Mountain bike and get a scholarship

With the recent troubles in the financial and credit markets, everyone has felt the impact. Whether its a union worker hoping to keep their job or a small business owner looking for a credit card to upgrade existing equipment. In fact the reach of the credit crisis has gone so far as to hit higher education.

Several institutions have restricted or ended their programs that were in place to provide new and returning college student with loans. This has increased the burden on these young adults at a time where few alternatives seem to be readily available. And even turning to mom and dad, the ultimate source of most college funding, is not an option in this environment.

But there are some options that still exist. One of those options has just been created by Milligan College in Tennessee. For the new students entering the college in the fall 2009 semester, a scholarship will be available that never existed before. The scholarship is based in athletics, but unlike traditional sports this new scholarship is based in an extreme sport that the youth of the nation can more readily connect with.

Mountain Biking.

Yes, this is the first scholarship I am aware of that is solely based on mountain biking. It is part of an effort at Milligan College to compete in the Southeastern Collegiate Cycling Conference. There are 4 events that involve mountain biking directly:

cross country
short track cross country
dual slalom
downhill

Obviously Milligan wants to have their college make a name in this growing sport. And for the graduates of the class of 2009 there is the opportunity to ensure they have an entry into higher academics. Overall this is a win-win for all involved.

When you consider the cost of a college tuition, which at Milligan is $25,650 up 13% from just 2006, every dollar is important. With financials unable or unwilling to meet their obligations, and new loans becoming scarcer I think what Milligan is doing is a big deal. And the fact that this is a scholarship based on a healthy sport is a big bonus.

So if you are in high school, a scholarship might make the difference for you. and you are good at competitive mountain biking, now you know. Good luck.

An error of Olympic order

This year the Olympics were in China, and the U.S. did well. Though Swimming was the category that got all the attention, one story about the Olympics has just never gotten mainstream media attention. And it’s been ongoing since 2004.

USA Cycling has been involved in a major lawsuit since 2004, when it failed to include Sue Haywood on the mountain biking team. The reason she was left out, a clerical mistake that changed the ranking of Haywood. Let me say that again, a clerical equivalent of a typo dashed the Olympic dreams of an American athlete.

It all came about because there was only 1 spot on the cycling team for a woman mountain biker. That was a choice between Haywood and Mary McConneloug. Both of these women were qualified and were neck and neck in the ranking. But Haywood won, according to U.S. ranking systems.

But the position was to be determined by the International Cycling Union. USA Cycling had to submit Haywood’s races and failed to include one race. This took 15 points off of her total and thus eliminated her from the team.

Of all the reasons for an athlete to not perform in the Olympics this is the most pitiful I can imagine. It smacks of inefficiency and idiocy, in my opinion. And it was the motivation of Haywood to ask for an apology, which never came. USA Cycling couldn’t even say I’m sorry – and they were blatantly wrong.

Haywood thus sued. But lest you think this was all about money keep in mind that USA Cycling refused to apologize for their mistake, and failed to come to a settlement though they went to 2 separate mediations before going to trial.

The result of this was that Sue Haywood won her case and has been awarded $319,000 which USA Cycling is considering appealing.

But why would they appeal. They acted in an irresponsible manner, dashed the dreams of an athlete – the ultimate dream of any athlete. They were the sole cause of the hard work and years of training of Haywood to be unfulfilled in the last minutes of achieving her dream. They effectively did the crime, and should now “do the time”.

Sue Haywood says this is not about money. I see her point and agree. Because it seems that the only thing that can get the attention of USA Cycling is money. And when we are speaking of the Olympics and dreams, money is petty and leaves a bitter taste in the mouth.

Maybe that’s why we haven’t heard about the case before. And hopefully USA Cycling, and all the Olympic teams for the US, will never give us reason to hear such a story again.