2021 USATF ANNUAL MEETING (Virtual & Hybrid)

 
Hope everyone is safe & healthy.  The hybrid portion of this year’s meeting was held in Orlando.  Each USATF Association was allowed to send one representative.  I was your rep in Orlando.  Thanks to modern technology, I was able to see and hear all the people who joined our meetings online.  The technology worked pretty well and each meeting was run very well by the people in charge.  It was a little strange in that most meetings only had around 15 people in attendance. 
 
This year there were some meetings during the day that I attended on Thursday.  The first was a General Session with the Youth Committee.  The meeting was adjourned after 5 minutes because of some technical issues.   So, I went next door to attend an Official’s Clinic dealing with the EDR Field Lynx recording software.  We were shown that with a Laser measuring device, you can instantaneously download the measurement to the event judge’s computer and the Stadium scoreboard.  It is amazing what is being done with all these new software programs.  Fans in the stands could have their phones hooked up to this system and see the results as soon as the judges do.  After lunch, I attended another Officials meeting about the USATF’s Officials mentoring program.  The official’s committee is working on a program that will assist  each Association increase their number of young officials.  As you all know, Wisconsin has outstanding officials.  Unfortunately, many are getting up there in age.  We need to recruit younger officials.  If you or someone you know wants to become an official, please contact Dave Nichols at davenickels@netscape.net.
 
The Thursday late afternoon Opening session was virtual for everyone.  So, I sat in my hotel room and watch the Bizzabo presentation.  Sebastian Coe – President of World Athletics (WA-formerly IAAF) – spoke about the new strategic plan that WA has developed.  Willie Banks – USA Rep – talked about getting the plan in motion.  Max Siegel – USATF CEO – how similar the WA plan was to the new strategic plan set up by USATF.  Both plans want to increase membership and participation in both organizations.  Max also talked about the World Championships coming to Eugene in July.  It should be a fantastic experience if you decide to attend. 
 
Friday morning’s MTF (Masters Track & Field) meeting started with information about exhibition Masters events that would be held at the National USATF Indoor and Outdoor meets.  An exhibition 200 will be held at the Indoor meet in Spokane.  An 800 will be held at the Outdoor meet in Kentucky.  Decision on what age groups will run each race still has to be determined.  There will also be an exhibition shot put held at the Drake Relays in honor of Rex Harvey.  Four men and four women from all age groups will compete.  Next on the agenda was presentations from three groups wanting to host the 2023 Indoor.  Chicago, Louisville, and Winston/Salem gave very impressive presentations.  Winston/Salem has held the meet twice before.  Chicago & Louisville have not.  Chicago & Louisville have hydraulic banked tracks while Winston/Salem has a flat track.  The delegates voted to have Louisville host the meet.   Chicago is a great facility, but it did not have enough room to run all the field events for a Masters meet.  The 2024 Indoor meet will be in Spokane, WA.  The 2025 Indoor will be chosen at next year’s meeting.  The executive board is looking at the possibility of having the 2025 outdoor meet at Hayward Field.  That would really be something.  USATF President – Vin Lanana-  came into the room and spoke for several minutes.  He congratulated the Chair (Jerry Bookin-Weiner) of MTF and the Chair (Lloyd Hansen) of Masters LDR (Long Distance Running) on their cooperation in getting more distance runners to attend our National Meets.  At the outdoor meet this past summer in Ames, there were more entries in the distance races than ever before.  Vin also encourage all associations to work on increasing membership.  He said he would encourage the USATF Executive Board to get the website to function better and look into helping associations that are have financial problems because of the lack of sanctions.  Sandy Pashkin spoke on a new rule that is part of World Athletics and will be part of USATF soon.  The rule:  if you step on the lane line to your left one time, you will not be disqualified.  If you would do it again in the next round of that event, you would be disqualified.  There was a lot of discussion on this rule and whether USATF should asked for an exception.  It was decided that we would not ask for an exception.  The 2022 Indoor Meet will be held at the Armory in New York City on March 18 – 20.  The mondo track is reported to be very fast.  Meet info can be found at:  masterschamp@armorytrack.com.  In order to enter the Armory, you need to show proof of vaccination.  Have a picture of your card on your phone.  The 2022 Outdoor Meet is ready to go at The University of Kentucky in Lexington on July 28 – 31.  This is also on a mondo track.  The facility is only 2 years old.  It is about a 7 hour drive.    
 
The afternoon session started with information about the World Masters Championhips that will be held in Tampere, Finland from June 29 – July 10.  Once the World Masters website is up & running, USATF Masters will have up to date on their meet information their site.  Hotel info will also be on the USATF site.  USATF has 50 rooms at one of the meet hotels.  There is travel grant money for individuals who are medal contenders and can show need.  At this time, don’t make non-refundable reservations.  Budget was the next item.  Good news was that each USATF Program was given an additional $4,000.00 for 2022.  The budget was approved with the executive board deciding where the new funds would be used.  Next were reports on individual event groups.  Combined events:  60 athletes competed at the Hept-Dec Championships at Colorado State University this past summer.  2 American records were set.  The 2022 Indoor Heptathlon will be held at Carthage on February 5 & 6.  The Outdoor meet will be in St. Louis probably on August 13 & 14.  There were several throws meet this past summer.  508 athletes participated in the National Championships held in Seattle on August 21 & 22.  The 2022 Meet will be on the east coast.  Date & place TBA.  Racewalk had limited meets last year.  These events are usually held in conjunction with the National Meets.  2022 will have a Grand Prix series with the 20k in April at Mt. Sac and the 5K in New Jersey in September.  45 new American and World Records were approved.  You can see the list and the procedures needed for a record to be approved.  If we would have exception to the new WA rule about stepping on the lane line, WA would not recognize any world records that would be in the US.  
 
Saturday morning started off with the Presidential Town Hall meeting.  Vin has held 10 of these Town Halls meetings this year.  They involved different groups and are held around the US.   His main topic is increasing membership and using the World Championships to get our sport in the national spotlight.  Ideas to help increase membership included working with the National High School Federation to get more youth to join USATF.  Vin is also talking to the road racing groups to see how we can get more of their athletes to become members.  I had to leave this meeting a little early in order to get to the Masters Track meeting.  Anti-Doping was the first topic.  Testing for 2021 was conducted at the National Outdoor Championships and the National Throws Championships.  The committee hopes to test at more meets in 2022.  FYI – Masters Athletes can be tested at any time, just like the elite athletes.  The Active Athletes sub-committee set up a tent at the outdoor meet in Ames.  They help athletes who had experience problems at the meet and they also answered questions that athletes and fans had about Masters TF.  This was well received by everyone at the meet and the committee will be at upcoming meets in 2022.  The Communications sub-committees for LDR & TF will now be working together to promote both sports.  The National Office has agreed to host exhibition events for Masters Athletes at their National Championships for the next several years.  These events will be set up much sooner than in the past and will be promoted better.  2022 is a rules year at the Annual Meeting.  If you have a new rule or a rule change that you would like on the meeting agenda, please let me know and I will make sure the Masters Committee discusses it. 
 
The afternoon session was combined with the LDR people.  The meeting was more cordial than in past years.  I’m sure this will have a positive effect on both groups.  This will increase the entries at future MTF meets in the distance events as was shown at the Outdoor meet in Ames.  Starting in 2023 there will be an Athlete of the Year Award for MTF and LDR.  In the past we just had one for both groups.  This had created some friction between the two groups.  The website for the World Outdoor Meet should be up and running within the next 2 weeks.  www.wmatampere2022.com.  There will be drug testing so be sure you check the medications you are taking and get a TEU if you need one.  The LDR Grand Prix Schedule for 21/22 is on the USATF Masters website.  It starts off with the National Club Cross Country Championships in Tallahassee on Dec. 11.  FYI:  Wisconsin Runner Racing team is sending a male & female team to this meet.  Pete Henkes of Racine is the head of this group.  Good luck to all. 
 
The closing session on Sunday morning was very interesting.   The Law & Legislation Committee had recommended acceptance of their package of proposals.  Before a vote on that package, we had to look at 3 amendments that were tabled from last year.  Everyone should have received emails about these 3 amendments.  There was a motion to take those 3 amendments out of the package and vote on them separately.  We heard from several people who represented both sides of the issue.  A vote was taken and the amendments would be voting on separately.  So, we voted on the package without the amendments and that past.  Then took each amendment by itself and voted on that.  Each amendment failed to pass.  What this all means is that the USATF Board will have to negotiate with the Organization Committee and come up with a compromise.  We will probably talk about this at the next Annual Meeting. 
 
The Midwest Regional Meeting did not take place at the Annual Meeting.  We had a zoom meeting in the middle of November and another one on Tuesday, Dec. 7.  Our Region consist of the following States:  Wisconsin, Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Michigan, Ohio, and West Virginia.  The Associations in our Region are:  Wisconsin, Illlinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Lake Erie, Michigan, Ohio, & West Virginia.  Phil Pillin (pillin@zoominternet.net) from the Lake Erie Association is our coordinator and Tim Cedarblad of Illinois is the deputy coordinator.  We were able to keep most of our association championships (Indoors & Outdoors) on different dates.  We hope that by doing this, we can get athletes to attend meets sponsored by other associations.   
 
There is some exciting news.  The Masters Chairpersons from the Illinois, Indiana, Kentucky, Lake Erie, & Wisconsin Associations have decided to have a Drawing for one male & one female athlete to receive a stipend to attend the National Indoor Championships in New York.  Each of the above Associations are putting $200.00 into the Drawing.  So, the 2 winners would split $1,000.00.  Here are the particulars:
           
            1.  An Athlete must participate in at least two of the current Association Indoor Meets that are
 going to be held.The Athlete will receive one ticket for the Drawing.  If the athletes
 participates in another Association Championships, they will receive another ticket. 
            2.  You must participate in the National Championships in New York in March. The stipend will
           be awarded after the National Indoor Meet.   
            3.  Eligible athletes must be 25 years old and older.  Do not need to win any medals at the
meets.        
 
 
Please stay safe & healthy.
 
Merry Christmas & Happy New Year.
 
Stan Druckrey
Wisconsin Association Masters Chair
414-369-7216
sdruckrey@wi.rr.com