UNITED STATES SPORTS CHIROPRACTIC FEDERATION
ANNUAL GENERAL MEETING - DECEMBER 7, 2007
LAS VEGAS, NEVADA

MEMBERS PRESENT:
John Downes, Tim Ray, Monty Wilburn, Sue Bromley

APOLOGIES
Ira Shapiro, Sherri LaShomb, Sheila Wilson-Banfil, Jim Lowrance, Joanne Fava, Clive Bridgham

REVIEW OF PREVIOUS MINUTES
Minutes of the last AGM minutes were distributed, reviewed and approved.

TREASURER’S REPORT
Monty Wilburn reported our expenses for the upcoming year will be Bank fees, Website maintenance fees, Directors and Operators Insurance premiums, dues to FCER and FICS. He further reported our bank balance as of November was $3466.76.

EXECUTIVE COMMITTEE REPORTS

CHAIRMAN OF THE BOARD
No report was given

PRESIDENT
Dear members, officers, board members and advisors:
As the year draws to a close and my two years of presidency with the USSCF conclude I would like to report great gains in our profession and our interest – sporting events worldwide. And in fact there have been great gains, mainly within the internal FICS – USSCF operations.

Beginning in the Spring of 2007 FICS administration met with concerned parties regarding the efficiency and effectiveness of FICS to date. As in any such discussion the opinions varied but the consensus supported change within the operations of FICS. Strategic planning meetings occurred in July and again at the AGM in September in Lausanne, Switzerland leading to a virtual AGM for voting on changes within the FICS operations, personnel, and planning. Voting is scheduled to conclude December 15th. As a result of these changes in the ‘Parent’ organization I believe there should be a commensurate re-evaluation of the purpose and process of the USSCF as the US representative to FICS.

My thoughts and suggestions to consider are:
1) Establish a working budget that addresses membership benefits, and cost of travel for officers to represent the USSCF at specific conferences.

2) Establish a marketing and communication strategy to build membership and participation in supporting educational and athletic events via WFC or FCER.

3) Host an ICSSD program in the US in conjunction with a sports group AGM

4) Create a support group for states that want to develop a sports council that will provide recommendations and a ‘speaker bureau’ that will generate funds for both organizations.

5) Identify members that desire to participate in the leadership of the USSCF and FICS in the future.

The world of chiropractic is becoming less U.S. driven and has become an international profession with more programs external to the United States than internal. The USSCF must identify our role in representing the U.S. in this international forum in a pro-active way or we will be relegated to just another representative to FICS with little effect on the plans and direction of chiropractic in the international sports arena.

Thank you for the opportunity to serve as president of the USSCF for the last two years. I believe that we can do more and be more if we communicate our plans and tap our resources for support and participation.

Sincerely,
John Downes, DC
President, USSCF

VICE PRESIDENT
No report was given

SECRETARY GENERAL
Over the last year a lot of changes have occurred within the FICS organization. We have revised our statutes to include more inclusive world regional representation. National governing bodies such as the USSCF will be the only entities which will be allowed votes at FICS general assemblies. Individual members of FICS are considered nonvoting members.

The FICS administration has changed. Since the last USSCF AGM the FICS world headquarters has changed location to the International House of Sport in Lausanne, Switzerland. Within the House of Sport, many international sports federations as well as the IOC medical commission maintained offices. This allows FICS a greater opportunity for networking.

FICS signed a contract with the World Federation of Chiropractic located in Toronto, Canada to help with administration efforts. It is hoped this will allow an increased exchange of information between FICS and the national governing bodies of the world such as America's USSCF.

Our future involvement in International sports has been quiet between Olympic years. Starting 2009 things may be different. FICS proudly announced a contract with the International World Games Association making FICS the official representative for chiropractic at every World Games. This contract will begin with the next World Games in Taipei China, July of 2009. It is anticipated FICS will include 50 to 60 chiropractors as part of the team for this venue.

In July, meetings were held with the chief officer of operations for the International Federation of Masters Games. FICS delegates were shown published bid brochures, requiring the inclusion of chiropractic services as part of the mandated health care team for future Masters Games. FICS is currently negotiating a similar contract to the World Games with International Federation of Masters Games. The next Masters games will be held in Melbourne, Australia in 2009.

Because of our successful presence at the last World Games the International Federation of American Football has sought out FICS in negotiating a future contract. It is hoped that FICS chiropractors will be able to participate in a Junior Championships to be held in Denver, Colorado next year.

Therefore, is it is important to realize that USSCF members attain the ICSSD (International Chiropractic Sport Science Diploma) certification. The ICSSD is a prerequisite for participation at FICS sanctioned international events. Please review how these requirements can be attained on the USSCF website or contact me for further information.

Respectfully submitted,
Timothy W. Ray DC.
Secretary General, USSCF

COMMITTEE REPORTS

MEMBERSHIP COMMITTEE
Monty Wilburn reported current membership of 62 members.

FINANCE COMMITTEE
Refer to the above treasurer's report.

SELECTION COMMITTEE
Without participation at international events this year no report was submitted.

TASK FORCE REPORTS

WEB SITE
The Board of Directors has been satisfied with the maintenance of the website. There are annual dues submitted with in the expenses of the treasurer's report associated with the website.

TRAVEL TO TREAT
The state of Colorado is approaching a sunset review of its state statutes. Members of the USSCF have addressed the state board and the state association for amendments to the current statutes to include a broader scope of travel to treat laws.

POLICY
The President appointed Monty Wilburn and Tim Ray to review our current bylaws and statutes to suggest appropriate amendments and changes.

SPONSORSHIP
No report was given.

ELECTIONS
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
The slate for election this year is:

President: Joanne Fava
Vice President:
Directors at Large
Ira Shapiro
Sherri La Shomb
Sue Bromley
Clive Bridgeham

Because the slate of officers and excluded a vice president discussions were held on how to rectify this situation. A motion by Tim Ray to nominate Sherry of the shown was given. This motion was seconded by Sue Bromley. After further discussion this motion was retracted by Tim Ray and seconded by Sue Bromley. Tim Ray resigned his position as secretary general. Sue Bromley nominated Tim Ray for vice President Monty Wilburn seconded this motion. President John Downes appointed Sherri La Shomb to fill the empty position of Secretary General.

Given this slate of officers, a motion to accept the entire slate by unanimous acclimation was given by Tim Ray and seconded by Sue Bromley. This motion passed by unanimous decision of those members present.

The new USSCF Board of Directors are as follows:
Chairman of the Board: John Downes
President: Joanne Fava
Vice President: Tim Ray
Secretary General: Sherri LaShomb
Monty Wilburn, current Treasurer till next year

Directors at Large
Ira Shapiro
Sue Bromley
Clive Bridgham

OLD AND NEW BUSINESS
The President appointed Sue Bromley, and Monty Wilburn as a committee, who will contact the ACBSP concerning ICSSD educational programs.

The President appointed Sherri La Shomb to mediate information between WFC/FICS to the USSCF.

The President appointed Sue Bromley, Monty Wilburn and Tim Ray as a committee to investigate USSCF inclusion protocols for the application to the USOTC.

ADJOURNMENT
Tim Ray motion for adjournment of this meeting at 8:50 p.m. Pacific Time.
Monty Wilburn seconded the motion. The motion passed unanimously.

FICS REPORT - October 6, 2007

Dr. Roland Noirat, President, Fédération Internationale de Chiropratique du Sport (FICS)
rnoirat@fics-online.org

Following the Sports Chiropractic Forum held at the WFC Congress in Portugal in May, subsequent discussions and decisions taken at the September 2 FICS General Assembly in Lausanne, FICS and the WFC are now entering into a closer and exciting new partnership. This is designed to promote the further development and success of sports chiropractic internationally, bringing greater access to athletes and more recognition to the profession from the general and elite sports communities.

Important features of this new partnership between FICS and the WFC are:

* Revised FICS statutes, creating an expanded and regionally elected Council similar to the WFC, and a new membership category for WFC member associations. First elections under the new statutes will take place next year.

* Administrative and staff support for FICS at the WFC offices from January 1, 2008

* Combining the next FICS Assembly with the next WFC Congress in Montreal in April 2009

* Expanding and making new appointments to various FICS Commissions now.

I now invite all chiropractors with any interest in sports chiropractic, and who are willing to serve on a FICS Commission, to email me these details by October 31:

1. A summary curriculum vitae which includes your contact information, college and year of graduation, sports chiropractic experience and membership status with national sports chiropractic group (where applicable) and national association.

2. A brief statement of which Commission (see below) you would like to serve on and why.

I will then respond. The goal is to have the new Commission members confirmed before the end of the year. Those who will chair the Commissions have largely been identified. FICS is looking for additional members. Such members will communicate very largely by email. You are not making any commitment to travel or incur personal costs. Commissions are:

* Education. This important Commission will be working on the development of minimum curriculum and content for educational programs that will better define the future of the specialty of sports chiropractic.

* Research. This is a separate new Commission to coordinate the development of research and the necessary future evidence base for sports chiropractic and its claims.

* Games. This will have members responsible for the Olympics, regional games and other international events. Regional games for which FICS needs Commission members include the All African, Asian, Commonwealth, Mediterranean and Pan American Games.

* International Federations. This Commission is responsible for FICS’s ongoing relationship with GAISF and its member international sports federations, including building data and contacts with all IFs. Ultimately FICS would like a sports chiropractic contact person for each sport and its IF.

* Finance. Responsible for building FICS’s financial base, including sponsorships and general fundraising.

* Communications. Includes publications (an expanded and more frequent FICS electronic newsletter is a first priority) and media (website and external media exposures). FICS has particular need of one or two strong writers from the experienced sports chiropractic community to edit the newsletter and write other content.

* Ethics. Ongoing monitoring and advice on codes of ethics and conduct at games and in sports chiropractic practice generally.

I look forward to hearing from you. If you know of someone else who you think has the skills and interest to volunteer for a FICS Commission and the international advancement of sports chiropractic please copy this to him or her also.

Meantime, an exciting new era has begun. FICS has a head office at the House of Sport in my city of Lausanne, which is also the home of the International Sports Federations and the IOC Medical Commission with which we have greatly improved relations. It now has a firm new partnership with the WFC, good staff support for the first time since it was created in 1987, a strong and expanded new leadership, and major plans to work with member countries and their expertise to complete the development of a true sports chiropractic specialty that will be recognized by all in the sports and sports medicine world.

There will be much more in the months ahead. If you would like to be part of all this, serving on a FICS Commission please write to me now at FICS, Maison Du Sport International, Avenue de Rhodanie 54, 1007 Lausanne (Suisse), Tél. +41 (21) 601-0858, FAX + 41 (21) 601-7923, rnoirat@fics-online.org

New Article & Photos: A Step Forward: The World Games 2005 by Timothy W. Ray, DC