Special Events and Highlights

Jesse Owens Hall of Fame Banquet
Join us for the 2011 Jesse Owens Hall of Fame Banquet on the evening of December 3rd, as we honor the best of American track and field from the past year. This year’s hall of fame class will be inducted, and other major awards such as the Jesse Owens Athletes of the Year, the Nike Coach of the Year, and the Visa Humanitarian of the Year will also be given.

This year, the Hall of Fame Banquet will include an extra treat for VIP attendees, as you will be able to meet with our athletes on a more personal level. During the banquet, VIPs will be able to dine with our elite athletes, as each table will be hosted by at least one Elite Athlete Representative. All disciplines of our sport will be represented – jumps, throws, sprints and distance. This is a one-of-a-kind opportunity to meet and converse with elite track and field athletes on a deeper level than a simple meet-and-greet. Afterwards, there is also an autograph session, for those who wish to have a keepsake to commemorate the occasion.

Regular tickets are $65 individually and $600 for a table of ten. Contact Sherry Quack at 317-713-4685 or via email at sherry.quack@usatf.org to place an order.

VIP package
As a special addition this year, USATF has invited the St. Louis community to take part in some of the most star-studded events at our annual meeting. The VIP package will include admission to our biggest events, including the Opening Session and Welcome Reception with keynote speaker U.S. Olympic Committee CEO Scott Blackmun, the Jesse Owens Hall of Fame Induction Banquet, and the VIP reception beforehand with guests including former Olympic gold medalist Jackie Joyner-Kersee, the 2011 Hall of Fame induction class, and other award winners. This package will also include entries to the USATF Market Street Mile road race. Whether you’re a track and field enthusiast or a St. Louisan with no connection to the sport, the VIP package will have something for you. More information – including the full list of VIP events – is available here, or contact Kristina Hervey at (317) 713-4684 or via email at kristina.hervey@usatf.org.

Market Street Mile
The USATF Market Street Mile is a great chance for Annual Meeting participants to get out on the streets and do what our organization does best – run! This one-mile road race will be held in downtown St. Louis, starting at Keiner Plaza and encircling the Gateway Mall. It features a series of age group heats, followed by men’s and women’s elite races. Take your best shot at the mile, then watch America’s elite tackle the same course and see how you match up!

For those attending the annual conference you can register for the road race by selected it as an add-on item on the Annual Meeting registration form. If you’d like to participate in the Market Street Mile but won’t be attending the annual meeting, you can sign up for only the race here. The fastest three finishers in each heat will receive awards, and all participants will receive a USA Track and Field spike bag. So come out and run with us!

Merchandise "Warehouse" Sale
In addition to our normal warehouse sale opportunity, we will have an exciting new feature which will allow you to test your negotiation skills. Customers will be able to “negotiate your price” this year on a select set of merchandise. Our combined sales effort is our chance to say thank you to our hardworking members and most loyal customers. Be sure to check out newly available items in this year’s Merchandise “Warehouse” Sale!

Exposition
The 2011 USA Track and Field Annual Meeting Expo is a special opportunity for attendees to interact with a wide range of exhibitors, including equipment and technology suppliers, convention and visitors bureaus, sports commissions, USATF sponsors, and more. This year’s expo will begin at noon on Wednesday, November 30 and end Saturday, December 3 at noon. Also, don’t miss the Expo Breakfast at 7 am on Friday, December 2. For more information, see the dedicated expo page here.

Green initiative
USA Track and Field is making an effort to make our annual meeting as environmentally friendly as possible. Like last year, in an effort to minimize the amount of paper used at our meetings, USATF has established an online document library, where committees can post agendas, minutes and other documents to be made available to participants. This reduces both waste and printing costs, and increases convenience – it’s a bit easier to manage a laptop than an ever-growing stack of paper! You can visit the document library here. Additionally, for those who wish to make copies, there will be a $0.10/copy charge, and only committee chairs will be able to sign off on any printing or copy requests that go against a particular budget.

Additionally, internet access will be provided for all attendees. USA Track and Field will provide wireless internet access in all meeting spaces and in lobby areas. The password needed for this connection will be clearly and conveniently labeled on the back of each attendee’s name tag. It will also be posted at the Internet Cafe and Registration Booth. Internet access is also available in attendees’ rooms for a fee, through the hotel. Remember to bring your laptop to take full advantage of these services. By doing so, all attendees will be able to view presentations, documents, and take notes electronically.