he Bicycle Leadership Conference (BLC), in tandem with the Sea
Otter Classic, will return to Monterey. The conference will be held
April 12-14, 2011. The event is presented by the Bicycle Product
Suppliers Association (BPSA) and hosted by the Sea Otter Classic.
Richard Fries has been named the conference director for 2011.
HOLLISTER
The Bicycle Leadership Conference (BLC), in tandem with the Sea Otter Classic, will return to Monterey. The conference will be held April 12-14, 2011. The event is presented by the Bicycle Product Suppliers Association (BPSA) and hosted by the Sea Otter Classic. Richard Fries has been named the conference director for 2011.
“This is a big honor and a big role to play,” said Fries, who has been involved in cycling as a journalist, commentator, marketing director, and event promoter dating back to the 1980s. “I hope to learn way more than I expect to teach in this experience, but I will try to develop some new voices and perspectives in the agenda.”
Last year’s conference director, Ray Keener, will remain critical to the event as the new executive marketing director of the BPSA. Keener will work on the agenda and sales aspects of BLC on behalf of the BPSA. “I’m looking forward to working with Richard on the aspects of BLC that best suit my skill-set,” Keener said. “We set a high-water mark in 2010, and with this team, the 2011 BLC will be even better.”
A New Englander with a background in road racing and cyclo-cross, Fries has been a strong advocate of developing urban cycling markets. Fries, 49, is known nationally as a race announcer, having called the action at countless national championship events.
The annual conference draws together top executives, advocates and promoters of American cycling. The event will again feature the BRAINY Awards, hosted by the editors of Bicycle Retailer and Industry News.
“This event has continued to grow at a steady rate, and we’re excited to keep it growing both in size and scope,” said Frank Yohannan, president and CEO of the Sea Otter Classic, which organizes the conference. “When you see the best minds of bicycling come together, amazing things happen. Often these people are trying to get a bigger slice of the pie, but at the BLC they work to grow the entire pie.”
John Nedeau, vice president of sales for SRAM, also serves as the BPSA president and oversees the conference. “When you look at every industry that is successful, you see this model employed. We are all so busy working with blinders on to focus on those tasks, those markets, those deadlines, and we miss a lot of great things going on. The BLC is where we take the blinders off and look at what others are doing,” said Nedeau. “It’s like coming up from below deck to see which way this big ship is headed.”
The BLC will again be held at the Monterey Plaza Hotel & Spa, positioned on the famous Cannery Row section of Monterey. The region offers fantastic scenery, golf, hiking, and, of course, cycling. The event will conclude with a reception and dinner at the Monterey Bay Aquarium.
Hollister Heat to hold registrations
The Hollister Heat softball program will hold registration for the upcoming spring season on Jan. 7, 2011, at the YMCA Building, located at 351 Tres Pinos Road, Suite A-201.
Registration will run from 6 to 8 p.m.
Spring season includes six age divisions, including the Rookies (5 and 6 years old), Single-A (7 and 8 years old), Double-A (8 to 11 years old), Triple-A (10 to 13 years old), Majors (11 to 14 years old) and Seniors (14 to 18 years old).
Girls who are new to the Hollister Heat need to bring a copy of their birth certificate to the registration.
For more information, call (831) 638-9123, or log on to: www.hollisterheat.com
Babe Ruth to hold sign-ups in December, January
San Benito Babe Ruth Baseball will hold sign-ups for the 2011 season in the months of December and January for players aged 12 to 15 years old, as well as players aged 16 to 18 years old for Senior Babe Ruth.
Sign-ups will be held at Neighborhood Pizza, located at 580 Tres Pinos Road, on Thursday, Dec. 16, and on Thursday, Jan. 6.
Signs-up will be held from 6:30 to 8:30 p.m. Those signing up are asked to bring a copy of their birth certificate and medical insurance information.
Cost is $150 for both the spring and summer seasons, and $75 for summer season only.
The final sign-up will be held Saturday, Jan. 8, from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Babe Ruth fields at Veterans Memorial Park.
For more information, call (831) 637-5108, or log on to: www.eteamz.com/sanbenitobaberuth
USYVL opens early registration for 2010-11 season
The United States Youth Volleyball League has opened registration for their upcoming Spring 2011 season.
This eight-week program, which is held at Paradise Park in Morgan Hill from April to June 2011, gets kids active and teaches the fundamentals of volleyball such as serving, passing, setting and spiking. The United States Youth Volleyball League offers several locations that are close to your home and/or school.
The league in Morgan Hill meets at Paradise Park, Thursdays from 6 to 7 p.m., and Saturdays from 9 to10 a.m. The season begins April 7 and ends June 11, 2011.
Registration for this program can be done online at www.USYVL.org, or you can request a registration form by calling the USYVLs National Office at 1-888-988-7985.
