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We're extremely pleased to have been selected today among the cities advancing to the next phase of the competition to be the U.S. Candidate City for the 2012 Olympic Games.
Over two years ago, the community leaders, Olympians, athletes and volunteers of BASOC came together to mount a bid for the 2012 Olympic Games because we believed that the San Francisco Bay Area would provide the best competitive conditions for Olympic athletes and the best Olympic experience for spectators and fans. Today, we believe that more strongly than ever.
From the baseball jewel of Pacific Bell Park to the renowned rowing course at Lake Natoma in Sacramento, from Network Associates Coliseum in Oakland to Compaq Arena in San Jose to the amazing University facilities at Berkeley and Stanford, the San Francisco Bay Area already has most of the athletic venues we need to host the Olympic Games in 2012 today. We have an ideal climate for athletic competition – the reason over 400 Olympians choose to live and train in Northern California. We have the public transportation systems needed to host the Olympic Games in place today or by 2012. We've generated unprecedented regional cooperation and support for the bid among elected leaders, transportation and security experts. We have an international brand identification that makes us among the world's #1 tourist destinations. And with our diverse peoples and cultures, athletes from nearly every nation on earth will be welcomed by a host family or community from their native country right here in the San Francisco Bay Area.
And so today we begin a new phase of our campaign to host the 2012 Olympic Games. We'll continue our campaign to the United States Olympic Committee – conducted according to the highest ethical standards – to show that the San Francisco Bay Area provides the best competitive conditions for athletes and the best chance to return the Olympic Games to the United States in 2012. And we'll continue our campaign at home, to educate and energize the people of the Bay Area about bringing the Olympic Games to the San Francisco Bay Area in 2012.
The San Francisco Bay Area is known around the world for the bridges that connect our region and our people – the beautiful Golden Gate Bridge, the workhorse Bay Bridge, the San Mateo Bridge and others. But the Olympic Games are also about bridges – bridges between athletes and nations – and forging new ties of friendship and goodwill that bridge our differences. With our innovative, diverse and welcoming peoples, our spectacular, inspiring natural beauty and our passion for sports, art and culture, the San Francisco Bay Area can build even greater new bridges to world by hosting the Olympic Games in 2012.'
Best regards,
Anne Cribbs, CEO
The inaugural 2000 Olympic Triathlon, with views of the Sydney harbor and Opera House, boasted perhaps the most scenic triathlon course yet devised. On November 3, this standing will be put to the test when Tri-California, in collaboration with BASOC, stages the Treasure Island Triathlon!
With incredible views of Marin, Alcatraz, the Golden Gate and Bay Bridges, and the San Francisco Skyline, come watch some of the world's fittest athletes compete! BASOC has organized 3 relay teams to participate in the Olympic Distance race, including several Olympic medalists! BASOC is co-hosting this event, so support our 2012 Olympic bid by volunteering your time! We already have over 40 BASOC volunteers signed-up, so join fellow Olympic Games fans to help out on Friday afternoon and Saturday morning/afternoon. For information about volunteering, please contact James Raybould, BASOC Volunteer Coordinator, at (650) 856-2234 or james@basoc2012.com.
the pure pursuit of athletic excellence
yourself on joining a winning team
in world acclaim for Bay Area Olympic Games
Unwind after a hard day's work at a reception where you will be joined by Northern California Olympians and other celebrity guests. Follow this with a private screening of 'Olympic Glory,' an IMAX salute to the Olympic Winter Games. End the evening with a private exploration of The Tech and a silent auction of Olympic and sports memorabilia - top this off with dessert and coffee and what do you have? An evening that you can't miss! Individual tickets are only $125 for this one-of-a-kind event.
For reservations or further information call Helen Mendel, Director of Marketing for BASOC, at (925) 426-5339.
Join the Bay Area's local Olympians for a 4.5 mile run/walk around Lake Merced. Come meet and take pictures with your local Olympians and the
Olympic Torch! This event, produced by The Final Result, will help support the Northern California Olympic Development Travel and Training Grant.
In order to participate in this ‘Olympic' event, a donation of $20 (before 6 p.m. on Nov 24th) or $24 (on race day) is required. All awards will be presented by local Olympians!
For further information and race application go to: NCOLYMPIANS.ORG or call 800-491-8988. Outside CA, please call 650-696-1196. Applications can be faxed to: 650-342-0323.
Parking Info: The location is at the northern parking lot of Lake Merced, on the Corner of Lake Merced Blvd. and Sunset Blvd.
The 7th World University Taekwondo Championship of FISU will be held June 12-15, 2002 at the University of California, Berkeley. Thirty-five countries from six continents will participate with teams of 8 male contestants and 8 female contestants in Haas Pavilion. For more information and how to register your university, check out: http://www.ucmap.org/events/wutc2002
Calling all kids! Many of you may have seen our cool new web site and we're especially excited about our upcoming kids' section. Phase II of the web site, which will be done by December 2001, will include several new areas and there's one area that we need your help with. Our new 'No Adults Allowed' means exactly that – this section is for kids 15 years old or younger. No parents, please! In order to finish this part of our web site, we need your help to write articles and to tell us what you think!
The section 'Who's Your Favorite?' allows for kids to vote for your favorite Olympian. Please send us your vote, a sentence or two on why this person is your favorite, along with your name, age, what school you go to, and the city you live in. We will put your vote on the web site and everyone can see what you think. Send all votes to info@basoc2012.com and we will take it from there!
The area 'From Me to You' allows kids 15 years old or younger to write a story about meeting an Olympian, what they think about the Olympics, or anything relating to the Olympics. For those who are more adventurous, we would like to have you interview a Bay Area Olympian and write a story or article about your interview. If you're interested, just tell us what sport you like the best and we will try to match you up with an Olympian in that sport, give you their contact information, and also give you a list of questions – unless you have some of your own! This is a great chance to talk to an Olympian! If you have any questions, want to send us your story, or you're interested in writing about an Olympian, please email us at: info@basoc2012.com.
And for those adults who are reading this section (you're not a kid anymore, sorry!) this is for you – if you know any teachers, principals, or after-school centers, please pass the word along! This would make a great assignment in class, especially with the Olympic Winter Games right around the corner in Salt Lake City…
Please feel free to contact info@basoc2012.com with any questions or comments you may have. And we hope to hear from you soon!
Two-time Olympian Brandi Chastain has a habit of making history. As a member of the U.S. teams that won the first women's world soccer championship in 1991 and the first women's Olympic gold medal in 1996, Chastain's career parallels U.S. women's soccer history. She is a founding player of the Women's United Soccer Association (WUSA), the United States' first professional women's soccer league which completed its inaugural season this spring. Their first championship team? Chastain's own Bay Area CyberRays!
Brandi, a proud Bay Area native, lives in San Jose with her husband Jerry Smith, women's soccer coach at Santa Clara University. She began her college career at the University of California, Berkeley in 1986, where she was Soccer America's National Freshman of the Year. She transferred to Santa Clara University in 1989 and led the Broncos to two NCAA final four appearances and was named All-American and Player of the Year in 1990.
As a spokeswoman for BASOC and the Bay Area CyberRays, Brandi enjoys the opportunity to visit schools and businesses to promote women's soccer and the San Francisco Bay Area's bid for the Olympic Games. On October 8th, Chastain and members of the 1991 world championship team (Michelle Akers, Joy Fawcett, Mia Hamm, Julie Foudy, Kristine Lilly, and Carla Overbeck) received a medal of honor from the National Soccer Hall of Fame. Brandi took a few moments upon her return to discuss her involvement with BASOC, her experiences as a Bay Area CyberRay, and her commitment to volunteerism.
How did you become involved with BASOC?
Anne Cribbs introduced me to BASOC. Being that I am a very proud native of the Bay Area, I was more than willing to help out.
What has your role with BASOC been up to this point?
We do luncheons and breakfasts and try to get people and sponsors involved. We share how we believe bringing the Games here is critical to the development of our community, not only economically, but to our youth – getting them exposed to the Olympics and the values and virtues that go along with it. Hopefully, with all the hard work that everybody has put in, we'll gain the acceptance of the IOC and host the Olympics here.
How do you see yourself contributing to the San Francisco Bay Area Olympic Games in 2012?
The beauty of the Olympics is that there are so many components that people don't recognize. They see the athletes, they see the coaches, and they see the international committee running it but there are so many things on a small scale that make such a big difference. I would like to be involved in community awareness. I would like to see every young boy and girl in this community have the opportunity to see at least one competition whether it's soccer, field hockey, track and field, you name it. For them to just hear the national anthem, to see the competition, to feel the excitement. Just to sit in the stadium was something that was so valuable to me. As an Olympian, being able to watch someone else's game was just riveting! I couldn't take my eyes off the field. I was just amazed by that.
I would like to be able to find a way for young kids to benefit from the Olympic experience by being a fan or by becoming a volunteer if they are old enough. Sharing the spirit of volunteerism is very important – and necessary – during the Olympic Games. Those are two ways I see myself getting involved.
Hosting an Olympic Games is an undertaking that takes tremendous community support. It's all about that volunteer spirit. Don't you agree?
No doubt. In 1984, I went to Stanford Stadium and became a volunteer for the soccer games there. Even wearing the volunteer uniform meant something to me. Ushering people to their seats – I didn't get to see very many games. In fact, I think I watched maybe 15 minutes of one game, but it was being involved with that group of people and being involved with a team that was so rewarding. That, to me, is truly what the Olympic spirit is all about – it is a great opportunity for people to reach out to their community and really make a difference.
How do you see San Jose and the surrounding communities contributing to a 2012 Olympic Games?
San Jose has a lot to offer. We have great arenas and we have stadiums that can host events. It's also a city center with a lot of communities around it that can also host events well. Being someone who has been given the blessing of making two Olympics, I see our city of San Jose, and the community of the Bay Area, as being a metropolitan place where you see different cultures and hear different languages. It seems that there's a place for everybody here, that it's a place of comfort and warmth and welcoming. I think that's very essential – especially when you have athletes coming from all over the world that need to feel those comforts and that safety. Couple all of that with the beautiful weather and the beautiful landscape we have here. I don't see the Bay Area being second to any other bid in the offering. Bottom line, the people of the Bay Area are very nice and I can see them being wonderful hosts of an Olympic Games.
What impact do you see the WUSA having on women's soccer in future Olympic Games?
Our idea is to build the women's program so that the players in the United States can participate and eventually make national teams which means playing in an Olympic Games. An underlying desire of the founding players and investors of the WUSA is to grow soccer on a global scale, having other federations around the world realize the validity of women's soccer and making it a priority in their investments, not only in time, but in money. Seeing countries such as Australia and South Korea…here are countries who have been playing soccer a long time on the men's side but now, all of the sudden, the women are getting exposure to international games.
Our WUSA is providing the best female players in the world the opportunity to be a part of not only history but also the growth of their country's game. They can bring it back and they can share their experiences. Sharing our league with the world will only make us better because then we'll have to compete against a higher level internationally which includes the Olympic Games.
How have relationships changed between the U.S. Olympians in the WUSA and Olympians from other countries now that you're teammates?
I'll give you a prime example! USA versus Norway is probably one of the greatest rivalries in women's soccer. We've either played in every semifinal or in the final of every World Cup and Olympic Games. To see Kristine Lilly of the U.S. team being teammates with Dagny Mellgren from Norway (2000 Olympian) and having Kristine say, 'Oh, she's so funny and so nice and we love hanging out.' My reaction was, 'Lil, she's Norwegian! What are you talking about…' And she said, 'No, no really, you just have to get to know her.' It's the same for my teammate Katia (1996 & 2000 Olympian) and I. We play against each other on a regular basis when the U.S. and Brazil compete and now we joke about the way we battle each other on the field. I think it's great for them to learn about us and for us to learn about them. And not just on the field, but also to learn about our different cultures.
Thanks Brandi, for taking time out of your busy schedule to speak with us!
If one were to look up the word ‘Olympic Veteran' in the dictionary, next to the definition would be a photo of Andy Burke. For nearly 40 years, Andy has attended or worked at the Olympic Games eight times, beginning with the 1964 Tokyo Games in Japan, where he was the Team Leader for men's water polo. Most recently, he served as the Chef de Mission (team leader) for U.S. Water Polo in 2000, and also worked as Assistant Water Polo Competition Manager at the Ryde Aquatic Center while in Sydney for the Olympic Games.
After the 1984 Los Angeles Olympics, Andy journeyed to Seoul, South Korea for the 1988 Games and was chosen as the U.S. delegate to the FINA Congress, the governing body for international aquatics competition. In 1996, he took on a new role as the Sports Information Director for Atlanta and continued his leadership with the U.S. Water Polo team, as well.
Born and raised in San Francisco, Andy Burke is well acquainted with Bay Area pools. After swimming for the Olympic Club of San Francisco in high school, he became interested in water polo and attended College of the Pacific on a water polo athletic scholarship. Aside from his career in concrete sales, Andy has devoted most of his life to the sport he loves. He is a 16-year member of the Amateur Swimming Union of the Americas and has also been a part of eight Pan-American Games. We were recently able to grab some of Andy's thoughts on the eve of the Final Round Announcement for U.S. Bid Cities.
How did you first become involved with BASOC and what is your current role?
I first learned about the efforts of BASOC through the Northern California Olympians, of which I am a member. I became a part of that group in 1984 when we started holding Welcome Home Dinners for returning athletes. My experience with many of the water polo agencies in the U.S. led Anne Cribbs to seek me out for help in coordinating the aquatics elements of the Bay Area bid. Currently, I am the Committee Chair of the U.S. Water Polo Association and I have been involved in investigating potential venues for the 2012 aquatics events. We toured all of the major pools in the Bay Area. One of our decisions was to hold water polo at Stanford University's swim complex.
What has been your most challenging project so far?
Hosting the water polo Junior Olympics in San Jose in 1999 was a very large challenge. The event was comprised of over 8,000 participants and included 15 pool sites. The U.S. Water Polo Association holds the Junior Olympics at a new location each year and it often comes to the Bay Area. Coordinating the housing and transportation for all of the young athletes alone is a huge task but the event ran very successfully in San Jose. Advances in technology have also changed the way in which we are able to run tournaments more smoothly and efficiently.
What has been the highlight of your involvement with BASOC?
Being involved with the Junior Olympics each year is very rewarding and it is a great chance to support all of the young, emerging athletes. It is like attending a reunion every year—I see all of the coaches and officials from the year before and many of the athletes come back a little bigger and stronger than before. The U.S. Olympic Committee's visit in August was also a great moment because it gave BASOC a chance to show off our great city. After visiting so many Olympic cities in my life, it was great to reflect on the unique qualities of each one, and to believe even more strongly that we have what it takes to host a great Olympics here.
What is your favorite Olympic memory?
The first Olympic experience is always the best! In 1964 at Tokyo it felt like a dream to be there because I'd unsuccessfully tried out for the water polo team. However, being chosen as Chef de Mission allowed me to accompany the starting squad. It was thrilling when the band played Old Lang Syne at the end of the water polo competition. A huge banner read: 'Sayonara: See you in Mexico City!' and I told my wife--'We're going to be there!'
What events will be at the top of your list, other than water polo, if BASOC hosts the Games in 2012?
Hopefully, I'll still be around!! Just kidding…Swimming events are usually second in line to water polo, so I imagine I will be found not far from the aquatics arena. My other favorite element of the Olympics is the Opening Ceremonies, so I look forward to that as well. In Sydney, I really enjoyed the ceremony of relaying the huge flag across the crowd in the stadium out into the track until it was held high by all the athletes. That was truly amazing!
Thank you Andy for taking the time to speak with us and we hope to find you by the pool in 2012!
The Fall of 2001 has been marked by America coming together to harness its great generosity to support its highest ideals. This is the spirit of civic support that has come to BASOC for years and continues to grow as we are now one year away from the final U.S. bid city selection. As a non-profit organization, BASOC needs the help of volunteers, the cooperation of government, and contributions from businesses. A shining example of one of these businesses is San Francisco-based Providian Financial.
Providian is one of BASOC's Gold Level Founders. With a lineage going back to 1853, Providian is a people-oriented financial institution known for its customer-oriented innovations and its philanthropy. Winner of the 2001 Quality Cup, Providian provides its customers with several credit card products and services as well as account deposits. Providian's 13,000 employees work in six states as well as Argentina and the United Kingdom. Across the country and in the Bay Area, Providian has generously promoted such causes as childcare and increasing economic literacy.
Jim Wunderman is Providian's Vice-President for Corporate Affairs. In 2001, he made his firm BASOC's first major San Francisco contributor. He also placed the capable Alan Elias on BASOC's Board of Directors and Executive Committee. In addition to his day job as Providian's Vice-President for Corporate Communications, Alan assists BASOC by utilizing his public relations background and substantial knowledge of the Olympic Games.
BASOC CEO Anne Cribbs recognizes the significance of Providian becoming the first San Francisco-based corporation to be a Gold Founder and is grateful for their corporate vote of confidence in our grassroots effort. She says that, 'we have a saying at BASOC, ‘Like many grand accomplishments, it is the initial efforts of a few people and companies that provide the impetus for success.' Providian has certainly contributed to BASOC's current success.'
Greg Schaffer is a key contributor to BASOC's Income Development Team. He has enjoyed a successful sales career in account management, local and national advertising sales, and most notably, athletics. Born in Santa Clara, Greg's only extended time away from the Bay Area was time spent at UCLA where he earned a B.A. in economics and was an 8-time NCAA All-American swimmer. He received his first experience with event management and sponsorship sales as organizer of the 1994 Pac-10 Swimming Championships. Schaffer was a participant in the 1992 and 1996 USA Olympic Swimming Trials. 'I like to say although I didn't get to go to the Olympics, I want to bring the Games (home) to me!'
Greg presently lives with his wife Lisa in Mountain View and is the Director of National Advertising Sales for Knight Ridder Digital, Inc. (the internet business unit of Knight Ridder). In 2002, and in addition to his work with BASOC corporate supporters, Schaffer will develop his company's sports marketing arm, leveraging Knight Ridder and non-Knight Ridder print and digital properties. Greg took a few moments out of his busy schedule to discuss his involvement with BASOC.
How did you get involved with BASOC?
I read a story in the San Jose Mercury News last October about the bid. Down at the bottom of the article it said that Knight Ridder, the San Jose Mercury parent company, was a contributor to BASOC. I was jumping around all day and talking to my wife about it. I called my mom and said, 'I can't believe we're going for this.' I sent an email off to Tony Ridder (CEO of Knight Ridder) and said I'd love to be involved. I scheduled a meeting with him and he put me in touch with Anne Cribbs.
What is your present role with BASOC?
I'm on the Income Development Team working to meet specific objectives. I also volunteer at events and helped out during the USOC site visit.
How do you approach Bay Area companies regarding their involvement in the bid?
My approach has been to ask them if they are familiar with BASOC and our bid for the 2012 Olympics Games. If they are not, they say, 'Holy smoke! What's going on?!' I then explain to them how to get involved. Everyone has wanted to help and, if they are familiar with our bid, they ask how they can get involved. I explain to them that in this final year, we're really making the pitch for corporate and public awareness of the bid and corporate and private support in volunteer time and dollars. The USOC expressed how important it is at this stage for prominent Bay Area companies to step up and be involved in the bid effort – I stress the importance of that with companies. I ask that companies pledge their support with either a letter or a check! The Olympics is a chance to put the Bay Area up on a pedestal and create a respect for the land and the history of the people who are here.
How does California's rich history play a role in your involvement with BASOC?
I took a course at UCLA on California history and I've been pleasure reading ever since. It's part of my reason for wanting to bring the Olympic Games here. There are so many reasons that people will come to the Bay Area and there's so little that people know of its history. So much of our history has to do with opportunity. I think the Gold Rush is a popular story and I think a great theme in which to build a marketing message for the Olympics. The Gold Rush of 2012! The San Francisco Bay was one of the last places in California discovered by Europeans. In fact, it was discovered over the Fremont foothills on an expedition to Monterey. They knew of Drakes Bay and Bodega Bay but the natives always talked about this ‘Great Bay.' The Bay Area has always been on the frontier, whether it was yesterday's Gold Rush or today's technological innovation.
Thank you Greg for helping BASOC make some California history of its own!
Please send comments, suggestions, and questions to: BASOC E-Newsletter, Attn: Berta Lim, 1900 Embarcadero Road, Suite 102, Palo Alto, CA 94303 info@basoc2012.com
BASOC e-newsletter writing provided by dedicated BASOC volunteers, editing by Berta Lim, and writing and editing by Elizabeth Faletti of The Write Stuff! - Berkeley, CA (510) 486-1843.
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