Tradewinds,
I’m back and this has been an incredible summer. Building Bridges did things this summer that were new to all. With the Salt Lake City church kids in June, and the athletes monohull sailing trip in July, and the catamaran sailing trip with the sponsors in August, this proved to be an exceptional season. More work than I have ever done, but with the greatest rewards.
What’s next is Olympic school, November 1, 2006. The Virgin Islands as a nation is allowed four men and four women in the bobsled and skeleton school this coming season. That’s 16 spots. It is my goal to fill each of those 16 spots with Virgin Islands athletes, ages 16 to 21 — eight boys and eight girls to get their license to pilot a sled in the next coming Olympics in 2010 in Vancouver, Canada.
The only way to secure that possibility is to have athletes in the school in this first year of a four year Olympic block leading to 2010. School will be two weeks in November. Right now, I am headed back to Utah to complete the summer and make any necessary plans with our new Salt Lake City church team for camp together.
It’s been a non-stop whirlwind as usual. I actually had a chance to sleep in my own bed in St. John three whole nights this year! But I’m not complaining. I am upset about the condition of St. Croix. I went to visit my Boys and Girls Club, where I worked for many years, and it was quite disappointing to see the state of affairs there and hear what happened to my kids that I raised during the 90’s in Christiannsted. My own little special posse of 10 to 13 year olds that I used to play ball with at Canagata Park every day has gone from 12 to five. Four are dead, two are in jail and one is shot up and in a wheel chair. Only Coco and the Soto brothers are left.
I have got to give St. Croix some attention this season. That’s why some of the 16 V.I. athletes going to Europe for school will be from St. Croix.
Peace and Love,
Troy
