"Take 5" Foundation Director spotlight, featuring Dan McClory

Dan's been involved in track & field for over 35 years, including coaching youth distance athletes at St. Mary & All Angels School, in Aliso Viejo, CA. He recently received an Honorary Doctorate in Public Service from Eastern Michigan University and addressed its morning commencement ceremony. Dan is a Managing Director at Hunter Wise Financial Group, LLC, in Irvine, CA, leading the Small Cap Equities practice. We caught up with him for a few minutes to ask about his experiences and impressions of our sport.

We asked Dan for his thoughts on the following “Take 5” questions:

Foundation: How did you become interested in track & field and which athlete or athletes captured your attention?

DM: My first coach at Royal Oak Dondero High School near Detroit, Emmett Evans, Jr., made track exciting my freshman year. Coach Evans had an engaging, energizing style, along with open tryouts. So following football season, after I was cut from the basketball team, I got hooked. Really proves that at the earlier ages, ‘it’s the coach’ who makes the difference.

Early heroes included Craig Virgin, Steve Prefontaine, Dave Wottle and Frank Shorter. Foreigners John Walker and Henry Rono were big stars back then as well.

Foundation: What is your favorite memory from competing in track & field at Eastern Michigan University?

DM: Winning the 1979 Central Collegiate Conference Indoor Championships at Illinois State and getting a PR in the two mile was a highlight. But just being a part of a 40-man cross country roster as a three-year captain and competing on an 80-strong team in track and field for indoors and outdoors was fantastic. Running with sub-4:00 milers and national-caliber athletes in an “elite but not elitist” program was tops. Coach Bob Parks’ inclusive meritocracy allowed me to be associated with a distinguished track and field program at EMU that’s sent an athlete to EVERY Summer Olympic Games for the past FIFTY years.

Foundation: What inspired you to get involved with the USA Track & Field Foundation?

DM: Getting the call from NASADAQ CEO Bob Greifeld, the Foundation’s Chairman, who I knew of through my international investment banking business was the difference. Knowing that, if Bob could find the time to support the USATF Foundation, so could I.

Foundation: Your thoughts on how you would increase the visibility and popularity of the sport.

DM: I’d like to spin out the corporate revenue-generating and media assets of the USATF from the national governing body into a special purpose vehicle, financed with institutional investment capital, and with a name-brand broadcaster as an equity partner. We could use the funding to drive sustained and consistent TV exposure and live audiences, along with greatly increased revenues, among other possibilities.

Foundation: Please tell us about your experiences coaching youth athletes at St. Mary & All Angels School.

DM: Over an eight-year period while my daughter Shaye attended St. Mary’s, I was able to coach the first through fourth grade “distance runners” in the 200 and 400. We won seven Orange County Parochial Athletic League Championships, against some 60+ schools in Southern California. Shaye is now a sophomore sprinter at Dana Hills High School in Dana Point, CA, and competes in the 200, 400 long jump and 400/1,600 relays. Seeing some of the St. Mary’s athletes now go on to compete in college is especially gratifying.

Thanks Dan!

Contact:
Tom Jackovic
Executive Director
USATF Foundation
(412) 398-2484