Another Olympian trashes CCA

Fausto Coppied

Another Olympian trashes CCA

Another Olympic athletes says “NOTHING HAS CHANGED AT THE CCA”.

Hoe many times do we have to hear this before it sinks in??????

What will it take for athletes to take back their sport?

October 30/06 6:00 pm EST - Lori-Ann Muenzer Retirement Interview

Posted by Editor on 10/30/06.

Lori-Ann Muenzer Interview

Lori-Ann Muenzer announced today that she is retiring from competition. Muenzer is Canada's only Olympic gold medal, with her electrifying performance at the Athens Games in the Women's Sprint competition. After the Games Muenzer announced that she planned to continue competing and defend her title at the Beijing Games.

We spoke with Lori-Ann a couple of days ago from her home in Edmonton (this interview had to be embargoed until after her official retirement announcement today).

Canadian Cyclist - You stated after Athens that you planned to defend your title in Beijing. What changed?

Lori-Ann Muenzer - Well if you watched my documentary (One Gear, No Brakes), then you will have seen the trials and tribulations required to compete! Basically, the track season has moved four months earlier in the year (November to March), which makes it really hard for a Canadian to prepare. Other than Burnaby, there is no covered track in Canada, so you have to live and train somewhere else. (not quite true, seems Lori doesn’t know about Forest City Velodrome.)

CC - Now, what about cycling in Canada? You have been somewhat critical of the CCA (Canadian Cycling Association) and the support you have received over the years.

LAM - From an athlete's view, nothing has changed. I would think the federation is about the athlete at the end of the day. It makes me wonder what their vision is.

We need more development, because without development if you start with a 1000 kids interested in cycling you will have only 20 that make it to the provincial level, and nobody at the international level. You take care of your family, develop your riders. We need more development.

I'm thinking about it mostly from the Track perspective:

The CCA always holds Trials two to four weeks before a World Cup - you need to space it out more for periodization; the athletes can't do two peaks that close together!

So I ask: where's the vision, where's the longevity?

CC - So it is more dollars or a reallocation of existing dollars?

LAM - I think it's both, but it needs to be about the athlete and for the athlete.

CC - Does the CCA need to focus on managing elite athlete programs, or should they put funding into coaches?

LAM - That's a really good question. If you don't have a national coach, then who is overseeing the direction of the program? Things will go astray, I think.

A national coach is good if they can keep an open mind. Eric (Van Den Eynde) is a great example - he is a great facilitator. Even though he has his own athletes, there are no favourites in selection or at an event.(Van den Eynde just QUIT as national team coach, another in a long line of CDN national team coaches that have quit!)

CC - What could the CCA do better to really help athletes?

LAM - The most important thing is letting them know what is the vision, the mission. We need to know the overall plan - is it more racing, more training camps for development - what is the structure? And this should be out one year in advance so that we can periodize, we can plan.

They need to get input from experienced, elite riders, and let up and coming riders know what to shoot for.

They have to think of it as a business plan.

CC - What else?

LAM - What about linking up jobs that support athletes; an 'adopt an athlete' program. That could be phenomenal. It would give work experience and skills to athletes - something like the Home depot program.

Also, build relationships with sporting suppliers, that would be open for developing athletes that don't have sponsors.

What about incentives - rewards for breaking Canadian records, making international podiums. Canadian Airlines used to have a free ticket program like this - Tanya Dubnicoff was flying for free all over the place!

Support for athletes to pay for their own coach, incentives that pay the cost of training camps ... there are many, many ideas.

CC - Finally, has it really sunk in that in a couple of days you are going to officially retire?

LAM - Well, now I have just said it for the first time out loud today! It feels a little weird.

I've been 20 years as an athlete ... I don't know if you ever really retire. I will still keep riding, keep training, that's part of who I am. If I am riding and I see someone ahead, I will have to catch them ... if I see a sign, I will sprint ... it's something you do. Some people understand it - you get it or you don't.