Elite Athlete Committee Report

By USA Women's Coach Doru Gheorghe

(Note - Doru has since been promoted to USATT Executive Director)

1. On December 21, 2002, the Elite Athlete Committee held its annual meeting at the Nationals in order to decide, among other agenda items, the budget for the year 2003. After five hours of discussions and debates, the following decisions were made regarding the activities that will be budgeted for 2003:

   • Pan Am/World Team Trials $ 9,500

   • Cadet training camp before NA Championships $ 5,000

   • North American Championships $14,040

   • World Championships $26,575

   • World Cadet Challenge $ 7,550

   • All Star Series (USA Pro Tour) $21,000

   • Insurance and Stipend for 4th players on the US team $ 7,000

   • Junior World Championships $26,939

2. On January 21, the Pan Am/World Team Selection Procedure was approved by the USOC. The Pan Am/World Team Trials followed in Atlanta, GA to determine the members of the teams who will participate in the Pan Am Games in Santo Domingo, Dominican Republic, and the World Championships in Paris, France.

3. The 2004 Olympic Selection Procedure was submitted to the Board of Directors for approval on March 10, 2003. After the Board’s approval the Procedure will be submitted to the USOC for approval. As soon as the Procedure is approved by the USOC, information regarding the 2004 Olympic Team selection will be posted on the USATT web page. Hopefully this information will be on the web page no later than the beginning of June, 2003.

4. All the preparations for the North American cadet camp are over and everybody is ready to start training. Eight cadet national team girls and eight cadet national team boys representing the U.S will train along with their counterparts from Canada for three days in San Diego on April 2-4, 2003. The Elite Athlete Committee will cover all the expenses for four boys, four girls, four coaches, and the camp’s entry fee for the rest of the contingent.

5. The North American Championships will follow the NA cadet camp at the same venue. The Elite Athlete Committee will cover all the expenses for 16 players (eight junior and eight cadet boys and girls) and four coaches for the participation in the Championships. Winners of the men’s and women’s open will qualify to play in the Men’s and Women’s World Cup. The winning junior boys’ and girls’ teams will represent North America in the World Junior Championships to be held in Chile. Two cadet boys and cadet girls each from Canada and the United States will represent North America in the World Cadet Challenge to be held in Malaysia.

6. The preparations for participation in the World Championships in Paris, France are in progress and we are waiting to find out who will qualify for the World Team in order to send in the Nominal entries. The Elite Athlete Committee will cover all the expenses for four men and four women to participate in the Worlds. The fifth player on each team (men and women) may participate provided that he/she funds his/her own way.

7. Former Olympic silver medallist and reigning National Men’s Champion Ilija Lupulesku expressed, in January 2003, his wish to represent the U.S in the upcoming 2003 Pan Am Games. The USOC and USATT took the necessary official steps in accomplishing his wish by asking the Yugoslavia Olympic Committee for a release letter, and the ITTF and PASO (Pan Am Sports Organization) for their approval. On March 7, 2003 the USOC received the final approval from PASO, and so Ilija Lupulesku is eligible to represent the U.S in the 2003 Pan Am Games. In accordance with ITTF rules Ilija Lupulescu is not eligible to represent the U.S. in the Worlds until after 3 years have passed from the last representation of his former country, Yugoslavia, which was in 2002.