COLUMBUS -- USATF kicked off its 40th Annual Meeting Thursday with over 1,100 USATF administrators, coaches, volunteers and athletes set to attend more than 280 scheduled meetings at the Hyatt Regency Columbus over the four-day gathering.
USATF CEO Max Siegel delivers 2018 State of the Sport
In his seventh address as USATF CEO, Max Siegel expressed enthusiasm and pride for the organization’s athletes and volunteers who’ve reached incredible achievements this year.
“The scale and scope of our sport is immense.” Siegel said.”It is one of our blessings and one of our curses. Everyone in this room has a seat at the table and an important role to play. Thank you again for all that you do.”
Men and women combined, U.S. athletes set six world records, three world junior records, 23 American records and 13 American Junior records in 2018.
Masters athletes won 162 medals at the World Masters Athletics Championships in Spain. At the USATF Masters Indoor Championships, 1,219 athletes registered and set 15 world and 28 American records. Athletes received major national coverage with more than 40 local TV stations in 20 states.
At the opposite end of the age spectrum, USATF youth show no signs of slowing down either. At the USATF Hershey Youth Indoor Championships athletes set 30 U.S. age-group records. In the outdoor season, athletes broke 18 national records at the USATF Hershey Junior Olympic Outdoor Championships.
Siegel discussed 2018 being the “Year of the Woman.” Leading up to 2018, women won exactly half of USATF’s 32 medals at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, more than half of USATF’s medals at the 2017 World Outdoor Championships, and half of USATF’s medals from this year’s IAAF World Indoor Championships.
All eight outdoor American records set this year were by women. On the roads, Des Linden became the first American woman since 1985 to win the Boston Marathon.
For the first time, Team USATF had women leading both the men’s and women’s teams at an international competition. At the 2018 IAAF U20 Championships, Kim Dismuke served as head coach of the men’s team and Sandy Fowler led the women. It was the first time a woman was head coach of a USATF men’s team. In addition, Team USATF had strong female representation among support staff at international events including medical and physio, comprising 11 of 23 coaching and support staff positions at the 2018 World Indoor Championships.
Conley presents eight President’s Awards
Michael Conley, in his inaugural address as Interim USATF President, greeted the crowd and made note of the importance of protecting athletes prior to presenting the President’s Awards.
“Since assuming this role in February, one of the most important things I have done is to serve as chair of a new board committee that will field constituent concerns regarding SafeSport implementation,” he said. “No topic is more critical in the Olympic space right now.”
2018 President’s Awards honorees:
Michael Armstrong - Officials Chair - Arkansas Association
In 2015, Armstrong received the Andy Bakijan Award for his dedication to taking officiating in track and field to higher levels.
John Chaplin - Former Men’s Track & Field Chair - 2000 Olympic Coach - Inland Northwest Association
Chaplin has made a name for himself as one of the country’s top coaches, but he was an athlete in the beginning of his career. He started a sprinter in the early 1960s, setting world indoor records in the 220 and 330-yard dashes. As head coach at Washington State University (1968-94), he coached Henry Rono among other athletes and led the team to an NCAA Indoor title and four runner-up finishes. In 2000, he was the 2000 U.S. Olympic Team men’s head coach. Chaplin also served as the longtime – and now emeritus – Chair of the Men’s Track & Field Committee. He has served as a referee on the college, high school and Olympic levels, making a name for himself at the 1996 Olympic Games in Atlanta. Coach Chaplin is a member of the USTFCCCA Hall of Fame and received USATF’s Giegengack Award in 2013. Rose Monday - Women's Development Chair - South Texas Association
Monday is nationally known as one of the top minds in middle distance and distance running. In 2003, she was appointed USATF Development chair for women’s distance events. She was an assistant coach for the U.S. team at the 2005 World University Games in Izmir, Turkey, and served as head women’s coach for Team USATF at the 2006 IAAF World Junior Championships in Beijing, China. She most recently served as the assistant coach for women’s distance at the 2016 Rio Olympic Games, and has also served as the Team USATF women’s distance coach at the IAAF World Relays in 2014 and 2015.
Tricia Myers - USATF Youth Athletics Division Chair - Illinois Association
Throughout her roles at USATF, she has been dedicated to advancing the next generation of track and field stars. Myers, a Las Vegas native, was student athlete at the University of Notre Dame.
Dr. Jeff Porter - Athletes’ Advisory Committee Chair - New York Association
A two-time Olympian in the 110-meter hurdles who made it to the Olympic semifinals in both 2012 and 2016, he serves as the chair of USATF’s Athletes’ Advisory Committee. Porter is a former NCAA Champion in the 60-meter hurdles and was an NCAA Division I All-American during his time as a Michigan Wolverine. He recently completed his Ph.D. in Higher Education at the University of Michigan, while also working as the assistant director of alumni engagement in the university’s athletic department. Porter also holds degrees in Kinesiology and a Master of Arts in Higher Education and Student Affairs.
Michael Scott - Long Distance Running Chair - New England Association
He has shown outstanding dedication to the sport and progressing USATF’s long distance national championships. When he’s not at a meet, Scott is the Athletic Academic Advisor at Rhode Island University. He is also an avid photographer.
Dr. Dave Shrock - Chair Associations Executive Committee Chair - Pacific Association
He has coached for more than 20 years and also served as President of the USATF Pacific Association. At the 2016 USATF Annual Meeting, he was awarded the Kevin McGill Legacy Coach Award.
Booker Woods - Southern California Association
Booker Woods is a long-time member of the USATF Southern California Association. He coached the LA Jets Track Club for 40 years, joining in 1978. The team is one of the largest in the Association, Region and Country. He, along with the rest of the coaching staff, have mentored and developed young athletes and through athletics, afforded them an opportunity to travel and become one of the most competitive teams in the nation. They participate in both the USATF track & cross country programs and since their inception, they’ve had over 200 individual national championship titles, 150 national relay championships titles and 66 national records. Woods has quietly worked behind the scenes developing the next generation of track and field stars and have served on several national subcommittees including International competition.
Conley concluded with the presentation of USATF’s 2018 Robert Giegengack Award to Stephanie Hightower. Read more here.
USATF announces inaugural Alumni Ambassadors Program Awards
USATF launched the Alumni Ambassadors Program this year, which facilitates Alumni involvement in the communities where they live and work, encouraging voluntarism and providing a vehicle for alumni to engage with young people.
2018 Alumni Ambassadors Program Awardees:
Two-time Olympic silver medalist Terrence Trammell
Four-time world champion Tyree Washington
Two-time national champion and 2012 Olympic assistant coach Gwen Mikinski
Olympian Gary Morgan
Olympic gold medalist Mary Wineberg
Three-time Olympian Edwin Roberts
Olympian and NCAA champion Marlene Harmon Wilcox
Two-time Olympian Lacey O’Neal
Olympic silver medalist Kathy McMillan
Former 800m great, 2012 Olympic assistant coach and current women’s Track & Field Committee Chair, Rose Monday
Olympic gold medalist and Hall of Famer, Dr. Madeline Manning Mims
Olympic bronze medalist, world record setter and Hall of Famer, Dr. John Carlos
USATF Annual Meeting continues through Sunday, December 2 at the Hyatt Regency Downtown in Columbus, Ohio. Click here for more event information. Follow along with #USATF at the 2018 USATF Annual Meeting on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook.