#imwithbob
by Bob Mina, President PDBA
The sport of Dragon Boat racing draws together all kinds of people. People of all abilities have been drawn to the sport for many different reasons. No matter your age or fitness level. Chances are, you are going to find a team that will suit your ability, help you grow, and give you a heck of a ride along the way. Our sport is easy to join, and there are virtually no limits to what place you can go. In my own case, I started on a corporate team in Philadelphia in 2004. With the encouragement of some teammates and some smart coaches, I climbed the ladder and found my way to wearing Stars and Stripes in 2011 as a member of the US national team. I was under the direction of Head Coach Robert McNamara, the winning-est coach in US History – a man with a tenure of more than 30 years, and more World Championship medals than anyone on the planet.
At the international sanctioned competitions, the team for the United States is governed by the United States Dragon Boat Federation (USDBF). The role of the USDBF is to facilitate the relationship of the United States with the International Dragon Boat Federation (IDBF). The USDBF provides the framework for athletes trying to earn the privilege to wear the Team USA uniform. It’s a role that should reflect leadership, stewardship, responsibility, clarity, and transparency.
On September 6, 2016, the United States Dragon Boat Federation published a single-sentence announcement on their Facebook page: “As a result of a thorough and professional investigation into a complaint, The United States Dragon Boat Federation has made the decision to sever its relationship with Dr. Robert McNamara.”
That was it. In one sentence, thirty years of coaching and winning at the highest level our sport can aspire to was thrown out. This is how the USDBF chose to inform the community. No supporting statement was made to explain why. No due process. There was no right to appeal. In 27 words, the United States National Team and its more than 400 alumni were left to speculate what just happened. The fate of the World Championships in 2017 hung in the balance of this decision.
In the nearly three months since the ouster of Dr. McNamara, more than 300 people have spoken out on the USDBF Facebook page in support of Dr. McNamara. I created an online petition that has gathered nearly 400 signatures, and that total continues to climb. If the United States Dragon Boat Federation is truly going to serve as a leader in what has become a divisive, detrimental, and apparently self-inflicted wound, there must be transparency. If there is a just cause for Dr. McNamara’s removal, the USDBF should share it with its members.
If the investigation has revealed a serious breach that can only be addressed by removing its most decorated coach, the USDBF should have evidence that allows such a charge to stand on its own.
If the USDBF wishes to bring the rumors, speculation, and angst to an end, they are the only party with the ability to do so. If they are to lead our sport, they need to set an example we will be willing to follow.
Otherwise, what confidence can we have as paddlers, teammates, or National Team hopefuls?
Transparency. Clarity. Truth.
That’s all we’re asking for.
Bob Mina is the President of the Philadelphia Dragon Boat Association, and a three-time member of Team USA (2011, 2013, 2015). He has been paddling since 2004, and lives in West Chester, Pennsylvania.
The sport of Dragon Boat racing draws together all kinds of people. People of all abilities have been drawn to the sport for many different reasons. No matter your age or fitness level. Chances are, you are going to find a team that will suit your ability, help you grow, and give you a heck of a ride along the way. Our sport is easy to join, and there are virtually no limits to what place you can go. In my own case, I started on a corporate team in Philadelphia in 2004. With the encouragement of some teammates and some smart coaches, I climbed the ladder and found my way to wearing Stars and Stripes in 2011 as a member of the US national team. I was under the direction of Head Coach Robert McNamara, the winning-est coach in US History – a man with a tenure of more than 30 years, and more World Championship medals than anyone on the planet.
At the international sanctioned competitions, the team for the United States is governed by the United States Dragon Boat Federation (USDBF). The role of the USDBF is to facilitate the relationship of the United States with the International Dragon Boat Federation (IDBF). The USDBF provides the framework for athletes trying to earn the privilege to wear the Team USA uniform. It’s a role that should reflect leadership, stewardship, responsibility, clarity, and transparency.
On September 6, 2016, the United States Dragon Boat Federation published a single-sentence announcement on their Facebook page: “As a result of a thorough and professional investigation into a complaint, The United States Dragon Boat Federation has made the decision to sever its relationship with Dr. Robert McNamara.”
That was it. In one sentence, thirty years of coaching and winning at the highest level our sport can aspire to was thrown out. This is how the USDBF chose to inform the community. No supporting statement was made to explain why. No due process. There was no right to appeal. In 27 words, the United States National Team and its more than 400 alumni were left to speculate what just happened. The fate of the World Championships in 2017 hung in the balance of this decision.
In the nearly three months since the ouster of Dr. McNamara, more than 300 people have spoken out on the USDBF Facebook page in support of Dr. McNamara. I created an online petition that has gathered nearly 400 signatures, and that total continues to climb. If the United States Dragon Boat Federation is truly going to serve as a leader in what has become a divisive, detrimental, and apparently self-inflicted wound, there must be transparency. If there is a just cause for Dr. McNamara’s removal, the USDBF should share it with its members.
If the investigation has revealed a serious breach that can only be addressed by removing its most decorated coach, the USDBF should have evidence that allows such a charge to stand on its own.
If the USDBF wishes to bring the rumors, speculation, and angst to an end, they are the only party with the ability to do so. If they are to lead our sport, they need to set an example we will be willing to follow.
Otherwise, what confidence can we have as paddlers, teammates, or National Team hopefuls?
Transparency. Clarity. Truth.
That’s all we’re asking for.
Bob Mina is the President of the Philadelphia Dragon Boat Association, and a three-time member of Team USA (2011, 2013, 2015). He has been paddling since 2004, and lives in West Chester, Pennsylvania.
