Dear Fellow Polo Player:
As the newly elected Chairman of the USPA, I truly appreciate the honor and tradition of this leadership position. I want to begin by welcoming your thoughts and encouraging your support for growing and sustaining our sport. It is the greatest game ever played. My cell number is 309-360-4779.
I also want to publicly and enthusiastically thank Joe Meyer, Southeast Circuit Governor, for his time and great efforts leading the team that has developed the attached USPA Strategic Plan. This comprehensive plan began as “Polo 2020” but we see it as a specific road map for the next 24-36 months. I believe it is 85% on the mark (Ask me in a year what 15% we missed). I want to thank the entire Polo 2020 committee. They are an excellent cross section of our sport. They did a great job. From 30,000 feet, the attached strategic plan sets forth:
Membership Services Objectives:
Increase Regional Polo Centers– Add 1 to 4 centers.
Increase Club Polo Development Initiative– Add $25,000 to our budget annually and add one field staff person in 2011 to support club growth.
Handicap Compression-Support the roll-out of ½ goal system and the Eastern Circuit pilot test of a two tier 0-15 goal system.
Brand and Sport Promotion Objectives:
ESPN Test: Use “ESPN 3” to experimentally promote five high goal games before televising the US Open on “ESPN2”in April 2012.
Cable TV: Establish a committee to develop a “polo life” or “polo reality” program to increase the curiosity of the American public.
Umpire Services Objectives:
USPA Umpire LLC: Establish a USPA funded LLC to incentivize the use of paid umpires at low goal clubs, develop and certify umpires for all levels of polo and manage umpires on a contract basis for high goal polo.
Corporate Structure Objectives:
USPA Executive Committee Authority: The Executive Committee has been granted more power to act between semi-annual meetings so it can adapt to today’s rapidly changing legal, economic and promotional environment.
USPA Board Policy System: The plan clarifies the Board of Governor’s decision making process.
It is a steep learning curve from the club field in Peoria, IL where I play, to the high goal eventsLive played in Wellington, FL; Bridgehampton, NY; and Santa Barbara, CA. I am committed to being a strong advocate for small, low goal clubs; however, I began my outreach to the high-goal community last April. Your Association will be responsive to all polo played in the United States.
We will be relying on the following four pillars:
Our Focus: To grow our sport for our customers including the member clubs, polo players, spectators and sponsors.
Our Operational Expectations: Each program will be funded based on its excellence, success and relevance to our customers. Programs will be studied, piloted, reviewed/improved and then replicated (or discarded) based on their ability to meet clearly defined objectives.
Cultural Change and Our Operating Platform: Our policies will be “STAFF RECOMMENDED, BOARD APPROVED, STAFF IMPLEMENTED, and VOLUNTEER SUPPORTED”. We are moving from a “Chairman driven” organization to a “staff driven” organization to achieve operational excellence. Peter Rizzo and I have explained to our staff that they are directly accountable to their committees and their committee missions. In order that we become more nimble, we have tasked staff to: 1) make quick, wise decisions at the lowest level in the hierarchy with the smallest group possible, 2) engage their committee chairpersons and members to channel the volunteer’s passion for the sport, then 3) effectively communicate decisions to all relevant customers.
Our financial guideline: Our current financial success from USPA’s branding efforts belongs to the future of the sport. We must balance our long term view while seeking opportunities to grow the sport today. We will not allow our short-term budget to grow beyond our ability to endow our critical programs into perpetuity. It is my stretch goal to endow our current level of Basic Association Services by 2016. We are on track to do that. Those services include Intercollegiate/Interscholastic Polo, Regional Polo Centers, the Club Polo Development Initiative, Umpiring and Team USPA.
I look forward to your support and your feedback.
Sincerely,
Chuck Weaver
Newly elected USPA Chairman