Erik Duvander Out As U.S. Eventing Performance Director

[skydy]

@CatchMeIfUCan

Only time will tell. But I was mainly getting at the point that they didn’t pick a ton of “yes” people or the people that forced the non-renewal which gives a glimmer of hope.

Thank you, that’s good to know. Now all that’s needed is a superman/woman to fill that whopper of a job description.

[skydy]

Who is the “Performance Director” with whom the person that fills this position will be “working hand in hand”?

From USEF’s want ad:

Job Summary:

This is a key leadership position within the Federation’s International Disciplines’ Sport Department. The Managing Director spearheads all initiatives, governance and programs linked to Eventing and works closely with all internal departments and the U.S. Eventing Association in order to grow Eventing at all levels within the U.S. and deliver a functional Pathway for, and governance support to, Eventing athletes, parents, owners and trainers. The Managing Director also works hand in hand with the Performance Director to prepare and lead the Senior Eventing Team for Games and Championships while also overseeing the development of emerging talent through identifiable pathways … (Edited to bold the committee’s belief in the existence, or their belief in the future existence, of a “Performance Director”).

Job Summary:

This is a key leadership position within the Federation’s International Disciplines’ Sport Department. The Managing Director spearheads all initiatives, governance and programs linked to Eventing and works closely with all internal departments and the U.S. Eventing Association in order to grow Eventing at all levels within the U.S. and deliver a functional Pathway for, and governance support to, Eventing athletes, parents, owners and trainers. The Managing Director also works hand in hand with the Performance Director to prepare and lead the Senior Eventing Team for Games and Championships while also overseeing the development of emerging talent through identifiable pathways to ensure sustainable success for the future

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Oversee all USEF Eventing programs
• Align the Eventing Department operations with the mission and vision of the Federation
• Develop and manage Eventing Department staff, including setting goals, delegating responsibilities, staff development and succession planning
• Serves as lead liaison to the Eventing Sport Committee
• Prepare and manage the Eventing budget
• Oversee the rules revision process (USEF & FEI) for Eventing
• Manage Elite Programs and oversee Development Programs (training sessions, coaching, athlete/owner management, home teams, etc.), ensuring that clear and timely communications are sent to applicable parties on relevant topics
• Manage external grants and grow their performance impact (USET Foundation and USEA)
• Fulfill the role of Team Leader at the Games & Championships
• Oversee logistics and selection for team and individual funded travel
• Manage selection process (training lists and teams)
• Manage the Affiliate and USEF sport related relationship and Sport Department communication between the USEF and Affiliate
• Lead and collaborate with applicable departments in the development and implementation of an Eventing calendar process
• Work with the Competition Department to implement the FEI Calendar Policies and Procedures
• Work with the Marketing Department to identify sponsor opportunities and support sponsorship activation
• Work with the Communications Department to develop and deliver the Eventing communications plan
• Assist the Licensed Officials Department with developing Eventing LO processes
• Work with all departments within the Federation in order to better provide support to the U.S. Eventing stakeholders
• Support the development and implementation of central cross discipline programs, for example coach development and sports science & medicine
• Pepare materials for Committees and be able to provide support, guidance and when required, leadership to Committee.

Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• A highly effective leader and motivator who can lead from the front or, when appropriate, lead from behind.
• Performance focused and willing to look at challenges from many directions.
• A detail orientated manager.
• A clear communicator (written and spoken).
• Able to look strategically at equestrian sport while remaining focused on the operational detail.
• A logical planner who can analyze need, allocate resource and communicate a structured plan.
• An excellent facilitator who can resolve conflicts between different parties.
• High energy, resilient, committed, reliable and proactive individual with a desire to succeed and consistently deliver results.
• Be able to build effective relationships with a broad and diverse group of stakeholders
• An ability to develop a team, within the department, and grow their abilities through delegation, support, and staff mentoring and development
• Prepared to work outside normal working hours with regular travel within the U.S. and internationally
• Knowledge of the FEI and international equestrian sport, preferably Eventing.
• Knowledge of the Eventing landscape within the U.S.
• Knowledge of performance delivery, performance pathways and the process of identifying and developing talent.
  [/quote]

ensure sustainable success for the future.

Duties and Responsibilities:

• Oversee all USEF Eventing programs
• Align the Eventing Department operations with the mission and vision of the Federation
• Develop and manage Eventing Department staff, including setting goals, delegating responsibilities, staff development and succession planning
• Serves as lead liaison to the Eventing Sport Committee
• Prepare and manage the Eventing budget
• Oversee the rules revision process (USEF & FEI) for Eventing
• Manage Elite Programs and oversee Development Programs (training sessions, coaching, athlete/owner management, home teams, etc.), ensuring that clear and timely communications are sent to applicable parties on relevant topics
• Manage external grants and grow their performance impact (USET Foundation and USEA)
• Fulfill the role of Team Leader at the Games & Championships
• Oversee logistics and selection for team and individual funded travel
• Manage selection process (training lists and teams)
• Manage the Affiliate and USEF sport related relationship and Sport Department communication between the USEF and Affiliate
• Lead and collaborate with applicable departments in the development and implementation of an Eventing calendar process
• Work with the Competition Department to implement the FEI Calendar Policies and Procedures
• Work with the Marketing Department to identify sponsor opportunities and support sponsorship activation
• Work with the Communications Department to develop and deliver the Eventing communications plan
• Assist the Licensed Officials Department with developing Eventing LO processes
• Work with all departments within the Federation in order to better provide support to the U.S. Eventing stakeholders
• Support the development and implementation of central cross discipline programs, for example coach development and sports science & medicine
• Pepare materials for Committees and be able to provide support, guidance and when required, leadership to Committee.

Required Knowledge, Skills and Abilities:

• A highly effective leader and motivator who can lead from the front or, when appropriate, lead from behind.
• Performance focused and willing to look at challenges from many directions.
• A detail orientated manager.
• A clear communicator (written and spoken).
• Able to look strategically at equestrian sport while remaining focused on the operational detail.
• A logical planner who can analyze need, allocate resource and communicate a structured plan.
• An excellent facilitator who can resolve conflicts between different parties.
• High energy, resilient, committed, reliable and proactive individual with a desire to succeed and consistently deliver results.
• Be able to build effective relationships with a broad and diverse group of stakeholders
• An ability to develop a team, within the department, and grow their abilities through delegation, support, and staff mentoring and development
• Prepared to work outside normal working hours with regular travel within the U.S. and internationally
• Knowledge of the FEI and international equestrian sport, preferably Eventing.
• Knowledge of the Eventing landscape within the U.S.
• Knowledge of performance delivery, performance pathways and the process of identifying and developing talent.

[Dr_Doolittle]

Dear GOD!

This looks like an 80 to 90 hour work week, zero downtime, lots of “extra“ responsibilities, enormous stress, ridiculous expectations and people breathing down your neck at all times.

Is the pay going to be commensurate with the “expectations”? Are they willing to pay half a mil? I don’t think so.

Run, Forrest, run!!!

[LovieBird]

If anyone listens to the Heels Down Happy Hour Podcast, Jessica Payne discusses this topic in the beginning of the episode.

[skydy]

@skydy

Who is the “Performance Director” with whom the person who fills this position will be “working hand in hand”?

Quoting myself. Wasn’t Erik Duvander the Performance Director? Who is the new Performance Director? Have I missed the announcement? Does anyone know?

[Texarkana]

@skydy

@skydy

Who is the “Performance Director” with whom the person who fills this position will be “working hand in hand”?

Quoting myself. Wasn’t Erik Duvander the Performance Director? Who is the new Performance Director? Have I missed the announcement? Does anyone know?

Erik Duvander was the Performance Director. No, you did not miss an announcement. USEF has formed a task force to decide what the Performance Director position should become and write a job description for it.

Whomever they hire into the position we have been discussing will have to work with the new Performance Director, like how Autry and Duvander worked together. The only confusing part is Bill Moroney’s comments making it sound like they don’t even want a Performance Director anymore.

[skydy]

@Texarkana

Whomever they hire into the position we have been discussing will have to work with the new Performance Director, like how Autry and Duvander worked together. The only confusing part is Bill Moroney’s comments making it sound like they don’t even want a Performance Director anymore.

It is a very confusing part indeed. I have edited my quote of USEF’s job description above, to bold the part that mentions the Performance Director. They seem quite straightforward about the need for this Managing Director to work with the Performance Director.

[Equibrit]

I remember the GB Federation going through the same sort of tortures when restructuring their working relationships with member organizations. They have it all worked out now and it was a great improvement.
This is quite interesting;

https://www.britishequestrian.org.uk/about-us/what-we-do

https://www.britishequestrian.org.uk/team/world-class-programme/overview

[skydy]

The BEF website is a miracle of clarity when compared to USEF’s.

I’m just trying to wrap my head around what USEF is doing, without much success at this point in time.

Part of my confusion is no doubt due to my own ignorance in regard to the complicated corporate structure of USEF, (I have confused this task force with the Eventing Sport Committee) and my unfamiliarity with corporate-speak but, that said, USEF really seems to have a difficult time communicating effectively.

Hopefully, order will come from chaos and we’ll soon have a smoothly running Eventing program in the U.S.

I am just so disappointed because, admittedly from the outside, U.S. Eventing seemed to be doing better than they had been for years. It’s a shame if this entire debacle was the result of political infighting.

[SecondInCommand]

“They didn’t pick a ton of… people that forced the non-renewal”

Is it fair to interpret this as you having some knowledge of who those people were? Or is this more in line with the theories that have been posited upthread?

[skydy]

The silence is deafening.

[CatchMeIfUCan]

From me? I already said I don’t really want to get involved in this conversation. I corrected what you said because I have ties to two people on the task force and neither of them were part of the firing. I have so much respect for both of them that I don’t want everyone assuming that the entire task force is part of the problem.

Of course there is much more to tell and I do know a smattering of what else is going on and the “inside speculation,” but it’s not my place to spread that all over the internet.

[skydy]

Thank you for setting me straight about the task force.

I wish USEF would be less secretive and more straightforward about this, instead of leaving most of us to wonder what is happening and why.

[Willesdon]

For a so-called membership organization, I’m really surprised at the lack of transparency and/or accountability in both the USEA and USEF.

[LexInVA]

TerraNova is the pet project of rider Hannah Herrig, daughter of businessman Steven Herrig, the man who is behind SUNZ Holdings/SUNZ Insurance/SUNZ Real Estate and some other businesses that operate out of Florida. It’s a business opportunity for her and her husband, as well as the family businesses.

[OverandOnward]

@skydy

“Time is of the essence; therefore, the task force meetings will begin shortly, and as concepts are developed, they will be socialized with relevant eventing constituencies for input,” the statement continued.

Can a concept be “socialized”? Is this how business people actually speak in this day and age?

Actually, it’s a dated term. Used to be common, haven’t heard/seen it in years.

Using ‘socialize’ and ‘socialized’ as an action term in business was common in the late 90’s, maybe later for a while. Used that way it meant to present the idea to various people and groups to sell them on it, to win acceptance before the rollout.

It was interesting because the message is a one-way presentation, telling them what was coming, not asking them for feedback. That’s the way it used to be used, but don’t know what the intent is in that statement.

@paw

And this bit is interesting:

Experience in the equestrian sport industry or related field preferred.

Not required.

Yeah, I’d read that as saying they already know who they are hiring. Guessing someone eventing has never heard of. But who did something in some other sport.

@Texarkana

@Willesdon

I liked the bit about succession planning.

Always a good sign when they advertise high turnover in the job description.

This. The carousel will commence people regularly getting on and off.

Maybe part of the sales pitch is ‘we know you never heard of this new Managing Director person we hired, and don’t like anything you are hearing now, but we’re going to fire them in a year or two anyway, so no worries’.

@skydy

I found the requirement that the applicant be able to “lead from the front, or when appropriate, lead from behind”, quite telling. The entire job description reads as an you-are-doing-the-work-and-we-will-be-making-the-decisions situation.

I suspect 2 dynamics are behind that monster job description:

• No filtering of anyone’s pet contribution, and a lot of contributors of line items.
• Use as much corporate BS as they can possibly can to leave maximum flexibility to do anything with the job once it is filled. So many of these phrases mean nothing. Airy ideas with no specifics.

The job description is a classic committee product of a committee with little substantive leadership or control.

@betonbill

I wonder to what extent money was involved. Maybe the PTB suddenly decided that they were spending far too much and wanted to downsize. Perhaps there was talk of negotiating for raises by Duvander and the rest and they (PTB) headed it off by getting rid of everyone.

That actually is the only reason that makes sense for letting them all go. Complete restructuring of both budget & job descriptions.

In the U.S. layoffs have taken the place of competent management. Hire people, realize you hired a competent person but you actually need something different than what you advertised and interviewed for, so then fire 'em. Start over, do the same again.

@CatchMeIfUCan

… The committee is more of a quick patch up to the unrest that was caused by the firing.

Thank you for this insight.

So as I would view that motive, the committee is mostly a lame PR attempt, and anything they do may be undone by other forces at work.

[OverandOnward]

@CatchMeIfUCan

Moroney has stated that they want to go more in the direction of SJ and Dressage and have program advisors, not coaches. I don’t think they want to replace Duvander. It seems like they want to blow out Autry’s old job.

They are going about it terribly.

It is going to be hard to get constituent buy-in by continuing to do stupid stuff. And saying stupid stuff.

@CatchMeIfUCan

But I was mainly getting at the point that they didn’t pick a ton of “yes” people or the people that forced the non-renewal which gives a glimmer of hope.

Just a general question, not for CatchMeIfUCan: Will we ever know who the ‘people who forced the non-renewal’ are, exactly?

[OverandOnward]

@hoopoe

writing the ad to suit a particular candidate is not an unusual ploy.

the education part leans me towards a talented rider who never went beyond high school but developed their pro rider career most effectively.

Is it bad form to start guessing who this is? I have a name in mind.

I guess a betting pool would be really really inappropriate. If someone has time to do one off-forum, let me know, I want in.

[skydy]

@OverandOnward

They are going about it terribly.
It is going to be hard to get constituent buy-in by continuing to do stupid stuff. And saying stupid stuff.

Stupid utterances like this?

Moroney: “When you look at those results, they were also created by the people that were at the table taking personal responsibility—personal responsibility for preparing themselves and their horses to arrive on competition day ready to go,” he said. “Some of those athletes had coaching from the USEF coach, some of those athletes did not, but they all came together, regardless of where they got the coaching, to establish a team culture at Aachen and Boekelo that was not present but is praised by the eventing community.”

Eh? What?

[Sticky_Situation]

@skydy

Stupid utterances like this?

Moroney: “When you look at those results, they were also created by the people that were at the table taking personal responsibility—personal responsibility for preparing themselves and their horses to arrive on competition day ready to go,” he said. “Some of those athletes had coaching from the USEF coach, some of those athletes did not, but they all came together, regardless of where they got the coaching, to establish a team culture at Aachen and Boekelo that was not present but is praised by the eventing community.”

Eh? What?

Sounds like they’re trying to set up for a scenario without centralized team coaching (or with only very minimal centralized coaching) where everyone trains with who they choose under their own (or more accurately, the horse owners’) dime and does their own thing. Clearly he’s saying that Erik Duvander was not an important factor and the success was mainly due to riders taking “personal responsibility.”