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Written by Iceucold
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Friday, 18 September 2009 17:16 |
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The following is the transcript of a discussion held by many of the traceurs in the Texas area. We're asking for help from the entire community on this as it'll take quite a few people to replace the void left by Matthew. I'll ask you not to start the discussion until everyone has input their piece(s) of the already ongoing discussion. And so it begins:
Hello all,
As of 1:37 this afternoon, Matthew has resigned as the executive director of Texas Parkour. If you have not done so already, we suggest you visit the Texas Parkour website and read his letter of resignation, as it is salient to the rest of this email.
because you have taken action to organize your local scene. This is If you are on the recipient list, it's because you are a leader in your parkour community, either because others believe you are or also not a complete list, because we don't know many of the local communities, and we apologize for this.
The purpose of this email is to address the question: what now? Should there be a formal leadership of Texas Parkour? If so, what is the best way for us to serve our communities? Should Texas Parkour even continue to exist? If so, what will its function be?
As we see it, these are the tasks before us. Feel free to add to this
list or to tell us we're wrong:
(1) Address the Texas Parkour community with some damage control.
(2) Figure out how to structure the new leadership of Texas Parkour.
Hope to hear from you soon.
Patrick & Desmund
PS: Please note that this is not a bid for power. I'm not trying to take Matthew's place. I don't have time to steward an organization like Texas Parkour was under Matthew. --Patrick
Patrick: I spoke to Desmund yesterday. He believes — and I agree — that we should find a way reässure the community that their community is still coherent, just as before. He suggested a round of jams around the state like we did near the beginning of the year. What say you to this?
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Discuss (20 posts)
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Re:Picking up the pieces
Oct 06 2009 23:15:00
@Syes: Sorry to hear about the injury, man. Be sure you take the time to let it heal properly. It's much better to have it heal well and be able to build your strength back up than to train on it and risk permanent injury. (That's where I've been as well: rehabilitation.)
@Shaneige: The honor largely depends on the man and his past actions. I know Patrick to ba a man of his word.  I read in the other thread about your overprotective parents. I know how that feels. All I can say is college/growing up/freedom is awesome in that respect.
@Patrick: You'll get better faster if you do the streches the doctor gave you. The ones she gave me were ridiculous in the amount of time they said, but she told me even doing a little bit would help. *nagnagnag*
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#15321 |
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Re:Picking up the pieces
Oct 07 2009 20:11:54
Seems like most of us just want to work out and get along. That's cool.
[Edit: Guess this message is me saying I am willing and have been trying to lead in my own way. Lead by example, and if they don't follow, I'm probably doing it wrong. :D]
I am responsible for my own training and satisfaction. So should everyone else. No one *needs* to listen to me, but I hope someone will benefit from it. I hope others will share this attitude, but I cannot force it. I've tried, and been frustrated every time. Knowing me, I'll probably keep trying.
Some new people can totally do safety vaults, handstands, flips, etc. They already mostly know their safe limits. This is not about them, the can-PK folks.
To paraphrase Uncle Ben, "With great parkour comes great responsibility." I'm not great, but I am modestly good. With my very modest parkour and teaching ability, I feel an obligation to share what I know with the can't-PK folks. I see physically ungifted people, unfit people coming out to Houston's practice all the time. Some of them have gotten hurt, significantly or not. (Where significant = days or weeks of lost training time) This can't be prevented, but it can be minimized through safe progressions of training. Some of the can't-PK folks drive 20+ miles to practice, and I want to match their dedication with my own.
I can't teach or demonstrate many of the more aggressive and complex moves, but I sure hell have patience for and can break down broad jumps, climb-ups, landing, QMs, and etc. for people who, like me, began this sport / art with no or little body awareness. Reducing impact, joint damage and pain, learning to listen to the body after a sedentary lifetime of Super Mario Bros or WoW...
I realize my limits as a teacher, and anyone who I feel can stay reasonably safe is free to move on, to train however and with whomever they choose. But if they stumble or flub basic safety vaults, easy monkey vaults, or etc., I will pull them aside and try to steer them to exercises more suited to their current ability level. Of course, as an obnoxious type-A personality, I always try to push people beyond their comfort zones.
Because I want to help the can't-PK folks become can-PK folks.
Re: organization, my past work and community experiences have taught me that the concept of the spontaneous community upswell of support is a pretty idea, but almost never works out that way. I understand why other people on here may like or truly believe it can happen, but I don't believe it myself.
If (If!) I or we want to have more public events like the K-Swiss exhibition, to raise public awareness and positive opinion of our activity, someone has to take the reins. Not forever, not for everything. But at least per event. And when that person asks, begs, demands, or invites others to help and participate, you may like it or you may resent it. Remember that parkour is bigger than you, and bigger than me. As an example, if I start nagging people about who's going to be at an event, it's not b/c I want to make your life miserable, or I think you are a loser who will never score chicks. It's b/c the event people will not reserve our booth if I can't promise them at least 6 people will show up each day. If I only hear promises from 4 people, I would have to cancel by the reservation deadline -- which is usually a long time before the event day.
Similarly, I will not be offended if only 3 people RSVP. The event just won't happen. The lesson for me will be that the community obviously didn't want that event.
Who will bring water, cups? How will the SA crew get their awesome obstacles down to Houston? Etc.
Enough rambling. I'm going to go do my C A N ' T push-ups now. 
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#15337 |
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Re:Picking up the pieces
Oct 08 2009 04:26:13
Although, I did not want to comment on this thread anymore I would like to state that for the last three weeks on wednesday trainings we have had over 15 people there each time yes, even with it raining. I am not exactly sure how that is a detriation of the scene in Austin. Thursday nights were canelled for a small time and then started back up just recently, that might be the night you came. Monday trainings have been moved to Olympic Hills Gymnastics. We had about 10 there on Monday
Honestly, I only have only seen Parkour Grow in the last two months. Am I bias? Maybe, but we have more people coming out and we tried some pretty advanced things today at training and it was one of the best trainings our group has had since we lost privalegies. I commend all of those that are still coming out even though we dont have the facility like we use to
We would love to see you back on a wednesday.
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#15356 |
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Re:Picking up the pieces
Oct 15 2009 11:23:18
Are we seriously still stuck on internal politics?
I hope that's simply a misconception on my part...
Glad to hear Austin has a present and growing community.
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#15501 |
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Re:Picking up the pieces
Oct 16 2009 03:57:03
well im glad to say that as far as i can see we are getting more and more people into parkour and training safely
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#15528 |
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Written by admin
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Wednesday, 16 September 2009 02:12 |
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Texas Parkour is currently down. Though, it will still function as normal. With the advent of all the information presented below, please continue to make the best out of your community and remain at your free training. The organization is now given to it's members to do what they wish. Please continue as you normaly would to training. Though unless told by your leaders most out of city training EVENTS have been postponed or cancelled. Check the forums, go to training and train train train...
This is Matthew Lee Willis’ resignation from Texas Parkour Inc.
From what I have found I am in no way capable of running an organization with members or leaders. I have fought for over four years to try and unify a Parkour community. From what I have seen there will always be those who question you and your integrity when you’re trying your best. I in no way attack persons individually. I have always fought for Parkour and Texas Parkour. I however am threatened personally about my tactics and am personally attacked for trying to solve issues in the ways I see as best. I am no longer allowing myself to be subjected to personal attacks from members of Texas Parkour . Texas Parkour has been a democracy since its inception but even in a democracy there are levels of authority. I have officially lost all authority over Texas Parkour due to the dance of misconception and spreading of hate. The process is as follows. I call a meeting of importance, half show up late and half don’t show up. I try to make the organization transparent and share everything with its leaders. Leaders then do nothing to help the organization, bicker about the organization and then do nothing. Respectfully the organization behind Texas Parkour is nothing without its leaders trying to lead. I have the inability to rally the leaders to do their job. It is a job, because you as a leader accepted the responsibility. Why be a leader unless you want to lead? Why accept responsibility when you have the intension to do nothing.
I have come to the conclusion that I do not have the gut, intensions or will power to remain a man at center attention. A man blamed for not making an organization better, when it’s all I want to do/have done. As much as I have done for this community I expected more from many of the leaders in the organization. I have always expected leaders to care for their community as much as I had and it just never happened. I laid in wait for people to care more and to grow their community. I give too much as a man to be mocked on public forums and to be disrespected by members. If anything I want you all to remember, I try. I try every day to connect new people to the art. I try on an everyday basis to make Texas Parkour better and it is beyond me to do so with the poison being laid around the organization. We have leaders who question ideas because they would rather talk circles around the idea of an idea. We even have a group of individuals turning a city into a relic for other organizations who believe in a lesser of two evils debate.
Whether these leaders do or do not, Texas Parkour is still lead by these people. I would like to include that a Leaders is not just an assigned representative of Texas Parkour, but those who you look up to in your community to do more for you. Not all Leaders have attacked me personally and I want to make that clear. As I stated above, I have the inability to lead my leaders. There are many reasons for this, personal inadequacy on my part and unwillingness to be lead.
I try too hard to be treated the way I have. I try too hard to be spoken to the way I have. I try too hard for Texas Parkour to go nowhere. I try too hard to have my efforts striped of all its good intensions. I try too hard to be heckled for what I stand for. I try too hard to allow people new to the art tell me how Parkour is/was/will be. I try too hard to get paid nothing. I try too hard for members to expect money from me. I try too hard to get organizations like American Diabetes association helping us, Clear River Advocates helping us to have them be put to a vote whether or not they are good enough for members/leaders to be a part of. I try too hard to be legally responsible for people who could care less they are ruining my image as well as Texas Parkour’s image. I try too hard to be disrespected on online videos of our own audience. I try too hard to be told I don’t understand what Parkour needs. I try too hard to let others teach Parkour inefficiently without me stepping in to help out. I try too hard to be spoken down to in front of my own class. I try too hard to allow people who don’t know much about Parkour come in and take over what people think of Parkour.
I felt that I have always acted in the interest of Texas Parkour's members. I have also felt that I never attack people on a personal basis and have always tried to work with others. I have recently been heckled for transparency and professionalism. Is my letter professional? I feel the members of Texas Parkour have a right to know my sadness over this issue. Texas Parkour has always brought me up, but it was because I fought and screamed the whole way. Texas Parkour was always destined to grow I just never thought it would grow away from me. What does this mean for Matthew Lee Willis? Matthew Lee Willis, will still do/train/teach free Parkour in and around all of Texas. Matthew Lee Willis will also be a part of Texas Parkour Inc…whatever comes of it in whatever fashion it resides. Texas Parkour has always been a community organization and it will now stand on community organization alone. Maybe that is what Texas Parkour needs? I give you all a personal invitation to email me or call me. I love you all and a very heartfelt God Bless to you all individually and your training.
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Discuss (11 posts)
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Re:MLW Resigns
Sep 17 2009 08:31:58
Hey man, I hate to hear about that. You really are an amazing teacher and have done more for this community then probably most give you credit for. The whole reason we were able to take the tour denton did is because of this site and you showed a lot of hospitality by letting us in your home. We'll be back in Austin soon, and hope we can still train with you.
-Stephen and the rest of the Denton crew
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#14870 |
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Re:MLW Resigns
Sep 17 2009 09:40:33
This is a sad thing to hear. I know you put an astounding amount of effort into this community and must be feeling downtrodden. I know things didn't work out as well for me with being involved as I planned but lately my involvement has gotten a lot better. And I want to help with the site itself if you need to find hosting. I wouldn't mind leading a fund-raising campaign for that.
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#14871 |
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Re:MLW Resigns
Sep 17 2009 19:05:26
I know exactly how you feel, Matthew. Most people don't beleive that a sixteen-year-old once held a position of athourity, but I suffered the same issues that you did. I worked to hard to be treated the way I was, I worked to hard to be unpaid, and I worked to hard to be disrespected the way I was, and you've taken the same course of action that I did. I gave up my position and left my media company all together, and now I truly and deeply regret it. I just hope that you've thought this through, because I personaly, as a fellow Traceur and a sharer of experience, don't want you to have done something you'll later regret.
I still look up to you as a Traceur, and I will support you with any choice you make, but again, I don't want you to have done something you'll later regret. I know that you resignation has been done, and no one can change that, I just hope that it was the right choice.
Rember, as a Traceur, it it your goal in life to be able to overcome any obsticale, in any situation, as quickly and effeciently as possible, even if it's not as easy as possible. You taught me that.
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#14876 |
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Re:MLW Resigns
Sep 17 2009 21:37:03
I know you won't believe this, but I am sorry to see you resign like this. I make neither apologies nor excuses, because to do so, especially under the circumstances, would be insincere. However, that anything I have said or done contributed to a situation so thoroughly divisive of the community, I do regret--and I know I am not alone in that. To say anything more would be highly inappropriate of me in this setting, so I will leave it at that.
Good Training,
J
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#14881 |
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Re:MLW Resigns
Sep 21 2009 04:49:45
I don't know how to reply to this....
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#14990 |
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Written by admin
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Monday, 31 August 2009 13:11 |
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When
Tuesday, September 1, 2009 6:30 PM
Who
San Antonio Parkour Meetup
Where
Eisenhower Park
19399 NW Military Hwy
San Antonio TX 78257
(210) 207-3066
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Written by admin
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Monday, 31 August 2009 00:07 |
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Clear River Advocates (CRA) is a 501c(3)nonprofit that has been cleaning up the Hill Country for over 7 years. Headed by its Executive Director Marvin Willis, CRA is unmatched in regards to involving other nonprofits, local businesses, and Texas communities in their efforts to clean rivers, lakes, and streams. The choice to partner with CRA will bring great advantages for Texas Parkour:
- A community that promotes nonprofits and additional environmental efforts
-A growing community who cares about their environment
- Established volunteer base and
- Resources including radio, events, and even television.
You will see Texas Parkour’s involvement with CRA in efforts to:
-Clean rivers, lakes and streams
-Clean Highways
-State wide events and
much more…
With this partnership we will help clean up Texas on both terra and aqua: we shall give strength to “Don’t Mess With Texas.”
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Discuss (10 posts)
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Re:CRA and Texas Parkour Team Up
Sep 16 2009 05:57:28
I think many of us have jumped on the spectacular or physical side of parkour and decided to train mostly ourselves, making ourselves more badass and furthering our physical development. Unfortunately, many practitioners I've seen have forgotten the second half of "be strong to be useful", even then they say it all the time. Parkour, in my opinion, is like any kind of special skill: it must be grounded in service. What good is being able to go from point A to point B if you don't care about your fellow human beings?
This is why I keep advocating community service. Voluntarily serving those outside the parkour community reminds us that we must be excellent to others, that we must be the guardians and shepherds and warriors and knights-errant we claim to be. Stewardship of the lands on which we train is part and parcel of this. So I get why it's good to ally ourselves philosophically with such an organization. But a partnership seems a little… odd to me.
I, too, would like to see these questions answered:
Jonathan wrote:
But more importantly, and I think this gets to the real root of the problem, did you ask anyone in TXPK how they felt about us being associated with CRA.
When was the vote taken?
On what date was this decision made?
Who was involved in said vote?
This is what I mean by transparency:
How do things operate within this organization?
How are decisions made?
Who makes them?
Who has final say?
Also, isn't Marvin Willis your father?
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#14825 |
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Re:CRA and Texas Parkour Team Up
Sep 16 2009 09:23:27
Again, I wrote about 3 pages of rebuttals to these questions and web browsers are awesome in failing. I will not spend another min answering questions that will undoubtedly be argued on a message board. Jonathan, J, Patrick if you would like transparency, I encourage you to call me and write it down and present it on the message boards. I have tried to answer these questions online 3 times now and keep epic failing due to browser issues. Yes I could use word, but I don't think this is meant to be presented online by me, by the work of the GODS.
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#14836 |
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CRA and Texas Parkour Team Up
Dec 18 2009 00:37:06
I would like to offer my production company to help with filming and editing if need be. Thanks and keep it up.
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#17470 |
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Re:CRA and Texas Parkour Team Up
Dec 18 2009 00:40:36
Leegin where are you located at?
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#17471 |
There are too many comments to list them all here. See the forum for the full discussion.
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