Some of you have wondered why I did not apply for the Winchester Wheelmen Race Team for the 2011 season. I have several reasons and we will start at the beginning.
In June 2010, I competed at the Eagleman triathlon in Cambridge, MD with several of my teammates. Prior to the race, the team tent was set up along the race course and there were several teammates and their families hanging out in the tent. My mom had driven over 300 miles to my house and then to the race to be my biggest fan. I introduced her to my teammates and told her she could stay in the shade of the tent with the others while I raced. After I took off in the swim, and then the bike, my mom went to the WWRT tent. Not a single person spoke to her or made her feel welcome. She stayed for nearly 20 min before just walking out and sitting alone. We all knew it was going to be a long day, and I had faith in my teammates and their families to make all feel welcome. This did not happen. After the race, my mom and I returned to the tent to find the same un-welcoming feeling.
Throughout the summer, there were several WWRT members who were all training for IMLOU. Steve LaDrew had a ride/picnic for the Wheelmen which I attend with several club members. After we returned from our ride, I went for a run, as I had a brick planned for the day. Several race team members decided to do their own ride that morning and come for the picnic, passing me as I was running. Upon returning to the picnic, I felt like I never existed. Here I am training for IMLOU, and so were they, but I was never asked about my training or the race. I am not looking for personal satisfaction, but a sense of belonging from my "team."
As we got closer to IMLOU, I never heard from my teammates. Here we all are, training for the same event with no team feeling. I hear of other teams doing rides, runs, swims, dinners and even breakfasts together. I do not sense that team feeling on the WWRT. I spoke to Jerry Brown about driving to Louisville so I did not have to drive alone, but he was going with his family to Blacksburg on his way to LOU. He had not heard from his "teammates" either about going down, or getting together down there, etc. So now I have to drive to Louisville, 9 hours alone, even though I am on a 'team' and several of my teammates were going. When we got to IMLOU, it was a struggle for my teammates to speak to me. I was in the elevator at one point with several WWRT members and it was the most awkward feeling, even though we were teammates. The stress that I felt was unbleviable. There was no further communication while we were there, dinners, swims, rides, etc. Was I REALLY on a team??
I was not expecting anything in the way communication from my teammates for the rest of the season, and that is what happened. At the Christmas banquet, I spoke to very few teammates, as I could tell that many were avoiding me. I really enjoyed the ones that I spent time with and was glad when it was over.
As we moved into 2011, I continued to feel neglected by the WWRT. Pictures were posted about WWRT parties, but only select individuals were invited. I could care less, have your parties with your friends, but please don't list them as race team parties when the entire race team is not invited. When an individual is on a team, generally you share ideas about training and other races that you will be racing. While at the Christmas party, it was shared with certain individuals as to what races they were doing, but would not let me know. I have not signed up for those races, as I have others to race, but it is still fun to talk about them.
I was called several weeks ago by a fellow teammate who had gone into Blue Ridge Bicycles to purchase a new bicycle after fulfilling her quota of races. She was told that she had not done enough races, and that the "rinky dink tris" should not count. She was also told that the rules of the race team were not written down and never will be. I know that they are now in progress, but how can anything be done on a regular and fair basis for all on the team if it is not in writing? She did end up being able to order her bike, but it was a fellow teammate who told her that she only did 'rinky dink tris." Who is he to judge? After this incident, I did post a question on facebook about the bylaws of a group, but never mentioned the group. I was told by a friend that they were told that the WWRT was receiving calls from several people and sponsors about my post. Seriously? Why was I not informed of this and the questions that I was asked about my post was if it was my HOA!
Because of the stress that was brought onto me by my fellow teammates and lack of team feeling, I have chosen not to be a member of the Winchester Wheelmen Race Team. Teammates do not do what was done to me and I do not need to support those who do not support others.
Thank you,
Katie Steadman
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