byLarry Eder
For many years, coaches in track & cross country have been minimalized. The USTFCCA is all about changing the perception of the coaching profession, and helping coaches understand their value and the power of working together. Runblogrun encourages coaches to join the USTFCCA. Sam Seemes has developed a tremendous organization that champions coaching, and a convention that celebrates the importance of the profession of track & cross country coaches. John Beynon, of Beynon Sports Surfacing, praised the event last week at the ASBA convention, noting that the event has become a “must-be” on the convention circuit for coaches of track and cross country! Beynon Sports Surfacing is a major sponsor of the USTFCCCA convention this year, make sure you thank them for supporting our sport!
In the past, I have traveled to the event on behalf of American Track & Field magazine and Coaching Athletics Quarterly, the two coaches titles published by Shooting Star Media, Inc. We have provided the USTFCCCA space in the past to promote the organization, and will do so again in 2010.
If you can not make it this year, you can follow the USTFCCCA convention on Flotrack.com. RBR hopes to be there next year, just way too many deadlines this year!
Flotrack to Broadcast The Bowerman Presentation and Hall of Fame Induction
Courtesy: Tom Lewis, USTFCCCA
December 14, 2009
ORLANDO, Fla. – Flotrack.org will broadcast live coverage of the USTFCCCA’s presentation of The Bowerman and Hall of Fame induction Wednesday evening from the JW Marriott Grande Lakes in Orlando, Fla. The two ceremonies, held in conjunction with the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) annual convention will be aired live on the internet site, free of charge, and will start with The Bowerman ceremony at 7 p.m., eastern, followed by the Hall of Fame induction at 9 p.m., eastern.
LIVE Flotrack Coverage of The Bowerman (7 p.m., eastern):
http://www.flotrack.org/videos/coverage/view/236090/live
LIVE Flotrack Coverage of USTFCCCA Hall of Fame Induction (9 p.m., eastern):
http://www.flotrack.org/videos/coverage/view/236090/live
Reports and Interviews throughout the Week:
http://www.flotrack.org/videos/coverage/view/236090-2009-ustfccca-annual-convention
The Bowerman, an award in its first year of existence, will be bestowed to the nation’s top collegiate men’s and women’s track and field athlete. This year’s women’s finalists include Jenny Barringer (Oviedo, Fla.) of the University of Colorado, Destinee Hooker (San Antonio, Texas) of the University of Texas, and Porscha Lucas (Plano, Texas) of Texas A&M University. Men’s finalists are Ashton Eaton (Bend, Ore.) from the University of Oregon, German Fernandez (Riverbank, Calif.) from Oklahoma State University, and Galen Rupp (Portland, Ore.) from the University of Oregon.
The Bowerman is named in honor of track and field pioneer Bill Bowerman, who served the sport of track and field in numerous ways, including his leadership in the USTFCCCA’s predecessor organization, the National Collegiate Track Coaches Association, and his contributions to NCAA track and field and the running community as a whole.
The USTFCCCA Hall of Fame Class of 2009 will feature six inductees: Arthur “Art†Gulden (Bucknell University), Franklin Pitcher “Pitch†Johnson (Drake University/Stanford University), Oscar Moore, Jr. (Rowan University), Charles “Chuck†Rohe (Furman University/University of Tennessee), Duane Vandenbusche (Western State College of Colorado), and Gary Winckler (Florida State University/University of Illinois).
Flotrack.org will also conduct interviews with a wide variety of coaches in their reports throughout the week.
For more information on the USTFCCCA Convention, visit ustfccccaconvention.com. More details about The Bowerman can be found at TheBowerman.org.
About the USTFCCCA
The U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) is the non-profit professional organization that represents men’s and women’s cross country and track & field coaches in the United States. The organization represents over 8,000 coaching members, including 93% of NCAA track & field programs. USTFCCCA serves as an advocate for cross country and track & field coaches, providing a leadership structure to assist the needs of a diverse membership, serving as a lobbyist for coaches’ interests, and working as a liaison between the various stakeholders in the sports of cross country and track & field.
