Homegrown hero Marty Nothstein, a Olympic gold medalist and three-time world champion, recently turned down a job as the head track cycling coach at the main training facility for the Union Cycliste International -- the world governing body for the sport of cycling -- in Switzerland.
Erin Hartwell, a silver and bronze medal winner in consecutive Olympics, turned down a job as the track cycling coach for USA Cycling, the national governing body of the sport. Hartwell, who grew up in Indiana, would have guided elite U.S. cyclists through their training and had a voice in selecting athletes for major international competitions.
Instead, the pair of friends remain firmly entrenched as the management brain trust at the Lehigh Valley Velodrome, the outdoor bicycling track in Trexlertown. The two turned down prestigious positions in their sport because they felt they could influence cycling more directly through their relationship with the velodrome.
And as the world-class facility opens its 2007 season, Hartwell, the chief executive officer and executive director, and Nothstein, the chief operating officer and assistant director, are adding new directions for the track. Besides championing Friday night professional racing, they also are focusing on athlete development to create a clear-cut path from first-time riders to realistic Olympic hopefuls.
And that's not all that is in the velodrome's new mission as it enters a critical period through 2012 in a bid to increased visibility and attendance.
With its new designation as one of three USA Cycling National Track Training Centers and with seven UCI-sanctioned races this year, the velodrome also is planning to build an indoor training facility and possibly a partial covering for its existing track, which drew an average of about 1,500 fans per event last season.
The motto ''Lead from the East'' has been adopted as the theme, indicating a willingness to take initiative rather than remain with the status quo as the 32-year-old Valley landmark girds to fight for fan and sponsorship dollars in the face of increasing competition for both. The Lehigh Valley IronPigs, the Triple-A franchise of the Philadelphia Phillies, is set to take the field in 2008 in east Allentown, and there is word an indoor velodrome might be coming to the King of Prussia area, although that project has experienced delays in acquiring a property.
Business and tourism officials call the Lehigh Valley Velodrome an asset in attracting companies and visitors to the area. Mike Stershic, president of the Lehigh Valley Convention and Visitors Bureau, said the Olympic training center designation is of ''great significance.''
''It's not a major attraction in that respect [attendance], but it is certainly unique,'' he said.
Tony Iannelli, president and chief executive officer of the Lehigh Valley Chamber of Commerce, said his organization uses the facility -- which is open to the public -- as a tool when recruiting businesses.
''It's an asset from a visibility standpoint because it provides events that employees can attend and it's something that health-conscious people can use. It's really an asset in that it adds to quality-of-life issues, and that retains businesses and increases the level of business that want to relocate here. It's a nationally and internationally recognized facility, and that's something of which to be very proud.''
Numbers crunching
Two of the 11 main events from last season had to be rescheduled for 2007 because of inclement weather.
According to its annual report, the velodrome earned just over $4,600 in profit, which is returned to a fund as part of its nonprofit status. Expenses totaled $801,143.
The report lists a $125,000 contribution for the velodrome's March to the Medals campaign by Ardath Rodale, who founded the velodrome with her late husband, Robert. Air Products is listed as the largest single corporate sponsor, contributing $52,500 in 2006. The velodrome also receives revenue from other sponsorships, grants, attendance, concessions, souvenirs and donations.
Competitive cycling in the U.S. has been on an upswing in the 21st century, helped by cancer survivor Lance Armstrong's seven straight victories in the Tour de France from 1999 through 2005.
As a niche sport, national interest is greatest during Olympic years. Locally, however, velodrome fans pay attention to the yearly world championships, where many international riders who pass through T-town seem to collect medals every year.
The velodrome hasn't been harmed by the Floyd Landis doping scandal at the 2006 Tour de France or the drug issue just yet. That's one of the reasons Hartwell and Nothstein are promoting the entertainment aspect of races with world-class competitors. They want fans to latch onto the Olympic dream, not debates on pharmacology and scientific studies on banned substances.
source:www.mcall.com
Sunday, June 24, 2007
On track for success
Posted by yudistira at 6:02 AM
Labels: health sport
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