Team Staff Selection Procedures

The selection of the Team Staff for the IAAF World Youth Championship follows the process as outlined in the "USATF Governance Manual, Regulation 3" where applicable to the Youth Committee and Youth Team. However, there are several additions and/or differences that are required to meet the needs of a youth athletics team. These requirements for the team staff for the IAAF World Youth Championships are defined in this procedure.

1. General Staff: The staff will consist of 50% coaches and 50% managers with some overlapping duties to assure athlete safety. Because the athletes involved are under the age of 18, a higher than average coaching/managerial staff to athletes ratio is required. For a team of 32 athletes, a total of eight (8) staff members is necessary.
2. Diversity: The staff selection will reflect the USATF requirement regarding the diversity of the sport with the following emphasis:
   1. As there is gender equity in the youth team, the requirement is to make every effort to select a staff of fifty (50) percent each male and female;
   2. A similar consideration will be made to ethnic and race equity; and
   3. Finally, as athletes will be from all sections of United States, it is recommended that, if possible, the staff be selected equally from each of the youth zones as defined in the "USATF Youth Guide", where possible.
3. Experience Requirements: These requirements for staff address the need for various levels of experience and the need to train members of the Youth Community.
   1. All applicants must have been members of USATF for the previous two years prior to selection;
   2. To be eligible for selection, club administrators, club coaches and high school coaches must be active in USATF Youth Athletics programs;
   3. Coaches should have a minimum of five years coaching experience, and at least five years of participation the in National Youth Athletics programs;
   4. Coaches must have a minimum Level I certification;
   5. A minimum of fifty (50) percent of the individuals selected must have international experience.
   6. Twenty-five (25) percent must have experience at a previous IAAF World Youth Meet;
   7. One (1) individual on the staff may be an active High School Coach; and
   8. The Youth Coach's Organization may be represented on the staff with a recommendation of at least one (1) person from their organization.

   Note: These requirements are not exclusive, such that several requirements may be met by one individual.

4. Limitations: The international staff selections shall be subject to the following limitations:
   1. Lifetime restrictions: An individual may serve only once in his or her lifetime as IAAF World Youth coach or IAAF World Youth head youth manager; and
   2. Qualifications: An individual may not be elected to the position of IAAF World Youth Team Head Coach unless he or she has previously served as an IAAF World Youth team head youth manager, an IAAF World Youth team assistant coach/manager, or head/assistant coach or head/assistant manager for another international team within USATF. An individual may not be elected to the position of IAAF World Youth Team, Head Youth Manager, unless he or she has previously served as an IAAF World Youth team head coach, an IAAF World Youth team assistant coach/manager, or head/assistant coach or head/assistant manager for another international team within USATF.
5. Managerial Assignments: The international staff managers shall include:
   1. Staff youth managerial assignments: The Chair of the Youth Committee and Manager of Grass Roots Programs from the national office will be part of the managerial staff traveling with the team.
   2. Staff youth manager responsibilities: The youth managers are responsible for the oversight of the planning. These two individuals or their designees during the planning stages are responsible to travel to the event site to meet with the IAAF World Youth Championship Local Organizing Committee. This trip is to review the travel, the accommodations, the event site in order to determine if there are special needs to be addressed in order for the team to safely travel and stay in the country of the competition.
6. Selection Team for IAAF World Youth Championships: All of the coaching, managerial, and other non-medical and non-media staff for this meet shall be screened and selected by the International Subcommittee of the Youth Athletics Committee.
   1. Youth International Subcommittee: The Youth International Subcommittee shall consist of the following persons:
   1. Step 1 - for the selection of the Head Coach and Head Youth Manager:
   1. The Youth Athletics chair, or his or her designee, who shall serve as the chair of the subcommittee and who may cast a vote only in the event of a tie;
   2. Two (2) representatives of the Youth Athletics Committee appointed by the Youth Athletics chair and approved by the Youth Athletics Executive committee, at least one (1) of whom shall be active coach;
   2. Step 2 - for the selection of the Assistant Coaches and Assistant Managers:
   1. The Head Coach selected in the previous step; and
   2. The Head Youth Manager selected in the previous step.
   3. Step 3 - for the selection of the Team Leader:
   1. The Youth Executive Committee will request a list of available personnel in the pool managers from Sandy Snow and make the request.
   2. Subcommittee Member Substitution: In the event that any individual is unable to attend a staff selection subcommittee meeting, the individual or committee which appointed the individual may appoint a substitute;
   3. Staff Replacements: In the event that a coach or manager resigns or is unable to serve the Youth chair shall appoint a replacement after consulting with the Youth International Subcommittee. Due regard shall be given to previous staff evaluations and the diversity of the newly composed staff. The International Subcommittee may elect to name an alternate coach and manager to be provided to the Youth Chair for activation under said circumstances.
   4. Subcommittee Conflicts of interest: The Youth International Subcommittee may not recommend any of its members for a coaching or managerial position.
7. Staff Selection Process: The following outlines the process used by the Youth Athletics Committee and Youth International Subcommittee to select the staff for the conduct of the IAAF World Youth Championships which are conducted every two years since its inception in 1999.
   1. In odd years, provide an application to the members of the Youth Committee at the annual meeting for staff application. Application shall be due by end of February of the following year.
      1. Applications shall be mailed to all USATF Associations Presidents and Youth Chairs;
      2. Applications shall be mailed to all members of the Youth Athletics subcommittees, and
      3. Applications shall be posted on the USATF web site.
   2. In March, of the even year, the International Subcommittee will:
      1. Select the Head Coach and Head Youth Manager;
      2. The Youth Chair will provide the selections to the Youth Executive Committee, the President of USATF, the CEO of USATF and the national USATF youth staff;
      3. The Youth Chair will obtain acceptance from the selected individuals;
   3. In April, of the even year, the International Subcommittee along with the head coach and head youth manager named in the previous step will:
      1. Select three each of Assistant Coaches and Managers assuming a team size of 32 athletes.
      2. Select and order an additional three each of Assistant Coaches and Managers to call to duty if the team size is expanded and/or to call to duty if unexpected events occur;
      3. The Youth Chair will provide the selections to the Youth Executive Committee, the President of USATF, the CEO of USATF and the national USATF youth staff; and
      4. The Youth Chair will notify the individuals of their position (including alternates) and obtain acceptance from the selected individuals.
   4. In May, once all coaches and managers have accepted, the Youth Chair will notify the World Youth Staff, full Youth Committee, and USATF Associations of the assignments and post the list on the USATF Web Site.
8. Staff Commitments and Requirements: The following commitments and requirements must be included in the application and/or letter for the team staff positions:
   1. Attend (at their own expense) the "previous year" Annual Meeting ("dates" - "location") to participate in planning sessions for the "event year" competition;
   2. Assume responsibility for members of the team in terms of tracking athletes' progress, gauging their competitive fitness through the "event year" indoor and early outdoor season; this will involve several hours weekly in the spring and early summer for monitoring athletes during the track season and preparing reports on athletes under their charge;
   3. Attend (at their own expense) the "event year" USATF Youth Outdoor National Championship ("dates" - "location") to meet and observe the athletes;
   4. Miss their "event year" Junior Olympic Regional championships if it conflicts with the World Youth Championships;

   In addition:

   4. Team Staff candidates will undergo background checks, submit personal and professional references, and submit a medical release from a family doctor attesting to fitness and ability to travel internationally.

   A sample staff application is attached.

9. Conflicts of interest: Any individual selected as a national team staff person must commit his or her full time and attention to the position for the full duration of his or her travel with a USATF national team. Family, personal or professional conflicts that arise after an individual's selection as a national team staff member shall be disclosed to the President, CEO, and chairperson of the applicable sports or administrative committee, as soon as they arise, but in no event later than forty-eight (48) hours thereafter. Such conflict may be the basis for removal or replacement of such individual as a national team staff member by the President, CEO, and relevant committee chairperson, or by the Board. USATF shall not be obligated to exceed the funding budgeted for a national team staff person in order to accommodate such individual's family, personal, or professional issues.