Leaders of What?

This sign is next to the front door of Jefferson Elementary School on Jefferson St. in Blaine, MN. There are a number of implications to the line of thinking that has led to the creation of this graphic. For instance, if this school is in the business of allowing future leaders to learn here, who is it that they are going to be leading? Leaders, after all, imply those whom are led, the followers. Do the followers go to school somewhere else? Is there a similar school nearby that specializes in the learning of submission? Or are the Jeffersonian apprentice leaders practicing on their less dominant classmates?

Probably kindergartners and first graders have a rather elementary concept of leadership, as it were. Some of them may not even be able to read the sign. Those that are now literate may believe that their tenure at Jefferson qualifies them to lead the lesser lights at nearby Madison Elementary.  Be that as it may, what kind of leadership is being promoted here? Are we raising and educating these little shavers to lead troops into battle? Are they being taught the techniques of successful business management? Are they learning how to run for elective office and retain incumbency for a lifetime? Just what the heck is going on here?

Catlin Kids Torch the Southside Sprint

Local prodigies Kelly and Colin Catlin won the feature women's and men's races at the Southside Sprints in south Minneapolis on Sunday, July 20. An annual affair, the criterium circles a business district serving a residential area just north of Minnehaha Creek on Chicago Ave. In the elite women's race Northstar Development rider Kelly Catlin, who's riding style resembles that of long-time professional Linda Melanie Villumsen, escaped with Melissa Dahlman and Linda Sone' and the three were never threatened by a small field. Last year's winner Teresa Moriarity missed the break and never managed to bridge up. The result wasn't much of a surprise since Catlin outsprinted TWENTY16 professional Kaitlin Antonneau for the gold in the women's elite road race earlier in the month at the US Nationals in Madison, WI. She'll be a freshman at the University of Minnesota this fall.

Kelly Catlin

The men's elite-1-2 division had a bigger and arguably tougher field with a number of local stars capable of winning any given race. Escape artist Nick Kimpton was coming off a second place finish in a similar race at the Hopkins Raspberry Festival a week earlier. World masters track champion Dan Casper was involved with a couple of different riders in extended breakaways that were eventually reeled in. On the bell lap teen-ager Colin Catlin accelerated away from the field to take the top podium place.

Colin Catlin

Leah Kirchmann a Triple Champion

Winnipeg native Leah Kirchmann won all three events at the Global Relay Canadian Road Cycling Championships in Lac Me'gantic, Quebec over the weekend of June 27-29. Already a two-time winner of the Canadian criterium championship, Kirchmann, a member of the Optum Pro Cycling ladies team, won that event as well as the time trial and the road race, becoming the first Canadian woman to hold the three championships simultaneously.  On Sunday she celebrated her 25th birthday.