USA Track and Field

In the USA, the body which oversees amateur athletics, formed in 1888; formerly known as the Amateur Athletics Association of the United States and (until 1992) the Athletics Congress. Its headquarters is in Indianapolis, IN.

USA Track and Field (USATF) is the national governing body for the sport of track and field (or athletics) in the United States.

History

The Amateur Sports Act (95-606) of 1978 distinguished governing bodies of sports by decreeing the Amateur Athletics Union (AAU) could not hold international franchises for more than one sport.

In 1992, the organisation changed its name to USA Track and Field for the sole purpose of increasing recognition of the sport and organisation in the United States.

USA Track & Field

USA Track & USATF encompasses the world's oldest organized sports, the most-watched events of Olympic broadcasts, the #1 high school and junior high school participatory sport and more than 30 million adult runners in the United States.

Led by President Bill Roe and CEO Craig Masback, USATF is a volunteer-driven, not-for-profit organization with a staff of professional program administrators at the National Office in Indianapolis. The mission of USATF is to lead the sport of Athletics in the United States and maintain the primacy of USA Track &

A Sport for Everyone ... For Life!

When we say that USATF is a "Sport for Everyone ... Just a few of the ways we serve our sport include:

Establishing grassroots programs, such as the Junior Olympics, to help develop future stars who will follow in the footsteps of Justin Gatlin, Allyson Felix, Jeremy Wariner, Lauryn Williams, Bryan Clay, Adam Nelson, Deena Kastor and Meb 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.

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 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.

Nearly 100,000 Americans are members of USATF.

Pushing Ahead

Although our sport traces its roots back to ancient Greece, USATF is on a mission to put track and field at the cutting edge of the 21st-century sports scene.

A loyal partner of USATF since 1988, Visa in 2004 renewed its commitment to USATF and the World's #1 Track and Field Team through 2008. Using innovative meet formats, the Visa Championship Series helps to repackage the sport, drawing new fans and new sponsors alike and providing increased financial incentives for USATF athletes.

From an organizational perspective, USATF has been one of the greatest financial success stories in sport, more than doubling its overall revenues since 1997.

This surge in revenue has coincided with a hefty increase in the number of track meets broadcast on television and TV ratings. Our sport has upwards of 40 national TV broadcasts in any given year, and average Nielsen ratings for track and field broadcasts are higher than those of the NHL, the WNBA and Major League Soccer.

Reaching Out

USA Track &

To help deliver that message, beginning in 2004 USATF joined with the American College of Sports Medicine to launch the "Be a Champion" program. At each Visa Championship Series stop, and at other events around the country, USATF's star athletes speak with local schools about the importance of fitness, a healthy lifestyle, living with integrity - including a drug-free life - and setting goals.

Education

USATF conducts instructional programs such as Coaching Education courses, designed to elevate and standardize the level of coaching across the country.

Beginning in 1998, USA Track &

USATF Annual Meeting

Traditionally held the week following Thanksgiving, our Annual Meeting brings together more than 1,300 of the sport's officials, coaches, administrators, athletes and supporters. The yearly gathering serves as a forum to chart the future of our sport by considering policy changes, selecting national team staffs and Championship meet sites, and electing national officers.

But it is not all business.

Members attending the Annual Meeting have the opportunity to meet the sport's top stars, and USATF offers various social and recreational opportunities for attendees throughout the five-day event.

USATF's Expo Show at the Annual Meeting offers national sponsors, equipment suppliers, book and magazine publishers, committees, travel bureaus, local sports commissions and other groups the opportunity to showcase their organizations and products in front of the country's largest gathering of track and field conventioneers.

The 2006 USATF Annual Meeting takes place in Indianapolis, Ind.

Membership

"Card-carrying" members of USATF receive an array of Member Benefits, including insurance benefits, discounts on subscriptions to track and field and fitness-related magazines, and reduced prices on a variety of other items.

Members also receive USATF membership publications and can access the "Members Only" section of our Web site.

Perhaps most importantly, all of USATF's membership categories offer individuals the opportunity to show their support for our sport in the United States and to be actively involved with the programs and activities that keep us dominant throughout the world.

More Information

For more information about USA Track &