USATF Task Force report is hard-hitting

[gh]

3 different stories now linked on front page. Here's their 10 recommendations

Based on its findings, the Task Force makes the following 10 Recommendations:

* Hire a professional General Manager of High Performance.

* Create a transparent, criteria-based Team Staff selection system.

* Restructure the composition of Team USA staffs.

* Shorten the U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Track & Field to five days.

* Terminate the National Relay Program.

* Establish a comprehensive 2012 team preparation program.

* Target technical events for medal growth and develop those events.

* Create a well-defined Professional Athlete designation.

* Establish a more stringent anti-doping reinstatement system.

* Promote and foster a self-sustaining professional athletes' union.

[26mi235]

Big story in the NY Times

Report Critical of USA Track & Field

"By LYNN ZINSER
Published: February 9, 2009

A committee charged with recommending solutions to track and field’s problems in the United States sharply criticized USA Track & Field’s operations and its athletes’ lack of professionalism in a report released Monday. It recommended significant changes for the sport, including shortening the Olympic trials, reducing the influence of agents and shoe company sponsors and creating an athletes’ union."

http://www.nytimes.com/2009/02/10/sp...k.html?_r=1&hp

[Mighty Favog]

Is this the first time in American history that management actually wanted the workforce to unionize?

As a card-carrying member of the AFL-CIO, I'm not being critical, just noting that this means they're not thinking along traditional lines here.

[gh]

And they're thinking that unionizing will reduce the power of agents? All the most rapacious pro-ball agents work in the context of a strong union setting.

[Marlow]

Re: USATF Task Force report is hard-hitting

1. Shorten the U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Track & Field to five days.
2. Terminate the National Relay Program.
3. Establish a comprehensive 2012 team preparation program.

1. Boutdamtime
2. Won't that just be a retitling? There has to be SOMETHING there.
3. Boutdamtime, except for the fact that some (many? most?) elite athletes(' coaches) know what's best for them.

[Jnathletics]

First off everyone involved in T&F has to ask the questions, Was this a valid exercise? Were the right people selected for the task force? and What was their mission?

It's seems to me it was a valid exercise but on the other two questions it failed. Why? because those on the task force seem to be unaware of the current events surrounding other professional sports, today.

(Just look at MLB, the union proved why Baseball should not be in the olympics, does T&F want to go the same direction? Would we like it if there was a group covering up T&F positvie tests? How will that be better for the sport? What really needs to be done is three strikes and your out as an agent. 3 athletes test positive under your contact and you lose your agent license from T&F. I can't believe anyone thinks a union for T&F athletes would be good for anyone. I can see it now all the legal fights as the union defends cheaters because the drug was not specificly named on the banned substance list, and many other issues.)

and their mission seemed to be only to validate the new CEO's plans.

There are just some many things wrong with this report, I don't know how to organize my thoughts. I guess I'll need 4 months for my rebuttle.

One other item before I go;

The committee took a dim view of athletes who squeezed in too many events between the trials and the Olympics, believing athletes were putting a higher priority on the paychecks from those events than on their chances for an Olympic medal.

Is it me or does this statement sound like something out of the old AAU days of the sport? ask jesse and pre how those days were?

Today's athletes are Professionals and the sport is an individual based events, so they should be allowed to make their decision based on what is best for them, not what looks good for a governing body. We are the land of the Free, unless you are an athlete I guess. Sorry but 23 medals are not a failure in my book. :x

[Jnathletics]

Re: USATF Task Force report is hard-hitting

Based on its findings, the Task Force makes the following 10 Recommendations:

* Hire a professional General Manager of High Performance..

Great another high paid buearcratic, who provides no real benefit to the sport. (Did you notice it's suppose to be someone outside T&F.)

* Create a transparent, criteria-based Team Staff selection system...

Have that, it's called the trials and based on the Olympic setup. Nothing better then the practice being like the real event to prepare for the Olympics.

* Shorten the U.S. Olympic Team Trials - Track & Field to five days....

Two weekends provides more coverage and better then one any day for those who agree with shortening. and isn't that why we hired this guy to get more press? How is removing half our coverage on our US champs give us more press coverage? This would be the stupidiest idea if it weren't for the union idea. Many lesser known events get their day in the sun when the meet is spread out over two weekends. If it goes to 5 days will we ever hear who won the WJav, SP, Disc, Hept or the M Hammer, 10K, or steeple?

* Terminate the National Relay Program.....

Sounded like a good idea but was poorly managed. Might want to look into its failure before dumping it.

* Establish a comprehensive 2012 team preparation program......

AAU anyone?

* Establish a more stringent anti-doping reinstatement system.......

The only good idea they had.

* Promote and foster a self-sustaining professional athletes' union.

Homer says it best "Do'h"

[EPelle]

Athlete's union decides to submit a ballot to strike in 2012 due to any number of reasons it feels justify such action. Ballot received, issues remain, an impasse is met, employees (athletes) walk off the job and miss Olympics? Union will serve what purpose other than to create better health and dental care programmes for the athletes?

[kuha]

One other item before I go;

The committee took a dim view of athletes who squeezed in too many events between the trials and the Olympics, believing athletes were putting a higher priority on the paychecks from those events than on their chances for an Olympic medal.

Is it me or does this statement sound like something out of the old AAU days of the sport? ask jesse and pre how those days were?

I agree totally with you on this point (and others). The failure of the report, in my opinion, is that it seems to be saying that success in the Olympics is the ONLY thing that matters in the sport. I've never agreed with anything remotely like that view. And, I'm all for athletes having the freedom to compete when & when they want to...

[polevaultpower]

The report has high praise for the Pole Vault Summit which is kind of funny because it has such minimal financial support from USATF. To the best of my knowledge, it's not a High Performance event, so the only USATF funding is the event development funding which I believe this year was 6k for men and 6k for women. That goes toward paying the travel expenses for the elite athletes, but I am sure it doesn't cover all of it, I think the event itself heavily subsidizes their travel (and the travel of the speakers and development staff coaches who conduct the learn by doing clinics).

It's just quite the contrast compared to the money poured into some of the high performance stuff.

[Conor Dary]

From the Times:

"The Olympic trials themselves came under question, but the committee called for retaining the selection process of sending the top three finishers to the Games."

The only way to go.

[gh]

the subject of the shortening of the Trials has been moved to its own thread.

[DrJay]

One other item before I go;

The committee took a dim view of athletes who squeezed in too many events between the trials and the Olympics, believing athletes were putting a higher priority on the paychecks from those events than on their chances for an Olympic medal.

Is it me or does this statement sound like something out of the old AAU days of the sport? ask jesse and pre how those days were? :x

Exactly what I though of, too. Is there also a section about blue blazers with breast-pocket patches and wives along for the ride?

[gh]

There's a link on front page now that takes you to today's teleconference on the report.

[DrJay]

Re: USATF Task Force report is hard-hitting

What kind of criteria could be used for that? Coach with most qualified athletes? Coach with most previous medal winners? I guess no new coaches should apply?

I have no idea what 'smoke-filled-backroom-committee' shenanigans go on to pick the staff, but it certainly appears to be purely 'political'. I'd love to see a 'transparent', criteria-driven process.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=P90sZu5CbcE