering is becoming for me. Below is my latest letter, in frustration, to the VP of Comp. I have no choice because our volunteer meet staff needs to press on. This is my orienteering life now. At one point it was about running thru the woods, that woodsy, leafy smell, the slant of the early morning sun, crashing thru spider webs and seeing odd wildlife, the absolute joy of seeing reentrants where you expect them, training to try to make the team, no matter how much of a longshot that seemed. All that makes you feel really good inside.

Now its this -- and the sad thing is I don't see why it need be like this. I wish it wasn't like this for me. Well, for whomever has been reading, I think my next race of any consequence is Feb '04, so don't expect much here in the meantime. Hopefully my mood will improve. We'll see.

Another skill needed ... don't let it get to you ...

We continue to receive no response from the official USOF sanctioning address. The last response I received was 8/23, for a sanctioning request submitted 7/24, for an A meet proposed for Oct 2/3, 2004, in Harriman, NY. We have world class maps, an excellent meet staff, and a commitment to quality. We had originally kicked it around as a possible WRE candidate, but the delay in sanctioning has cost us and USOF that opportunity. We are kicking around small elite event travel grant money for the M/F21 winners under the team ESC's 2002 travel grant guidelines. We feel it will be an excellent meet, one that DVOA and USOF will be proud of.

Now, we need to commit to the park, and reserve park facilities. The course setter has identified good facilities that will work well for the meet, and we don't want to lose them. We may not be the only group who will be competing for park resources, and feel nothing positive is being accomplished by this long delay, without the courtesy of a response, in the sanctioning process.

I'm not here to grind axes with the sanctioning process, though I personally feel a critical look is warranted. I would simply like the meet sanctioned for the volunteers who have already put alot of work into it, or an explanation as to why it cannot be. Word off the record has it that the meet has the sanctioning committee votes to be sanctioned, and has had them since early September.

So, I am simply asking you, in your capacity as VP of Competition, if this is possible, to grant the meet official sanctioned status, or to explain where we are in the process, so our meet staff can get on with it.

Thanks for you consideration, Randy Hall DVOA A Meet Coordinator