United States Deaf Cycling Association

Principles of Athlete Selection

for the NATIONAL CYCLING TEAM and USA CYCLING TEAM
Year  of  2014-2017

Goal:

To create national cycling teams composed of riders that win medals for the United States of America in every cycling event at Summer Deaflympics, World Championships and any major international events happening between the year of 2014-2017.

Selection Committee:

USDCA will maintain a Selection Committee for the purpose of reviewing and approving the final nominations of individual athletes to specific events - Deaflympics, World Championships and any international events. This obligation includes review and approval of athletes nominated by the USDCA coach according to the USDCA Principles of Discretion as described below.

This committee will be composed of the USDCA Board of Directors. A minimum of one of the Selection Committee members must have prior experience as a cyclist in a Deaflympics, in any cycling discipline. All members must:

  • agree to support the USDCA Principles of Athlete Selection
  • agree to declare any potential conflicts of interest in the selection process and recuse themselves from discussion and or voting if necessary

The Selection Committee will work within the context of the USDCA Cycling Selection Philosophy as described in this section, to ensure that selected athletes meet the stated objectives of these Principles as well as the event specific selection criteria.

Team Composition:

There is no minimum number of athletes for the national team. Each athlete must have ability to win a medal in international competition in order to be selected for the team. The maximum number will depend on the regulations of the upcoming competition.

  • The size of the national team for Deaflympics shall not exceed the size set forth in the regulations of the International Committee of Sports for the Deaf.
  • The size of the national team for any other international event, including the World Championships, will not exceed the host's quota.

Eligibility:

In order to participate in the selection process, athletes must meet eligibility requirements for participation in the next upcoming international competition. Minimum eligibility requirements are:

  • United States citizenship
  • Proof of USA Cycling racing license
  • Membership in the United States Deaf Cycling Association (USDCA)
  • Membership in the USA Deaf Sports Federation (USADSF)
  • Satisfaction of the age requirement: Riders must meet the age requirement for the upcoming competition to be selected for the national team for that competition.
  • Hearing loss of a degree established by the Internal Committee of Sports for the Deaf (ICSD)
  • Have competed in at least 10 sanctioned races in the year prior to selection.

Selection Criteria:

Deaflympics and World Championships - The goal of the USDCA is to select only those athletes who are capable of winning medals in specific cycling events. Thus, USDCA has established prioritized criteria for selection via discretionary criteria:

  • First Priority: the selection of athletes who have demonstrated that they are medal capable in Deaflympic-style events;
  • Second Priority: the selection of athletes who have demonstrated that their presence on the team will have a positive impact on the overall team performance and help create a medal capable team in a Deaflympic-style event;
  • Third Priority: the selection of athletes who have demonstrated the capacity to advance to the level of medal capability in a Deaflympic-style event.

International Events - Some events have little or no value to the USA. However, they can be of importance for our future youth or potential athletes to start building their preparation for Deaflympics and World Championships. For this reason, USDCA will endeavor to select via discretionary criteria, in order of importance:

  • Those athletes who are expected to be our top-ranked Americans;
  • Those athletes capable of a winning performance in a Deaflympic-style event;
  • Those athletes who can assist the team to produce a medal winning performance in a Deaflympic-style event;
  • Those athletes who demonstrate future medal capability in a Deaflympics-style event;
  • Medal capable athletes in non-Deaflympic-style events;
  • Athletes who can assist the team to produce a medal winning performance in a non-Deaflympic-style event.

USDCA Principles of Discretion:

The selection process is discretionary.
    1. The primary purpose of discretionary athlete nomination is to ensure that:
      a. In the cases of World Championships and Deaflympics, USDCA has the ability to nominate the best physically, psychologically and technically prepared athlete in order to produce medal-winning performances at a give Deaflympic-style event. See definition of Medal Capable at bottom.

      b. In those cases where the primary importance of the event is to qualify additional riders to our quota for the World Championships, to ensure that USDCA has the ability to nominate the best physically, psychologically and technically prepared athlete in order to produce a winning performance at a given Deaflympic-style event.

    2. The secondary purpose of discretionary athlete nomination is to ensure that:

      a. USDCA has the ability to nominate the best physically, psychologically and technically prepared athlete in order to assist the team to produce medal-winning performances at a given event. See definition of Enhancing Team Performance at bottom.

      b. In those cases where the primary importance of the event is to qualify additional riders to our quota for the World Champions and Deaflympics, to ensure that USDCA has the ability to nominate the physically, psychologically and technically prepared athlete in order to assist the team in producing a winning performance at a given Deaflympic-style event.

      3. The tertiary purpose of discretionary athlete nomination is to allow USDCA the ability to nominate the best physically, psychologically and technically prepared athlete in order to produce a medal-winning performance in the future.

    This discretionary selection process also will be used:

      1. To select replacements if an athlete is withdrawn from the team for any reason;

      2. To select new athletes who did not know about the event until after the completion of the selection process. This is most likely to apply to athletes who are unfamiliar with the deaf community.

    All athletes selected for the above reasons must meet the criteria and priorities in order to be on the team.

Selection Process:

When selecting the national team for the Deaflympics, tryouts are the most important part of the primary selection process.
    Tryouts - At least four months prior to team selection, the coach will announce tryouts. Participation in tryouts is mandatory for athletes at any level who wish to be selected for the national team.

    • Road Competition: Tryouts will consist of a United States Cycling Federation (USCF) sanctioned road race and criterium selected by the coach. 1000-meter match sprint and 40-kilometer individual time trial events may also be promoted by the USDCA.
    • Off-Road Competition: Tryouts will consist of a National Off-Road Bike Association (NORBA) sanctioned cross country race selected by the coach.

    Racing rules and regulations of the both USA Cycling and the Union Cycliste International (UCI) will apply.

    Athletes are required to submit to the coach their race results for a minimum of ten sanctioned races from within the past year. Submission information must include: category, size of field, time, results, and reference information for the race (such as a race website). Time trial athletes may submit race results from triathlons sanctioned by the USA Triathlon (USAT). All submissions must be sent to the coach one month before the selection date.

After the tryouts, selections will be made based on the selection criteria and the USDCA Principles of Discretion as set forth above.

In the event that tryouts do not happen due to unforeseen circumstances, the coach's selection process will be used to select the national team for the Deaflympics.

For all other international competitions, the coach's selection process will be used.

    Coach's selection process - The coach's selection process consists of a minimum of two parts:

    • One month prior to the selection process, athletes are required to submit to the coach their race results for a minimum of ten sanctioned races from within the past year. Submission information must include: category, size of field, time, results, and reference information for the race (such as a race website). Time trial athletes may submit race results from triathlons sanctioned by the USA Triathlon (USAT).
    • The athlete will participate in an interview with the coach.

    Additionally, the athlete may also choose to:

    • Submit recommendation letters from USA Cycling officials.
    • Arrange for the coach to see the athlete's performance.

    The timeline of the selection process will vary, depending on the regulations set forth by the host of the upcoming event.

NOTE: The selection of athletes will be subject to approval by the USADSF Board.

Expectations of Team Members:

Athletes selected for the team are not automatically placed on the final roster for international competitions. In order to maintain on the team and represent the USA at international competitions, athletes must comply with the following requirements:
    1. Code of Conduct - All athletes are required to sign and abide by the USDCA and USADSF’s Code of Conduct. Failure to abide by the code of conduct will result in dismissal from the team. An athlete will be disqualified if the athlete:
    • a. receives a positive drug test of a banned substances; or
    • b. fails medical control procedures; or
    • c. shows unsportsmanlike behavior and/or uncooperative behavior; or
    • d. is a recipient of USDCA, USADSF or UCI disciplinary action procedure; or
    • e. voluntarily resigns after the athlete is selected to the team.

    2. Compliance with doping control regulations - Athletes must submit without reservation to all doping control policies and procedures of the USADSF, International Committee of Sports for the Deaf and World Anti-Doping Agency (WADA). Refusal to submit is automatic grounds for disqualification.

    3. Performance maintenance - An athlete will be withdrawn from the team if, for any reason, the athlete:

    • a. does not maintain training that is necessary for athlete's performance in the upcoming competition;
    • b. does not demonstrate a consistent level of medal winning capability during the current racing season;
    • c. does not remain in good health due to injury or illness. An athlete who has been selected to the team may be replaced if USADSF or USDCA physician certifies that an injury or illness will prevent the athlete from full participation during either the final preparation activities or the international competitions.

    4. Paperwork - Athletes must complete the US Team application packet, including submitting proof of having or being in the process of obtaining a United States passport, and pay a non-refundable US Team application fee of $100 within 30 days of selection. If competing outside of the USA, athletes must also submit proof of having an UCI license.

    5. Fundraising - Athletes are responsible for raising funds to cover any expenses as required by USADSF and USDCA. Athletes will be withdrawn from the team if they do not satisfactorily perform their fundraising duties.

    6. Training camp - In the case of Deaflympics, athletes are expected to participate in a 7 to 11 day training camp prior to the Deaflympics. Athletes are required to participate in the final preparation activities as designated by the coach.

Failure to comply with any of the expectations above will be grounds for removing the athletes from the team. Athletes removed from the team will be replaced.

Due Process:

All athletes have right to due process in accordance to the USDCA and USA Deaf Sports Federation by-laws if they feel the Principles of Athlete Selection were not followed properly.

These selection procedures are subject to change.

Definitions:

1. Medal Capable - Medal Capable is the top-three (podium) results in competition. A medal capable athlete is one who has demonstrated the ability to produce a medal winning result by:
  • medal finishes at World Championships or Deaflympics within 24 months; with demonstration of continued ability to perform at that level or higher based on performances in recent top-level competition; and/or
  • producing medal capable times within the past 12 months; and/or
  • consistently beating the Worlds best in any recent (past 12 months) competition with top-quality fields; and/or
  • other recent historical performances in competition that would indicate the athlete is capable of a medal winning performance.

In all cases, the athlete in question must demonstrate that they remain capable of a medal capable performance at the time of selection and the time of the event to which the athlete has been selected.

2. Enhancing Team Performance - An athlete who can enhance team performance is one who, based on their international experience and current level of high-level performance, is expected to contribute substantially to the overall team performance or to the performance of a medal capable team member.

3. Future Medal Capability - A future medal capable athlete is one who:

  • demonstrating a trend of improving performance in competition; and/or
  • despite being "new" to the sport or competing a relatively short time in the sport; and/or
  • despite being biologically immature.

Have questions, please contact:

Rory Osbrink, USDCA President
E-mail: rhosbrink@gmail.com

Last updated: May 4, 2015