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Greetings!
I'm certain you all know the great news, "We made it" and are now in the "final" campaign to be the U.S. Candidate City. Thanks to all you for your energy, enthusiasm and commitment.
The campaign now changes...as we move from working with the site selection committee to educating the Board of Directors of the USOC - the voters - about the benefits of our Bid.
There are three simple messages: San Francisco 2012 is "The Bridge to the Future" for the USOC
1. We are the best bid for the athlete!
2. We can win in the international competition.
3. Because of our low-risk, financially responsible bid, we leave thebiggest legacy for training of future Olympic and Paralympic athletes, youth sports development, arts and the environment.
Our focus this month is preparing the 100 page Executive Summary and getting ready for the presentation - one hour - to the USOC Board of Directors on November 3, 2002 in Colorado Springs.
In addition...the last event in our Summer of World Class Sport takes place this Sunday on the streets of San Francisco, the 2002 San Francisco Grand Prix Cycling race featuring Lance Armstrong. Last year's first annual race was a huge success and shows off just how great the San Francisco Bay Area is when it comes to producing and supporting athletic events. Also that day - the San Francisco Giants, SF Forty Niner'sand Oakland A's have home games...so a great day in sports for our area!
Finally...we continue to host Bridge Builder parties, have booths at art and wine festivals and sell posters. The 9th of September was our Second Annual Celebrity Golf Tournament at Corde Valle, the weather looks just fine and an good time is anticipated by all.
Once again, we so appreciate all your support and congratulations....we have a great team...in the Olympic Spirit....Anne
Hundreds cheered and celebrated on August 27th as the USOC selected San Francisco and New York as finalists for U.S. Candidate City for the 2012 Olympic Games. On a perfect day, with the Golden Gate Bridge in full view outside the windows, over three hundred Board members, elected officials, volunteers and supporters of the San Francisco Bay Area's bid to host the 2012 Olympic Games gathered at Fort Mason Center on San Francisco's waterfront.
'I want to congratulate our colleagues in New York and honor the efforts of our friends in Houston and Washington D.C. these past three years,' said Anne Cribbs, President & CEO of BASOC and a 1960 Olympian. 'We look forward to an honorable and fair competition in the coming weeks and to building a great partnership with the USOC to return the Olympic Games to the United States to the San Francisco Bay Area in 2012.'
As the best bid for the athletes, the low-risk, financially responsible bid that reflects the priorities of the International Olympic Committee and the best bid to win internationally for America, the San Francisco Bay Area is the Bridge to the Future for the USOC.
Twelve nationally-renowned Bay Area artists have commemorated the San Francisco Bay Area Olympic Bid by creating unique collectible posters. These posters are now available in sets on our website at www.basoc2012.org. The posters come in two sizes and are available both signed and unsigned. The signed sets are limited to only 112 sets and we have very few left.
You can get these posters as well as posters by world-famous artist Primo Angeli (who designed the official Olympic posters for Salt Lake City and Atlanta) by making a contribution on our website at www.basoc2012.org. You can also become a Bridge Builder and get one of our unique San Francisco Olympic Bid Pins. Make your contribution now before we run out!
September 26, 2002, 5:00pm, San Francisco
Please join the Bay Area Sports Organizing Committee (BASOC) and Morton Beebe for a celebration of his new book at:
Rooftop Terrace, Hills Plaza Condominiums, 75 Folsom Street at Spear and Embarcadero
Mr. Beebe's photographic prints will be displayed in 21 windows of the Gap Inc.'s newest headquarters facility and can be viewed from a rooftop perspective under the glowing lights of the Bay Bridge. Mr. Beebe will be available to sign his newly released book, San Francisco, City by the Bay. Come show your support for the San Francisco 2012 Olympic Bid and meet Northern California Olympians!
A limited number of event tickets are available at $50 per person. A special package valued at $140 is available for a $100 contribution. This includes 1) your entry fee, 2) a copy of Mr. Beebe's new book, 3) Primo Angeli's Olympic poster and, 4) a Bridge Builder pin.
To purchase a ticket package online, visit www.mortonbeebe.com, or for more information call 415.362.3530.
Event proceeds will be contributed to San Francisco 2012, a non-profit 501 (c)(3) organization (Tax ID #94-3052945.)
United States Half-Marathon
November 3, 2002, San Francisco
The U.S. Race Series will launch the inaugural United States Half-Marathon on Sunday, November 3, 2002 in San Francisco with up to 5,000 runners. The 13.1 mile journey will take runners from picturesque Aquatic Park, through historic Fort Mason into the Marina, and across the newly renovated Crissy Field and Golden Gate Promenade, with panoramic views of the San Francisco Bay and Alcatraz. This unique event will be the only foot race to travel over and back across the landmark Golden Gate Bridge. Visit www.ushalf.com for more information.
2002 San Francisco Grand Prix Cycling
September 15, 2002, downtown San Francisco
As a part of America's Pro Cycling Tour (PCT), this televised race will feature over 100 athletes from around the world including four-time defending Tour de France champion Lance Armstrong. Last year, the Grand Prix drew more than 400,000 spectators and was named one of the '10 Best Moments in Cycling' by VeloNews. The race will wind its way through downtown San Francisco and over the famous hills where cable cars climb halfway to the stars.
By Todd Kleinheinz, BASOC Volunteer
The USA basketball team got their first look at Yao Ming, the #1 pick in this past June's NBA draft, on August 22 before a packed house of over 19,000 at the Arena in Oakland. Ming, all 7'5' of him, made an impressive debut pouring in 13 points, grabbing 11 rebounds, and swatting away 6 shots but it was team USA that came out on top 84-54 to continue their dominance in international competition.
Twelve NBA players comprise the U.S. team, including Defensive Player of the Year Ben Wallace (Pistons), and two other members of the All-NBA third team, Paul Pierce (Celtics) and Jermaine O'Neal (Pacers). Even without the likes of Shaq, Kobe, McGrady, or Duncan the U.S. team improved to a 54-0 record since NBA players were allowed to compete in international competition. In addition to Wallace, Pierce, and O'Neal, the U.S. roster consists of Elton Brand (Clippers), Antonio Davis (Raptors), Baron Davie (Hornets), Michael Finley (Mavericks), Raef LaFrentz (Nuggets), Shawn Marion (Suns), Andre Miller (Clippers), Reggie Miller (Pacers), Jay Williams (Bulls) and collegiate Nick Collison from the University of Kansas.
The attraction however was no doubt Yao Ming. Ming missed his first shot, a turnaround one-hander, but then made his next three -- a pair of mid-range jumpers and a follow dunk off a miss. He missed a 3-pointer and committed a double-dribble violation after showing some quick hands to intercept a pass. His first impression was no doubt a favorable one to the U.S. players, including Finley who said, "To play against him was an eye-opening experience for me. He's a lot better than what I thought. He earned our respect.''
Finley led the U.S. team with 19 points, Shawn Marion had 14, and Indiana Pacer teammates Jermaine O'Neal and Reggie Miller scored 12 and 10 respectively.
"He blew away my expectations with the way he played,' said Jay Williams, who was drafted immediately after Ming by the Chicago Bulls.
In the second half, Ming showed he would not be intimidated by the group of U.S. All-Stars when he set a hard pick on Miller that brought U.S. coach George Karl off the bench to complain. Possibly the highlight of the evening was Ming's block of Antonio Davis who attempted to sky over the 7'5' giant. But it was Ming who got the better of that initial battle by getting the block and sending the Chinese team the other way on a fast break.
In the end, the Yao Ming sideshow was not enough to derail the thundering locomotive known as the USA National Basketball Team. Team USA will have one more exhibition game before they head back to Indiana for the World Championships which will take place August 29 September 8.
The United States will take on fellow Group C member Algeria on August 29, Germany on the 30th before a rematch with Yao Ming and China on August 31.
Compiled by Brian Aronstam, BASOC Volunteer
British officials will decide in January whether to back a London 2012 bid for the Olympic Games. Tessa Jowell, Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport, said the decision would be made with 'utter realism' and on 'cool rational grounds.' The British government has commissioned an analysis into the feasibility of hosting the Olympic Games. London's mayor has welcomed the initiative but also insisted that it should be based in East London.
Although Toronto lost the bid to host the 2008 Olympic Games to Beijing, residents of the Canadian city are still interested in campaigning for the Olympic Games in 2012 and beyond. According to a Leger Marketing/Toronto Sun poll, 36 per cent of respondents want the Olympic Games in Toronto, no matter what the circumstances. Another 39 percent would support an Olympic bid as long as tax money isn't involved. Twenty-five percent polled said they would not support the Olympic Games. Because Vancouver bid to host the 2010 Winter Olympic Games, Toronto organizers have agreed with the Canadian Olympic Committee not to launch a bid for 2012 until the International Olympic Committee selects the 2010 site next year.
Approximately 580 athletes from 42 countries traveled to the Saronic Gulf near Athens in August to see what conditions to expect when 10 sailing events will be held during the 2004 Olympic Games. The athletes participated in the Athens 2002 Regatta, which was held on the same dates as the competitions scheduled for 2004. The competitors were able to assess prevailing weather, currents, and winds while the Athens organizing staff tested logistical arrangements for the open-water events. Paul Henderson, president of the International Sailing Federation and a member of the IOC, appeared particularly satisfied. 'This venue is impressive, is excellent and will constitute a wonderful legacy for Greek citizens after the Games.'
One year after awarding the 2008 Olympic Games to Beijing, an IOC delegation visited the Chinese capital to evaluate preparations. IOC officials said they were impressed with organizers' progress and are willing to consider Beijing's request to change the dates of the Olympic Games, to avoid the city's intense midsummer heat.
The IOC will decide in November which sports to add and eliminate at the 2008 Olympic Games. An IOC commission met in July to evaluate potential changes. IOC sports director Gilbert Felli said the commission analyzed 15 requests to add sports and also concluded that some of the sports now in the Olympic Games 'deserved to be reduced.' The commission will make a recommendation to the IOC executive board before the full IOC makes the final decision.
By Kristin Kasper, Director of Training for 2012
In conjunction with the USA vs. China Exhibition game held on Thursday, August 22 the NBA invited BASOC's youth sports development program to bring 25 youths to the Basketball and Books Clinic with 75 other Bay Area youths at the Golden State Warriors Practice Facility in Oakland.
The Basketball and Books Clinic combined the fun of reading with the fundamentals of basketball. The USA players read Strong to the Hoop to three groups of youngsters before leading them in a basketball skills clinic, where a contingent of USA players and team coaches taught basic fundamental basketball drills such as passing, shooting, and dribbling.
The youth were between the ages of 10-13 years old and represented three counties of the Bay Area including:
4 girls and 8 boys from Palo Alto Youth Sports (PAYS), sponsored by the Palo Alto Buddhist Temple. The youth are from the Palo Alto, Cupertino, and San Jose School District.
3 girls and 4 boys from Eden Youth Family Center, South Hayward. Neighborhood Collaboration, through Team Up for Youth in Oakland.
6 girls from the Lafayette School District Basketball League.
BASOC's Training for 2012's fabulous event day coordinator was volunteer John Haron.
'The kids had an amazing time!' said one delighted parent. One group of girls, representing Training for 2012, worked on their drills with Jay Williams, Ben Wallace, Elton Bran and Paul Pierce. 'Jay Williams told me I had a good outside shot,' said eleven year-old center Jenny Reich.
'USA Basketball appreciates having an opportunity to interact with an enthusiastic basketball community like the Bay Area," said USA Basketball Executive Director Jim Tooley. "USA Basketball teams have trained on a variety of occasions in the Oakland/San Francisco area and it is a pleasure to be able to give something back to a community that has been so supportive of USA Basketball."
Continuing their support of the exhibition game, a subset of the youth attended and were recognized at a press conference held on Wednesday, August 21. The youth participants had the opportunity to watch the Chinese team practice and also received USA Basketball pins to help them commemorate their experience.
To culminate the activities, The Warriors Foundation generously donated tickets for the youth to attend the USA-China game.
BASOC wishes to thank the NBA, Warriors Foundation, and USA Basketball for their generous support and enthusiasm, in addition to the myriad of staff and parents from the various participating youth organizations.
Event coverage included:
http://www.olympic-usa.org/CFDOCS/borg/newsTemplate.cfm?spID=75&newsID=1023
http://www.usabasketball.com/seniormen/02_mwc_read_oakland.html
By Heather Petri, 2000 Water Polo Olympian, member 2002 Holiday Cup team
While most families celebrated the day of our nation's independence with barbeques and firework displays, sports fans and water polo lovers headed out to Stanford University to catch a glimpse of intense international women's water polo competition. July 4th kicked off the first games of the Holiday Cup tournament including national teams from Japan, Brazil, Canada, and the United States. Though the annual Holiday Cup tournament is usually held at the national training facility at the Los Alamitos Armed Reserve Base in Southern California, this year the tournament was brought north to the San Francisco Bay Area.
Currently, the U.S. women's largest rival is the national team of Canada and the U.S. will need to beat Canada next summer at the Pan Am Games in order to secure a spot in the 2004 Olympic Games. Every match against Canada is an intense, physical game. The goals for the Holiday Cup were to use the games as a way to push ourselves physically to gain an extra edge and learn as much as we can about their team before next summer.
Being from the Bay Area, the opportunity for me to play in front of hometown crowds was especially exhilarating. My parents and friends were able to come watch me play and support our team, which does not happen very often when your competition is in other countries. We also received so much support from the community, by way of volunteers, food and gift sponsors, and the backing of the BASOC committee. Anne Cribbs, BASOC President and CEO, came to our first game and threw the ball into the pool for the opening sprint. With personal efforts such as these you can tell that the Olympic Games will be very special if they come to the Bay Area.
By Cindy Lin, BASOC Volunteer
A competitive swimmer from age five, Orinda native Heather Petri got her start in water polo as a sophomore in high school, when childhood swim pals invited her to join them on the Miramonte High School boys' team. Petri helped start a girls' water polo team at her school the following year, and became a top defender for UC Berkeley (Cal). At the debut of women's water polo in Sydney, Petri won a silver medal playing two-meter defense for the United States.
How did you like being part of an inaugural Olympic sport?
That was awesome. [Women's water polo] has been a sport where [the athletes] have been struggling for so long. Only recently did they have varsity teams in college, and even when I was in high school we didn't have a team. To finally have it at the Olympic level shows how much it's growing.
What do you remember most about your Olympic experience?
I loved the [athletes] village! I thought that was amazing. I'd never realized that all the athletes were together. You have your houses and streets, and each street had a country on it, so our street was the United States, but you'd walk down another street and there's Thailand or Cuba. They had this gigantic dining hall the size of a football field, and there's people eating every type of food you can imagine and intermingling. It was amazing. It was kind of like the world was compacted into a microcosm of what the world is like only everyone is happy and really excited to meet each other.
Where do you keep your medal?
Ha, everyone always asks me that. In my underwear drawer. But don't tell anyone that!
What's next for you in the sport and beyond?
I just graduated from Cal in May with a degree in biology. I took a year off from school and playing for Cal to go down to LA and train for the Olympic Games.
Right now I'm competing again -- it's about two years out from the [next] Olympic Games. So in a year and a half we'll start full-time training again, which takes up a lot of time. I'll be moving to LA in September for training. That's where the team is centralized.
My goal is to make it to Athens and play there. After that, I'm not really sure. At this level of water polo, I feel like I have a lot of years left in me!
Why is the San Francisco Bay Area the perfect host for the Olympics Games?
It reminds me a lot of Sydney -- that's what I felt like when I went there, that Sydney was home. And I think the Sydney Olympics were probably the best I'd ever seen.
I think it has something for everyone. There are so many parts to not just San Francisco, but the surrounding areas. I feel like anyone from any country could come here and feel at home, or find something that they enjoyed. I just love the area.
By Steve Woo, BASOC Volunteer
Santa Clara is synonymous with opportunity, and continues to be a hotbed of entrepreneurialism, creativity, and cutting edge technology. Whether creating the next hot start-up venture or competing for Olympic gold, only the fastest, highest, and strongest will leave their mark on Santa Clara and the world.
Like other unique cities of the Bay Area, Santa Clara has attracted its own unique blend of immigrants. The high-tech industry has attracted significant populations from India, Taiwan, the Chinese mainland, and Vietnam, in addition to many other immigrants and transplants from other regions of the U.S. This unique blend of diversity will offer an excellent backdrop to international competition when the 2012 Olympic Games arrive in Santa Clara.
At the heart of the high tech revolution has been Santa Clara University (SCU), which has produced some of Silicon Valley's most influential figures in business and technology. In addition, the SCU Broncos have contributed significantly to the fervent sports culture of the Bay Area. SCU is a member of the National Collegiate Athletic Association's Division I West Coast Conference, and has produced a number of world class athletes, including former 49er Brent Jones, Oakland A's owner Stephen Schott, and soccer player Brandi Chastain, a 1996 and 2000 Olympian and member of the U.S. team that won the unforgettable 1999 World Cup.
Given the United States' preeminent position in Olympic Basketball, this outstanding facility will serve as the secondary venue for the 2012 Olympic Games. The Leavey Center at Santa Clara University will play host to preliminary basketball competitions, with primary competitions taking place at the Oakland Arena. The LeaveyCenter is currently undergoing an extensive renovation that will expand its capacity to 5,000 seats and provide for new team facilities, club facilities, luxury suites, and many other amenities for the media and spectators. The renovation will make the Leavey Center one of the finest sports venues of its size on the West Coast. The Leavey Center has been the host facility for seven West Coast Conference Basketball Tournaments, and has also been the site of international competitions, including the World Kendo Championship.
'We are very excited about the Leavey Center renovation." said Cheryl Levick, Director of Athletics at Santa Clara University and BASOC board member. "It certainly is the crown jewel of our strategic plans to be successful at the highest levels of competition. (SCU Broncos) fans will be just as excited as I am once they get a chance to see it."
Located in the heart of Silicon Valley, Santa Clara has been a valley of dreams for everyone from the 8-year-old computer whiz to the 88-year-old CEO. Santa Clara University will continue to fuel those dreams when it welcomes Olympic basketball in the Summer of 2012.
By Kim Strenk, BASOC Volunteer
More than twenty years ago, Martin Brown and his partners at The Empire Group become visionaries in leading the effort to preserve the character and charm of San Francisco through the restoration and preservation of historical downtown commercial buildings. The Empire Group was formed with this vision in mind. Many of their properties, such as the landmark Flatiron Building and the Stock Exchange Building & Tower are an integral part of the landscape of downtown San Francisco. Empire Group properties are known as much for their famous names as their addresses.
What constitutes a historic building in San Francisco? According to Martin Brown, 'Since most significant buildings in the city were destroyed by the 1906 earthquake, we consider many buildings built from 1907 through late 1920's, and, of course any that managed to survive the earthquake, historical. The Empire Group looks at buildings in terms of their architectural significance as well. We work with architectural historians to map out the history of our buildings and find out what important events may have taken place in them. Most of our proprieties have a detailed and documented history.'
Martin Brown has lived and worked in San Francisco for over thirty years. His commitment to the City is evidenced by his company's most recent charitable act. The Empire Group, of which Martin Brown is president, has generously contributed prime downtown office space to the Bay Area Sports Organizing Committee. Prior to moving into their new office space in the City, BASOC was working solely out of offices in Palo Alto.
When asked about the contribution and why he became involved in the Olympic bid, Brown stated, 'At The Empire Group, we think the city of San Francisco is a wonderful place to host the Olympic Games. As a relatively small and private company, we don't have the resources to make very large monetary donations to causes we believe in, but what we do have is office space in premium locations throughout the City. When we heard that BASOC was searching for a location, we did not hesitate to offer our assistance and come up with a winning solution.' Given the history of The Empire Group and their mission to preserve the character and quality of the City through the restoration and preservation of historical landmarks, it's easy to see that its commitment to the City runs deep. According to Mr. Brown, 'It's also fun for us to be involved with something so universally well-loved as the Olympic Games.'
By Elna Tymes, BASOC Volunteer
BASOC youth legacy program, Training for 2012, is being distributed to schools and youth organizations in the Bay Area. The program focuses on the way sports play an important role in developing values and goals in people's lives and includes Olympic-based educational lesson plans and visits by Olympic athletes.
Heading up Training for 2012 is Kristin Kasper who is currently a producer of children's educational software at Leapfrog, Inc.
Tell us a little about yourself.
I grew up in East Bay and went to Pitzer College in Southern California. After graduation, I worked in broadcasting and print journalism, then moved into multimedia CD-ROM's and later online.
My Olympic interests were first peeked during the LA Olympics in 1984. Years later, I had the opportunity to revisit the Olympic Games by producing a CD-ROM about the history of the summer Olympic Games. My Olympic work continued when I worked for Quokka Sports, Inc. where I was the producer for the International Olympic Committee's web site and covered other sporting events including the 2000 Olympics in Sydney.
My personal passion is sports. I have been a runner since I was a little girl. I ran competitively in track and field in high school.
Currently, I live in San Francisco with my husband, David, and our dog Rally.
What was your most memorable Olympic experience?
There isn't just one -it's any time I watch Michael Johnson run.
Tell us of your plans for Training 2012?
My plans are to escalate the deployment of Training for 2012, by creating a legacy program that builds towards 2012 and beyond.
Why have you chosen to volunteer for BASOC 2012?
I volunteer because I feel strongly that the Bay Area is a great place for the Olympic Games - I'm committed to making it happen. I think everyone has to volunteer for their own reasons, but it's a great thing to do help bring the Olympics to your own backyard.
How did you become involved with BASOC?
I became aware of BASOC while I was working at Quokka and when they fell into the dot com demise, I had some time I could volunteer. So I looked into BASOC's efforts. I knew of Anne Cribbs and believed in her ability to lead the efforts. I met with James Raybold, BASOC's volunteer coordinator, and we discussed how my skill sets and interests might benefit the needs of the bid efforts. I wound up devoting 6 months of my time to creating BASOC's youth development program.
What other activities do you enjoy?
My other volunteer work is as a member of the Junior League of San Francisco. My free-time sports include lacrosse, tennis, biking, swimming, mini-tris, and running.
Please send comments, suggestions, and questions to: BASOC E-Newsletter, Attn: Berta Lim, 2479 E. Bayshore Road, Suite 703, Palo Alto, CA 94303, info@basoc2012.org
BASOC e-newsletter writing provided by dedicated BASOC volunteers, editing by Elizabeth Faletti, Tammy Kaehler and Berta Lim.
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