Where Tri-This! is (probably!) going

It's been almost half a year since i really wrote anything on here because i've honestly been constantly busy. Getting Married, teaching 4 prep's, coaching water polo, and my own training and that of the kids...

So here's where Tri-This! Inc is strategically headed for the rest of 2010 and 2011/beyond.

1) Growth
A few months ago my new Board Secretary looked at me quite candidly and asked me, "So if your goal was to start a high school triathlon team, you've done that. Now what?".

I guess I looked around and realized that for all intents and purposes, the fact that I take kids to do triathlon/duathlons/running/biking races on a regular basis means that yes, we've accomplished that goal.

The current idea is to have preferably a staff member at each school site that wants a triathlon/mtb team organize practices, etc. BUT, hopefully thanks to funding through after school programs, we hope to expand upon the Einstein Park model and pay former Tri-This! members to do that as well. Sovann Mey, who was an original TT member in 2007, is doing an excellent job at our Einstein Park Community Multi-sport Center. We are in talks or currently training kids at McLane, Hoover, Yosemite, Edison and perhaps Reedley High Schools as well as Kings Canyon Middle School.

Program Details
- I want each kid to have a bike at home; preferably they find a bike at a garage sale and fix it up themselves through the tri-this program. Working on finding money for that part...
- Clear guidelines have been given to the kids especially in regards to grades - if they're improving, keep going! If not, we take it back. Also in regards to races - they need to let me know and give me $5 a week before the race or else I will not let them race. It's about teaching responsibility and being tough because there are plenty of races; one race isn't going to be the difference between them connecting with the group or not.
- Camping and other trips take on a renewed importance as we go from McLane and Mr. Dorman being at every event to more mentors and sites.

Funding
- Events will continue to provide us with more than half of our funding
- This year our projected budget was $15,000. Next year it will be $50,000. Not counting the Kids Triathlon, Tri-This! Inc has brought in more $16,000 this year of non-grant income - all of it has been spent on students and events!
- Next year there will be more paid positions in Tri-This! and an increased push for more volunteers to do the work effectively; including budgeting money for a storage facility and/or office to handle events and have more of a community presence.

The programs may be changing and expanding, but Tri-This! is committed to continuing to make the sport of triathlon/multisport available to all youth in the Central Valley. We are well poised to deal with donations and host events/camps to help expand the multisport community at the grassroots level! 2011 will be the most exciting time of the triathlon adventure yet!