Member News
March 8, 2006
Athletes’ Advisory Council Vote for Alternate Representative
The following athletes have been nominated for the role of USA Judo Alternate Representative to the Athletes’ Advisory Council: Grace Jividen, Carrie Chandler and Jill Collins.
The position of “Alternate” to the U.S. Olympic Committee Athletes’ Advisory Council (AAC) will be for the remainder of the quadrennium through 2008. The USA Judo “Representative” to the AAC is 2004 Olympian Rhadi Ferguson.
Grace Jividen (Denver, Colo.) has had one of the longest careers in women's judo. A 1992 Olympian, Jividen is a four-time National Champion who competed at her first Nationals in 1978 and recently retired from competition following a silver medal finish in 2004. Most recently, Jividen won bronze medals at the 2001 Pan American, U.S. Open and Pacific Rim Championships as well as the 2002 British Open. Jividen also counts a silver medal at the 2003 Pan American Championships and a gold medal at the 2001 World Police and Fire Games among her estimated 40 international medals won during her career. As a coach,
Jividen has had success with both junior and senior athletes at the Denver Dojo. Jividen also is actively involved with the Colorado Judo League.
Jill Collins (Colorado Springs, Colo.) competed on the U.S. National Team for several years at 78kg. Collins had several international podium finishes, including bronze medals at the 2001 Pacific Rim Championships, 2002 US Open and Pan American Championships. Considered to be an athlete to watch in 2003, Collins was named to both the Pan American Games and World Championship Teams that year, but sustained a knee injury and was unable to compete. Currently Collins owns her own massage therapy business and continues to stay involved in judo, assisting with the junior judo program at the Olympic Training Center and working with up-and-coming blind and visually impaired athletes through summer programs.
Carrie Chandler (Scotia, N.Y.) is a three-time National Champion who was one of only two U.S. A-Level athletes in 2005 following a bronze medal win at last year’s Czech Open. This year Chandler’s success continued with a trip to the podium at the Belgian Open as well as a ninth place finish at the A+ Paris Open. The team captain for the Jason Morris Judo Center, Chandler prides herself on being involved in all aspects of judo, including helping teammates with diet and weight training techniques, learning how to scout players in their divisions and giving them tips that might help them in competition. In addition, she helps referee at local tournaments and actively works with young athletes, including running the JMJC’s junior program twice a week for a crew of 20 students. Chandler’s aspiration after her athletic career is to go on to become a successful judo coach.
Votes may be cast by any current USA Judo member aged 18 or above who either has been on the USA Judo Senior National roster between January 1, 2005 and February 7, 2006 or who has competed in an Olympic, Paralympic, Pan American, World Championship or USOC Operation Gold event between January 1995 and January 2005.
All votes are subject to verification of the voter’s status in regard to the guidelines above.
Deadline: All votes must be submitted by March 15 via e-mail to USAJudoNews@usajudo.us or via postal mail to:
USA Judo – Attention: Nominees
One Olympic Plaza Suite #505
Colorado Springs, CO 80909
The AAC is composed of one representative from each Olympic and Pan American sport elected from the National Governing Body of each sport (“Representative”), or the Representative’s alternate; two Paralympic representatives (each a “Representative”) elected by procedures established by U.S. Paralympics (“USP”); and the six At-Large members elected by the AAC. An athlete to the IOC Athletes' Commission shall be an ex officio member of the AAC, entitled to voice but not vote.
Athletes must meet the following requirements to be eligible for election to the AAC:
1. An athlete must have represented the United States in Olympic, Paralympic, Pan American or other major international competition, within the preceding 10 years as measured from the first AAC meeting of the quadrennium. The term “other major international competition” as used herein means only a competition designated by the USOC as an Operation Gold competition, such as the World Championships.
2. An athlete may not have served two previous terms on the AAC as a Representative. Status as an Alternate does not constitute serving a term. If an Alternate replaces a Representative and attends over half of the meetings in a quadrennium, the Alternate shall be deemed to have served one term.
3. AAC Representatives and Alternates are seated for four-year terms, or until replaced, whichever is later. Once seated, no AAC Representative or Alternate shall lose his or her position on the AAC, except for cause and after a two-thirds (2/3) vote of the AAC at a properly called meeting, or except as stated elsewhere in these AAC Bylaws.
4. Athletes may not be paid employees of the USOC, any NGB, USP or any city’s domestic bid committee for an Olympic Games and simultaneously serve as a Representative or Alternate to the AAC. The term “paid employee” shall mean anyone who is employed on a regular basis. This provision shall not apply to 1) individuals who are engaged on an occasional or temporary basis, which shall include, but not be limited to coaching at a clinic or training camp, making a paid appearance for a sponsor, or working on a finite or discrete project, and 2) athletes who are still competing and receiving benefits from the USOC, the USP or any NGB in his/her capacity as a competing athlete.
5. All AAC Representatives and Alternates are required to disclose in writing to the Chair of the AAC and the USOC Ethics and Compliance officer any employment with the USOC, an NGB, USP, or a domestic bid committee.
6. An AAC Representative’s or Alternate’s failure to satisfy additional NGB or USP requirements for qualification as an AAC Representative or Alternate may not be used by the NGB or the USP as cause to remove such individual their AAC Representative or Alternate position.
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