Going to the nationals has been a real treat for our family. NUC 1999
in Snoqualmie Valley was our first. Amy and I met Alan Tepper a day
before the convention, and he was always ready to help, no matter how
busy.
Alan is too modest to accept praise that should be heaped on him. He
loves teaching, and he sets high expectations for his students. His
soft-spoken voice and easy-going manner seem to understate his
outstanding leadership skills.
The Panther Pride team which he directs has twice hosted the nationals,
then Unicon 11. And what a superb job they did. All that in just a
four-year period. If we could count up the number of hours Alan spent
as a volunteer, he’d be up for sainthood.
The Sunday morning after Unicon 11 we met Alan and Barbara Tepper at the
McDonalds in North Bend. I asked Alan what was next, now that he’d been
at the pinnacle of unicycling. He laughed, and said he was looking
forward to some time off. He is as genuine as they come.
-John
john@unicycle.com
-----Original Message-----
From: rsu-admin@unicycling.org [mailto:rsu-admin@unicycling.org] On
Behalf Of johnfoss
Sent: Monday, February 10, 2003 1:29 PM
To: rsu@unicycling.org
Subject: Re: Apologies
Zook wrote:
> *I’m new here partly because I heard about the event in North Bend and
> went this last summer for the heck of it. It inspired me to buy a
> unicycle and give it a try. Well today I got around the block twice.
> A long distance personal best. I’m making slow but good progress in
> other areas too. If you had something to do with the North Bend event
> I’d like to thank you. I’m having lots fun. *
This is one of the other reasons why no apology required.
Yes, without Alan Tepper, there would never have been a unicycle
convention in the Snoqualmie Valley. The 1999 USA Nationals would have
been someplace else, as would the 2002 NAUCC and UNICON 11. The
first-ever world championship Trials competition, the first long jump
competition, and the first unicycle competitions using a ski lift would
not have happened there.
The 2002 Seattle Seafair Parade would have been the usual collection of
marching bands and etc., and not the biggest mass of unicyclists ever in
a parade in the US.
Sure, there was a big team of hard working people who made these events
possible. But the idea to do them in the first place is all Alan Tepper.
Groups of kids ride here, groups of kids ride there, but those groups
never exist in the first place without people to get them started and
keep them going.
So be proud, Mr. T. Be proud of your accomplishments, as all of us are
proud to have known you.
–
johnfoss - Old school
John Foss
the Uni-Cyclone
jfoss [at] unicycling [.] com
www.unicycling.com
johnfoss’s Profile: http://www.unicyclist.com/profile/832
View this thread: http://www.unicyclist.com/thread/23383
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