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Hello U.S.O.C. rep.
Can you please justify the 10 fold increase from $25 to $250 for a sanctioning fee to do a local amateur boxing show? Some gyms at the local levels can't afford such a substantial increase. It is necessary to do local shows so kids can get the competition they need to excel in the sport. This increase in cost to sanction can possibly hurt many of our smaller programs because they can't afford $250. All gyms big and small depend on local shows for competition purposes. By making it financially difficult for the smaller gyms it will hurt all of us in the end. Isn't there some other way to raise funds to make up for whatever the reason is for this increase? Please investigate U.S.A. Boxings rationale behind this increase.Thank you! Coach John Falcone member since 1978 of U.S.A Boxing.

Tim Austins Coach 1992 Barcelona Bronze Medalist

Coaches, the above email was forwarded to U.S.A. Boxing from the U.S.O.C. Rep. I wrote asking to investigate U.S.A. Boxing's rationale for increasing our sanction fee's and club membership fee's. U.S.O.C. is over all amateur sports programs.                                                                                                                   Below is the U.S.A. Boxing Rep.'s reply to me.
She wrote:
My suggestion to you is that you read the link on the website regarding this issue, I think it should answer any questions that you have.

Julie

Julie Goldsticker
Acting Director of Media and Public Relations
USA Boxing
(719) 866-2304
jgoldsticker@usaboxing.org
www.usaboxing.org click here to see Dr.Voy's article about these increases.

She is referring to Dr. Voy's "Memo on New Sanctioning Policies". Click onto this very lengthy article and see if it answers any questions you may have. A few questions need to be asked such as:
Why didn't the total membership get to vote on the way new funds could be raised? I had no vote as a member/coach and gym/club owner for 25 years. Did any of you other coaches?
Why does Dr. Voy say that boxing shows are the only burden causing insurance problems?
Does U.S.A. Boxing only want to do shows themselves? That would be a monopoly!
Is U.S.A. Boxing trying to create a disadvantage for smaller programs who put shows on?
Don't we need competition from all levels {big and small programs}?
Why does it have to come down to just the coaches who run the grassroots of boxing to carry the burden?
Why only increases in everything related to grassroots gyms and coaches? {sanction fees and club membership dues.}
Why isn't there any increase related to athlete, all non-athlete members including officials, directors, and officers?
We all join the program because we enjoy being a part of it.
Why should the coaches be the only ones who pay the most to be members?
Lets face it our sport is probably the cheapest sport to become a member of compared to high school sports and other sports.
Why wasn't there a comparative financial study done to evaluate the best way to resolve this issue?
Insurance renewal options take place long before the policy terminates for the year. They should not have been blind sided by this as Dr. Voy tries to imply. There should have been enough time to do a complete study and have a vote by the total membership since we are considered the only burden group and most affected by these increases.
Why not cut the directors & officers liability insurance? This type of insurance is not mandatory. Unfortunately U.S.A. Boxing's past has caught up with it.
Why not get some directors and officers who would volunteer to serve as members? This would save a lot of money!
How many millions were found misappropriated in the audit completed by U.S.O.C. several years ago? These kinds of problems increase the cost of directors and officers insurance. Isn't this a burden area too? I hope that the created Risk Management Task Force will include this area as part of its monitoring duties. This task force is supposed to look at all the ways to prevent any possible bad things from happening in our program that could increase insurance premiums. Those millions of dollars could go a long way toward this insurance issue if they were still available. This is not to imply or put blame on the present directors and officers. This type of insurance is requested when directors & officers fear that they may be sued for some reason {misappropriation of funds or wrongful injury etc.} If U.S.A. Boxing is incorporated they have no reason to fear personal lawsuits. Here is a statement published by a well qualified law firm.

Do you Want Protection From Personal Liability for your Group's Activities?

If your group finds itself the target of a lawsuit, incorporation can provide welcome peace of mind. Nonprofit corporations can be sued -- but their members and directors are generally protected from personal liability, meaning that their own money, houses, cars or other property isn't at risk. That's not true of an unincorporated association.

I think U.S.A. Boxing needs to start being a little more considerate of its total membership when it comes to decision-making. They will continue to exclude us only as long as we allow them to do so. At some point more of us need to complain about issues that affect all of us. Maybe one day they will get the message. Directors and officers work for us. Take care Coaches!


Sincerely,
Coach Falcone Sr.