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Aretha Thurmond

In her role as Managing Director of International Teams, Aretha has assisted athletes and staff of various U.S. national teams with logistics, uniforms, travel and team sign-ups at all national championship meets.

Aretha is a four-time Olympian in the discus with vast international teams experience, having served as Team USA captain for the 2008 and 2012 Olympic Games and the 2009 and 2011 World Outdoor Championships. She earned a spot on her first Olympic team as just a sophomore at the University of Washington and has made five World Championship teams in her career.

Transitioning from track & field competition to administration in 2013, Aretha assisted with the management of Team USATF at both the World Outdoor Championships and Pan Am Juniors in 2013. A four-time U.S. champion, two-time Pan Am Games gold medalist and former USATF board member, Aretha is a proud graduate of the University of Washington and an avid Seattle Seahawks fan.

Questions & Responses from Aretha Thurmond

• What age did you start to compete in Track & Field?
  • I started competing in Track and Field as a freshman in high school at age 14.  I had never thrown a discus in my life, but I had a coach who mentored and believed in me.  He was the head track coach and my PE teacher. He challenged me to a game of one-on-one basketball.  If I won, I would turn out for softball. If I lost, I would turn out for track and throw the discus. I lost – and next thing I knew, I was in the grandstand holding my physical and permission letters but not knowing who to report to.  A coach saw me sitting there and asked if I was someone’s girlfriend.  Once I explained how I had gotten there, he introduced me to Coach Eager who would become my greatest supporter and put me on my path to a college scholarship.  Coach Eager helped me with everything from training to throwing shoes and to this day, he and his wife are still family. I took second in State that year and it made me so mad.  So I worked harder than anybody else and won the State championships the next three years.  I got a full ride scholarship to college and I chose the University of Washington because of the coach. 

• Can you discuss how you were able to balance your track career and personal life?
  • In high school, being a student-athlete was very challenging for me and required a lot of personal time management. Not only did I have long practices after school, but I also still had homework to do once I got home. Additionally, my experiences with teachers varied as some did not respect student-athletes and would make things more difficult, while others were wonderful and encouraging. I had teachers who would not let me make up tests that I missed due to a competition, but some would send my tests to my coach who would proctor them and turn them in for me. It helped that my mom and older brother encouraged me, too.  I did not have time to date, so I chose not to date in high school. 

• Please discuss your journey from a youth athlete to an Olympian?
  • College – wow – was a whole new life.  Again, my coach Ken Shannon was amazing and challenged me to be my best. In 1996, I was a sophomore at the UW and made my first Olympic team. One of my fellow Olympians took me under her wing and gave me the most important piece of advice I had ever received, saying: “Aretha, this is the Olympics, don’t act a fool. When you represent the United States of America, you have an obligation to be your personal and professional best.”  Not that I was going to act up, but I appreciated the mentorship. The opening and closing ceremonies in Atlanta were awesome and meeting so many famous athletes from other sports is something I will never forget. The whole experience is what kept me on track to keep working hard through the good and bad seasons to push towards making future Olympic teams in 2004, 2008 and 2012.

• Please provide insight about your transition from being an Olympian to Managing Director, International & Championship Teams? 
  • I traveled the world throwing discus from the time I was 19 years old. I threw in meets in the US and around the world. When I graduated college, I continued to travel and throw. I made four Olympic teams and was captain of the Olympic team in 2008 (Beijing) and 2012 (London).  I threw in the Pan Am games, the World Championships, and other international teams. I was a four-time U.S. Champion, two-time Pan Am games gold medalist. My birthday was always spent in another country. With every experience and opportunity, I learned and matured in the sport specifically, and in life in general. I worked for two companies that sent me to media classes, and I will always be grateful to them for the education they provided. I was planning on training for one more Olympics in Brazil when I found out USATF had a job opening that interested me. I thought to myself.  ‘how does being a five-time Olympian open any more doors than four?’ I also wanted to give back to my sport and help athletes because I understood the struggles.  So many people helped me with the transition that, as challenging as it was, could certainly have been worse. My experience in meets, on teams, and in the classroom had given me the maturity and knowledge that I needed to be a team leader. Additionally, USATF encouraged my professional growth by allowing me to take courses which, each one was very valuable. I understand that if I ever stop learning, I might as well retire.

• What are your roles and responsibilities as Managing Director, International & Championship Teams?
  • I manage International teams and assist athletes and staff of various US National Teams with logistics, uniforms, travel, and team sign-up at all national championship meets. In the beginning, I assisted with the management of Team USA at the IAAF World Outdoor Championships and the Pan Am juniors in 2013. I was a former board member for USATF and understood the business side before joining the national office.

• What is your perspective as a female working in mostly male dominated sports industry?  
  • Being a Black female in a male-dominated world is a challenge.Participating in programs like WISE (Women in Sports and Events) and internationally the IOC’s (International Olympic Committee) MEMOS programs have been tremendous in helping with my continued growth and education to better develop skills to navigate these challenges. I have also worked very hard and have established relationships of respect around the world. These relationships have not come easily, and I work hard to maintain respect for others and myself.

• What advice would you give youth or any female athlete pursuing a career in Track & Field or in the sports industry? 
  • My advice to you, as a young person pursuing a career in Track & Field or any other sport or beginning a career is NEVER GIVE UP, NEVER BE AFRAID TO ASK FOR HELP, AND NEVER STOP LEARNING. Turn to your mentors or find a mentor. No one person knows everything, so talk to more than one mentor. It is very challenging to be a student -athlete because you must fit everything in. This is true when beginning a career as well, and I know this from experience, too, that personal time is difficult to fit in and you must work at it, while remaining focused on your goals. Despite any potential roadblocks ahead of you, if you always keep your heart and mind open and embrace new things, you will further enhance your knowledge and capabilities in life. Remember that there is always room to grow.  Good leaders lead by example and by contributing and learning at every opportunity.