The next generation needs change

[rainbowgirl28]

This thread is kind of making me feel guilty for not going to the Annual Meeting this year, maybe I will consider it after all. :-/ If only the hotel and registration fee weren't so expensive ... and the closest airports 2.5-4 hours away ... and if only it didn't mean missing a weekend with my husband who I only get to see on weekends at the moment... but then again I am not complaining about USATF either.

[Branko720]

Thank you for your post Joe.

A couple things.

One I do not want USATF to give me a facility. I apologize if I made it seem that way. ADTF, you said it would cost $125,000 for the facility you describe, make it even $250,000 to make it a little larger and USATF could build one or two a year around the country for all track and field athletes. I am not just talking about pole vault. Long jumpers, triple jumpers, high jumpers, throwers all could use an indoor facility. If they started building these facilities in ten years they could have up to 20 facilities around the country. They have the funds to do this.

Becca you or anyone else should not have to feel guilty about not going to the meeting. You tell me if I went to the meeting and mentioned these ideas what would happen? The other thing is USATF knows are needs. They must be willing to do something. If we really wanted to see change we could boycott USATF until they did something, however I do see this happening. Actually to be honest I don't think any serious changes will happen until USATF has to change. Most people, or organizations do not change until they have to to survive.

Again thanks for letting me see how everyone else feels. And remeber, "I think that it is not too soon for honest men to rebel and revolutionize." "A minority is powerless while it conforms to the majority" Thoreau

[rainbowgirl28]

Becca you or anyone else should not have to feel guilty about not going to the meeting. You tell me if I went to the meeting and mentioned these ideas what would happen? The other thing is USATF knows are needs. They must be willing to do something. If we really wanted to see change we could boycott USATF until they did something, however I do see this happening. Actually to be honest I don't think any serious changes will happen until USATF has to change. Most people, or organizations do not change until they have to to survive.

I think if you went to the meeting, you would begin to understand how things work, and you would see which road you need to go down to get what you want. Maybe it's possible and maybe it's not, but you're just flailing blindly at this point. You want change, but you don't even understand what you are trying to change. Before you can change something, you have to understand what it currently is.

[AVC Coach]

Wouldn't it be pretty darn cool if each state had it's own professional track and field team. All athletes would be drafted and traded just like in the NFL. Each team having their own indoor and outdoor facilities to train and host meets.

The teams could be divided into conferences (4 or 5 states close together) with weekly duals and win/loss records just like football (fewer competitors means shorter meets which = better attention spans and ultimately, more fans that are willing to sit in the stands).

Have two divisions, north and south or east and west. No qualifying marks for nationals, just the winning teams from each division through a "play-off" format. I believe the fan base would build and would be much more supportive if they new their whole team was competing for a national championship instead of just the few that reached a qualifying standard.

Obviously, this is just a pipe dream but these are my realistic thoughts on how our sport can thrive and maybe even avoid extinction.

All of the ideas I've read so far on this thread are OK, but I don't think anything outside of a complete overhaul in the way things are run is going to help our athletes or their cause. The USATF is the governing body of our sport. Although I appreciate what they've done, I don't expect USATF to be our salvation. We shouldn't expect them to bail us out of everything. Some incentives could help, but in the end it's going to come down to the private investors willing to take this sport to a level the majority of Americans have never seen.

The bottom line is that everyone seems to want track and field to be like the NFL, NBA or MLB but we don't even resemble them in the way we're doing business. Everyone that has something invested wants to be successful in that investment. If we start small with bare minimums and show promise of success, those investors will pony up enough money to get the coaches and athletes it takes to be a success in hopes of becoming a powerhouse or a dynasty. It's human nature.

The title of this thread was "The next generation needs change". If we keep drinking the same contaminated water from the well, we're just going to remain sick individuals. I think its time to think about digging a new well.

[dj]

dj

[SlickVT]

This topic boggles my brain.

The USATF provides no training facilities, no coaches, no equipment, and no service for its members in general. However, they regulate how our teams are formed (at meets where first place makes less money than the 12th place finisher at an average women's PBA (bowling) event), and strictly enforce drug testing on those athletes. They also charge dues. DUES.

It is one thing to get upset about how things are run, but when we get backlash for not attending this organization's meetings to make the change ourselves... I have a huge problem with that.

It is not the responsibility of the customer to make changes in the company that is to be providing a service. We have no responsibility (as due-paying members) to take administrative actions into our own hands. That is bad business. I guess that is to be expected, however since the USATF's idea of a business (AKA money-making organization) is to provide NO service and expect those who need the service to do the jobs of the people getting paid to do so. How long would Amazon last with this corporate structure?

With all due respect, don't lecture us for not attending a meeting to change a pitiful organization's workings... especially with the amount of money that they take in from dues, not to mention Visa, etc. I understand some people on here attend those meetings, but how far has it, and will it get us?

If we could get USATF's bonds with the USOC and IAAF broken, would we even need the USATF? Think about that.

That is where my mind is going.

[PV Official]

http://theviewfromthefinishline.blogspo ... rging.html

This article is about an Elite Coaches Association. Sounds similar to dj's idea.

[Barto]

Brian is not too far off from reality. USATF came within a haresbreath of getting their status as the NGB pulled by the USOC in 2007. Right now it looks as if USOC has it's hands full with it's own problems, but if they ever get their house in order I feel fairly confident that they will be looking very closely at USATF's performance as a NGB.

[VTechVaulter]

wrong VT poster.. i haven't said anything

~brian

[Barto]

Sorry Brian. I didn't catch my error. I didn't mean to misattribute someone else's remarks.

[VTechVaulter]

haha no worries. just clarifying

[dj]

Hey

dj