USATF

USATF

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USA Track & Field (USATF) is the national governing body for track and field.

Contents

History

On January 30, 1878, rower and runner William B. Curtis founded what became the Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) in New York City. The name was formally adopted in 1887. The AAU became controversial with runners in the 1970s because it sought to supress prize money and sponsorships of "amateur athletes" and sought to limit racing opportunities for women. The AAU governed the sport until 1979, when the Amateur Sports Act of 1978 transferred the right to determine representation in international competition to the U.S. Olympic Committee and a series of separate national governing bodies for each sport. A separate organization for just track and field called The Athletics Congress/USA was formed and recognized by the U.S. Olympic Committee.

The Athletics Congress/USA (TAC/USA) became fully operational in late 1979 with its first annual meeting, conducted in Las Vegas in conjunction with that year's AAU Convention, and a constitutional convention held in Dallas/Fort Worth in 1980. The first stand-alone annual meeting occurred in Atlanta, Georgia, in the late fall of 1980.[1]

In 1992, the name was changed to USA Track & Field (USATF) to increase recognition for the organization and the sport in the United States. In the 1990s, USATF's practice of encouraging major marathons to require a USATF card as a prerequsite for entry came under widespread crticism. In response, marathons dropped this requirement, and the adult membership in USATF dropped dramatically. Membership is now voluntary and is approximately 10,000 individuals and 2,500 clubs.[2]

Organization

The organization is lead by a paid Chief Executive Officers, and elected, volunteer officers and Board of Directors. In 2008, the Board was reduced to 15 members: USATF's elected president; seats nominated by each of six USATF Divisions: High Performance, Long Distance Running, General Competition, Youth, Coaches and Officials groups; three seats for athletes; three "independent" seats; one seat for "5E" organizations (groups such as the NCAA, NAIA and others); and one seat for USATF's IAAF Council member.[3]

There are also national committees.

In addition, there are 57 local Associations (which typically cover a state or a part of a state) with their own staffs and committees.[2] Under USATF Regulation 15, each Association must have Bylaws which provide for democratic elections and a minimum level of services. Each Association conducts its own championship events. Currently, the Colorado, Tennessee and Potomac Valley associations are the subject of actions by the national organization to assure that a small clique does not "capture" control of the Association.

The organization is divided into the following Divisions:

  • High Performance Division
  • Developmental Division
  • Long Distance Running Division
  • General Competition Division
  • Administrative Division[4]
  • Youth Division[3]
Presidents of TAC/USATF
  • 2008-present Stephanie Hightower
  • 2000-2008: Bill Roe
  • 1996-2000: Patricia Rico
  •  1992-1996: Larry Ellis
  •  1988-1992: Frank Greenberg
  •  1984-1988: LeRoy T. Walker
  •  1980-1984: Jimmy Carnes
  •  1979-1980: Evie G. Dennis (acting chair)
Chief Executive Officers of TAC/USATF

Activities

USATF provides the following services:

  • Establishing grassroots programs, such as the Junior Olympics, to help develop future stars who will follow in the footsteps of Jeremy Wariner, Allyson Felix, Sanya Richards, Bryan Clay, Lauryn Williams, Adam Nelson, Deena Drossin Kastor and Mebrahtom Keflezighi.
  • Developing, selecting and leading Team USA - the World's #1 team - at the Olympics, World Championships and more than 12 other international events each year. Roughly 700 athletes of all ages wear a Team USA uniform in any given year.
  • Promoting programs of training and competition for men and women and boys and girls of all ages.
  • Establishing and enforcing the rules and regulations of our sport.
  • Sanctioning for more than 4,000 events each year.
  • Providing insurance to sanctioned events, member clubs and member-athletes.
  • Certifying race courses for accuracy and validating records.

The USATF also sponsors the USA Running Circuit of road races, and the Visa Championship Series of track meets.

Under the Amateur Sports Act, USATF must provide for a grievance mechanism to assure the swift and equitable resolution of disputes[6] and must guarantee that at least 20% of the voting membership of Boards and committees are held by active athletes.[7]

Awards

Each year, at USATF's annual convention, it presents a number of awards:

Track & Field
Long Distance Running
  • Robert E. DeCelle, Jr., Award
  • Runner of the Year
  • Masters Age Division Runners of the Year
  • Paul Spangler Award
Cross Country
  • Athletes of the Year
  • Masters Harriers of the Year
Mountain/Ultra/Trail
  • Mountain Runners of the Year
  • Ultrarunners of the Year
Race Walking
  • Captain Ron Zinn Memorial Award
  • Henry Laskau Award
  • Masters Race Walker of the Year Award
Federation-wide Awards

The USATF also sponsors three halls of fame: the National Track and Field Hall of Fame, the USATF Masters Hall of Fame and the USATF Officials Hall of Fame.

See also

References

  1. ↑ http://www.usatf.org/about/history.asp Retrieved 2008-05-22
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 http://www.usatf.org/about/
  3. ↑ 3.0 3.1 USATF enacts restructuring measures Retrieved 2008-12-07.
  4. ↑ http://www.usatf.org/about/directory/index_org.asp Retrieved 2008-05-22.
  5. ↑ http://www.usatf.org/about/history.asp Retrived 2006-06-29.
  6. ↑ 36 U.S.C. Section 220509.
  7. ↑ 36 U.S.C. Section 220522(a)(10).
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