Since being elected I have tried to break the old thinking of the past Alberta executive bodies.   “CATCH THE WINDS OF CHANGE”…what a fitting phrase.  We, as the executive, have put a new set of by-laws into play, have kept the armwrestlers abreast of what is happening with quarterly newsletters, have taken the Association into locations that it hadn’t been in many years, have made and sold new Alberta T-shirts, and have a Web Site. And let’s not forget the Red Deer Rage, a club Todd Lembicz dreamed of organizing.  The AAWA and CLAWS lent a hand getting it started.  Quite frankly, being on the executive board is an extremely tough job, but a small phrase makes it bearable, “You can’t make all of the people happy all of the time”.

 I have been lied to and lied about; I have been called unprofessional. To those people I would like to say, ”Look around…see things for what they really are. Alberta will be more than 120 members strong by Provincials”. This executive has shown more professionalism in unifying Alberta than anyone has for a long time.

  After much consideration I have decided not to seek re-election at the up coming Provincial Championships. This executive has set Alberta on a fresh course, free from bias. Alberta needs active people in the executive, people with a vision. Although I don’t agree with some of his ideas, I would recommend Fraser Benoit, of Red Deer be a candidate for the position of AAWA president, and Joel Christenson as vice-president. I believe they have the vision to make Alberta a strong and a proud province and a contender once again at the National level. They have the heart for arm wrestling and that is what the province needs.

 Alberta does not need executives that do not do their jobs in a timely manner or have been suspended by CAWF. My fear is a return of the old way of thinking, this would put a strangle hold on the budding rose of Alberta.

 In closing, I wish the new executive all the best and I wish good luck to all the competitors at the provincials.  I have always loved the sport of arm wrestling and will continue to do just that… as a competitor. 

 “Visions are only limited by the people doing the dreaming”

 

Darrell Belyk

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