Meeting Minutes
USATF Board of Directors
Conference Call
January 19, 2011
ATTENDANCE
Attendance: Dr. Evie Dennis, Ken Taylor, Jeff Darman, Elizabeth Phillips,
Deena Kastor, Max Siegel, Philip Dunn, Aretha Thurmond, Willie Banks, Stephanie
Hightower, Steve Holman, Bob Hersh, Kim Haines, Steve Miller, Larry James
(non-voting Counsel), Darlene Hickman (non-voting Secretary)
USATF Staff: Mike McNees, Benita Fitzgerald Mosley, Norm Wain, Gina Miller,
Jill Geer, Sandy Snow, Terry Crawford, Shayna Sangster
Quorum was present. Stephanie Hightower opened the meeting at 4:06pm (EST).
MOTION (Phillips): Approve the December 5, 2010 minutes.
All in favor. Motion Passed.
CHAIRMAN/PRESIDENT’S REPORT
The Board officers had a preliminary call to develop a preliminary agenda for
the Board. They are in the process of developing a clear and succinct
agenda for future meetings.
FINANCE REPORT
Ken Taylor reported that the 2011 budget has been sent to the committees and
staff. The national office is currently closing out the 2010 financials.
A full report will be given at the Albuquerque Board meeting.
COMMITTEE REPORTS
Audit Committee
The committee is currently reviewing the internal audit. The next
committee meeting will be on January 25th.
Competitions Committee
The committee had a call on January 18th to discuss the team selections for
the 2011-2012 staffs for international competitions. The following
resolutions were brought to the Board for approval.
Resolution I
The 2011 Five Nations Match, Pan Am Junior Championships, Decanations, Thorpe
Cup, World Youth Championships, Pan Am Race Walk Cup, World Cross Country
Championships , NACAC Cross Country Championships and the 2012 Five Nations
Match, World Indoor Championships, World Junior Championships, NACAC under 23
Championships and Decanations coaching and managerial staffs were selected on
December 2-4 2010 by the Men’s & Women’s Track & Field Executive Committees, the
Youth Division Selection Committee, the Race Walk Committee and the Long
Distance Running Division and confirmed by the USATF Board Competition Committee
on January 19, 2011 per the guidelines of USATF Regulation 17.
Therefore be it resolved that the individuals selected for staff positions
for the 2011-2012 Non- Big Three teams be ratified by the USATF Board of
Directors with the exception of the Head Manager for the 2012 World Junior
Championships.
MOTION (Dennis): Approve the staff selections of the 2011 Non-Big Three
teams.
All in favor. Motion Passed.
Resolution II
The 2011 World Championships, 2011 Pan American Championships and the 2012
Olympic Games medical staffs were selected by the Sports Medicine and Science
Selection Committee on December 21, 2010 and confirmed by the USATF Board
Competition Committee on January 19, 2011 per the guidelines of USATF Regulation
17.
Therefore be it resolved that the individuals selected for medical staff
positions for the 2011-2012 Big-Three teams be ratified by the USATF Board of
Directors with the additions for the 2011 World Championships/2012 Olympic Games
staff of Monique Burton, Physican (replaces William Roundtree)and Harris Patel
(replaces Angie Matson-Ruffnacht) for the 2011-2012 Non big three medical
ratified as presented.
MOTION (Banks): Approve the medical staff selections for the 2011 World
Championships, 2011 Pan American Championships and the 2012 Olympic Games.
All in favor. Motion Passed.
Resolution III
The High Performance Division Executive Committee and National Office
Management met on Saturday, December 4, 2011 to discuss the selection procedures
for Event Managers and relay coaches for the 2011 World Championships, 2011 Pan
American Games and the 2012 Olympic Games.
The High Performance Division Executive Committee of USA Track & Field
request that the Board of Directors grant a revision to Regulation 17 as it
relates to the selection of event managers and the relay coach for the 2011
World Championships, 2011 Pan American Games and 2012 Olympic Games. The
request is being made because event managers are part of the logistical
management staff that works directly with the Team Leader, National Office staff
and head managers; thus, individuals that have insight into the importance of
these position should be involved with the selection process. The relay coach
positions will be a contract hire of USATF and the existing selection procedures
for coaches will not produce the desired outcome. Below are the requested
revisions. Please note that for the Pan American Games a relay coach will not be
selected.
Therefore be it resolved that Regulation 17 of the USATF Bylaws be amended by
the Board of Directors and that the selection plans for these positions be
approved with the addition of the following statement “Any individual in
violation of USATF’s Code of Conduct or whose actions are deemed by USATF to
reflect a pattern of unethical behavior is not eligible for a staff position”.
MOTION (Banks): Approve the revisions to Regulation 17 as it relates to the
selection of event managers and the relay coach for the 2011 World
Championships, 2011 Pan American Games and 2012 Olympic Games.
All in favor. Motion Passed.
Operations Committee
The Operations Committee is waiting to get a clear business objective from
the Business Development Committee before they can discuss the operations side.
Business Development
The Business Development Committee is planning to meet in Albuquerque and
they have decided that a key conversation will be where money is spent in the
events area and discussing what the objectives the organization should have for
the competitive season.
An outside consultant has been engaged to look into selling opportunities for
USATF. The consultant is currently working on a number of sponsorship
initiatives.
INTERIM CEO REPORT
High Performance Report
A new elite athlete tier system has been rolled out that will help athletes
better understand their benefits and funding. The system is laid out
below.
Tier 1 Athletes qualify for all USATF and USOC benefits and are those
athletes who have achieved the following:
- Medaled in the most recent Olympic Games
- Top 10 World Rank in the preceding year by Track & Field News
(year end ranking) or All-Athletics.com (year end
ranking)
- Top 5 World Rank 2 years prior by Track & Field News (year end ranking)
and All-Athletics.com(year end ranking)
- Medaled in two most recent major championships (i.e. World Championships
or Olympic Games)
The above criteria applies to athletes who competed in the preliminaries or
finals on a relay team.
Tier 2 Athletes qualify for the majority of USATF and USOC benefits, albeit
sometimes at a lower dollar amount, and they must have achieved the following:
- Placed Top 8 in two most
recent major championships (i.e. World Championships or Olympic Games)
- Top 20 World Rank in prior
year by All-Athletics.com (year end ranking)
Tier 3 Athletes qualify for a limited number of benefits. However, as
immediate post-collegians they have exclusive access to the Post Collegiate
Scholarship Fund. Also, there are many immediate post collegians that
qualify for a higher tier based upon their performance. Athletes in this
category must have achieved the following:
- Immediate Post
Collegian (IPC) in the first or second year out of college and achievement
of the "A" standard for their respective event.
Further information on the athlete criteria and tier system can be found
on the high performance section of the USATF website.
The USATF Sport Performance Workshops are in progress. These
workshops integrate biomechanics, physiology, psychology, nutrition and
sports medicine. Robert Chapman, Associate Director of Sports Science and
Medicine has already put on sprint and hurdle workshops in College Station,
Los Angeles and Orlando. Each event has built on the success of those prior
and Chapman will continue the sprint and hurdles workshops into March.
The Athlete Advisory Committee (AAC) has been included in the beginning
stages of the Project 30 selection process this year. The athletes proposed
changing the name of Project 30; the new name is USATF Medal Initiative.
The Coaches Registry Task Force was put together last year and met this
month to recommend a background screening company. Norm Wain is
vetting those recommendations and hopes to have something for the
Competitions Committee by early February. After the Competitions Committee
reviews the recommendations it will be brought to the Board.
Millrose Games
This year USATF took on the roll of filling the Millrose fields and is
excited to highlight the muli-event challenge featuring Bryan Clay, Ashton
Eaton and Trey Hardee. The broadcasters for the event have been slightly
adjusted, bringing in a Tim Hutchings, who specializes in the distance
events as anchor and moving Louis Johnson to the commentary seat. Dan
O’Brien will do the in stadium announcing. The Millrose contract with
the Armory was discussed and will be distributed to the Board by McNees.
Website Updates
McNees will distribute a report in Albuquerque on the next 15 website
improvements for the first quarter of this year.
Metropolitan Association
The Metropolitan Association submitted the requested information. Banks
suggested that the Board delay taking action until the national office has
had a chance to review the submitted materials. Hightower asked Wain
to come up with the consequences and an exit strategy if the Metropolitan
Association does not meet the requested deadlines.
Grievances
Kimberly Gildersleeve vs. Lenarce Webb is a pending grievance matter that
requires action from the Board. Wain recommended pursuing a stronger
motion than initially presented. Specifically, Mr. Webb should be
suspended from USATF until he pays the referenced sanction, and Mr. Webb
should be prohibited from renewing his membership with USATF. More
discussion is necessary and the matter will be reviewed in executive
session. Wain will come back to the Board with a specific suggestion.
Board went into Executive Session at 5:28 PM Eastern Time.