Us Grip Org

[mobsterone]

Right ho. Baring in mind some steps have been made in the right direction here are a few more suggestions or an agenda to get things moving along. Now is a time for action. Make that your motto.

This is not about being top dog, agreeing on every point, attending damned meetings or getting on with another personality it's about GETTING IT DONE.

For the next 7 days.

Domain name

1) Get something up there now. Even if it's only 2 pages 1) basic event rules on the 'standards' (copy and paste from Bob's site as allowed) and 2) a brief outline of what you are about and your intentions / a mission statement. James Grahame nagged me on this and it's in our general section on our forum. Thirdly ask for help and support. There MUST be a point of contact and this person will be your secretary (I think Climber would be perfect but make your minds up quick on this score or get volunteers for various roles).

Rules

Update the rules list if need be. Do NOT argue semantics now (there are a millions meetings in the future were some time can be spent on that). Remember have what you agree on NOW on line and everything else is energy and time wasted. Your not at work now getting paid to talk you're wanting to see the sport you love grow and bloom.

Money

To coin a phrase 'if you ask it will come'. Get donations to set up and then set a membership fee. Even $10-20 will do a load if 100 sign up. I'd bet a few will add a little more. Put their helpful ass names on the site as a thank you.

Committee

Establish what roles are need and then ask for those who want to help to pick one. Some stuff can be done super quick (today, tomorrow) by those with certain skills who do NOT want to be involved on a regular basis. Ask for something and see who puts their hands up.

Two-three weeks

Polish the website so it has a professional feel. Add bookmark links, get it high on search engines, add a gallery of some events, write ups on who's who, plans for the future. I also suggest a forum. This can be, for now, limited to USGO offiiers and then very shortly ONLY USGO members. I will not debate semantics of the how and why with someone who's not prepared to actually become a member and support what is being done. It's more often than it needs to be pointless. The forum needs to be independent of other sites regardless of their level of support, aid and so on. Ditto any sponsors you have involved. Changes happen all the time and so no one body, other than the official one, can influence the site and forum. Read John Romano's blurb on his new forum for how advertisers were able to influence MD policy with their dollars.

One month+

There are already some guidelines in place (GGC) for how to set up a nationals. Flip a damn coin. Either work with the GGC guys or have them work with you. Think about state comps under the USGO, regionals and nationals. Think 12 months in advance and have the big comps around the time when people holiday. Work (see below) with other Iron Game groups NOW and put on displays. This means 2-3 of ya go to a strongman comp, one talks and the other two lift. Think entertaining but push the sport at the same time. Let strongman and crowd members have a go (squeezing a dyno and the winner gets a shirt).

Longer term

See if members can get a percentage off from supporting companies.

Get an official badge or t-shirt done. It's a small thing which members like.

Look at bridging oceans by working with other bodies both grip and strength related.

Right you've an agenda of stuff to do. Go to it. Thank me later by sending me loads olf money when you're all rich.

[Matt Brouse]

Good post Steve, all good things to think about and as I look through it, all things that are currently being discussed and acted upon.

This ball should be rolling soon enough.

[mobsterone]

Thanks. For today and to move things forward I'd like interested parties to say 'I'll do this and I'll let you know when it's done'. No great debate etc. Then in a few days time the same come back and say here's what I did. Over time the virtual lump of black coal becomes a polished diamond. I don't want to see post after post on the minutiae just yet. Just a plan of action, action taken and the result of that. Nothing else for one week.

There are enough good qualified guys and gals doing stuff right now that in 7 days time you'd be 50% done.

Every single GB member who can offer something, even an hour of their time, think on. In one week...

[Jedd Johnson]

All the action items are being taken care of off the board. We are moving along quite well.

[mobsterone]

I'm pushing because I've had several PM's, including a few just today, from some of the guys who've hotly debated the topic recently asking for input and the nod, as it were, from the BHSA. For now we want to help but not go down the route of an affiliation just yet as we don't know what's happening, who's doing what and how things will turn out. Nigh on all the emails and PM's have your name on them as the 'go to' guy so that's a good sign. Perhaps a hint of what's occurred thus far?

It's well worth reminding one and all that while intentions to do well are great, being visibly seen to do so means those that want to get involved can see it being done.

If I do nothing these next few days it's to act as a catalyst and light some fires.

[Matt Brouse]

I'm pushing because I've had several PM's, including a few just today, from some of the guys who've hotly debated the topic recently asking for input and the nod, as it were, from the BHSA. For now we want to help but not go down the route of an affiliation just yet as we don't know what's happening, who's doing what and how things will turn out. Nigh on all the emails and PM's have your name on them as the 'go to' guy so that's a good sign. Perhaps a hint of what's occurred thus far?

It's well worth reminding one and all that while intentions to do well are great, being visibly seen to do so means those that want to get involved can see it being done.

If I do nothing these next few days it's to act as a catalyst and light some fires.

It's all good Steve. Actually part of my initial proposal was to form this in, eventually, some conjunction with you boys and whomever else gets organized such that we can have a WHSA (World).

As Jedd said, we are 'a movin'.