by Jeff Benjamin
Vin Lananna, Meet & Greet Listening Tour, NYC, photo by Jeff Benjamin
Vin Lananna was elected as USATF President in December 2017. In a recent letter to the USATF membership, Mr. Lananna noted that he would embark on a Listening tour with
A gathering of close to 100 officials, coaches, athletes and fans assembled last night at the Nasdaq building in Manhattan’s Times Square for a unique and unprecedented event – A Meet & Greet Listening Tour with the newly-elected President of USATF Vin Lananna. This event was attended by key groups and people with representation from various key entities in the Athletics community, among them the IAAF, NYRR, Armory Foundation, New Jersey-New York TC, Ocean Breeze of Staten Island, along with the USATF Associations representing NY, NJ, and Long Island.
Although known as the “Mayor of Tracktown USA”, the Oregon-based Lananna is no stranger to the bright lights of Broadway. Before embarking on to Eugene in the early 1990’s, Lananna, a native New Yorker, ran on the old wooden boards at the Armory in high school and also coached at CW Post, among other local metropolitan area positions. The fact that his national listening tour (with another upcoming stop in New England, followed by other stops to be determined on a campaign which will go through July) began last night in New York City held special meaning to him. “It’s great that the first place I started the tour is where I started my love of running,” he said to the assembled crowd. When asked about his native town’s hope of putting on world-class meets and possibly hosting an Olympic Trials, Lananna did discuss how, with 10 million New Yorkers and the annual NYC Marathon taking place that, “having a big event is a big thing and a good thing.” He also mentioned how Icahn Stadium at Randall’s Island will be hosting the climactic Track Town USA Summer Series World Class meet this year taking place on July 6th.
NOTE- my piece on a NYC Olympic Trials
https://www.runblogrun.com/2016/12/a-humble-solution-to-eugene-fatigue-for-2020-us-olympic-trials.html
However, no promises were being made or declared in the NASDAQ meeting room as the newly-elected USATF President emphasized that this was a listening tour. “My story tonight is that I’m going to listen,” said Lananna, who also remarked that he’s only been on the job for 25 days. “I’m looking to see how things work….I don’t have the answers but I’ll listen and I’ll voice concerns to the National office and at board meetings.”
Tom Nohilly asking questions (92 Olympian, HOKA ONE ONE NYNYTC Coach), photo by Jeff Benjamin
However, one should not think that Lananna doesn’t have ambitious goals to spread his vision and passion for the Sport on the National and International level. Lananna stared that he and USATF are hoping for a growth of membership which could hopefully rise to pass the current level of over 100,000 to 250,000 in the future. The consummate team player, he’s also quite aware that he can’t do this alone. “Everyone in USATF has to be an ambassador for the Sport.”
The Listening tour wall at Nasdaq, photo by Jeff Benjamin
The discussions then began, as topics such as athletes, marketing, raising the Sport’s profile out of just Eugene, para-athletics, youth competition, drug-testing, officiating, logjams with the National office, USATF presence at the school levels, NCAA issues and even the rise of the U.S. Army team were all directed at Lanana. The new USATF leader took in all questions, understood and empathized but did not set or promise any bold-like policy, only that he would report talk the issues to USATF and the Board, a point which every questioner in the room seemed very satisfied to hear at this point.
After all, one has to give Vin Lananna a chance. Judging from previous history, Lanana’s record of taking those chances certainly brought great success to previous ventures.
Based upon his record, the Sport is in good hands. Stay tuned, or as Lananna emphasized, “Get in and stay involved.”
