by Trixie | Apr 17, 2012 | News
INDIANAPOLIS – The USA Track & Field Foundation has presented Elite Athlete Development Grants of $3500 to Erica Moore (800 meters), Brenda Martinez (1500 meters) and Erica McClain (triple jump), Foundation Executive Director Tom Jackovic and Chairman Bob Greifeld announced today.
“It is our pleasure to again support three previous year USATF Foundation grantees who have recently served notice that they will be serious contenders to make the Olympic team this summer,” noted Jack Wickens, Foundation Director.
Erica Moore capped off an excellent 2012 indoor season by winning a bronze medal at the IAAF World Indoor Championships in Istanbul, Turkey. Moore also captured her first national title, winning the 800 meters at the USA National Indoor Championships in Albuquerque, NM.
This indoor season has seen Brenda Martinez capture a win at the inaugural US Open at Madison Square Garden, a third-place finish at the USA Track & Field Classic in Fayetteville, AR, and a fine silver medal performance at the National Indoor Championships, and in the process, being named to her first national team.
Erica McClain, a 2008 Olympian and 2-time USA Outdoor National Champion (2010, 2005), has made a remarkable comeback from serious injury to win the silver medal at the 2012 National Indoor Championships. McClain is also the 2008 NCAA Outdoor Champion.
The Foundation Elite Athlete Grant Program contributes to the pursuit of world-class performances by American post-collegiate track and field athletes. Athletes must meet minimum performance and financial need standards to be eligible.
by Trixie | Apr 11, 2012 | News
INDIANAPOLIS – The USA Track & Field Foundation has created a bonus pool of $50,000 that will be divided amongst prior elite athlete grant recipients who qualify, and represent Team USA at the 2012 London Olympic Games this summer, announced Foundation Executive Director Tom Jackovic and Chairman Bob Greifeld today.
Athletes who have been awarded an Elite Athlete Development Grant since the program’s inception are eligible to receive a share of the pool. To date, Foundation grants have been issued to 103 different Olympic hopefuls over the past several years, many of whom are serious contenders to represent the USA in London this summer. Individual bonuses will be determined by the number of grantee athletes earning a spot on the Olympic team.
In 2008, the Foundation awarded $5,000 bonuses to nine recipients of the Elite Athlete Development Grant program, including David Oliver and Stephanie Brown Trafton. Both competitors went on to win medals at the Beijing Games, Oliver taking bronze in the 110m hurdles and Trafton winning gold in the discus throw.
“The USATF Foundation is spot on with their mission to support athletes like myself who don’t have the media attention and financial backing of some of the more popular events,” said Stephanie Brown Trafton, 2008 Olympic champion. “You provided a way for my coach to travel to the biggest competition of my lifetime, and without that piece of the puzzle filled in, I would not have been able to accomplish my wonderful gold medal performance.”
These special bonus grants will assist athletes with expenses associated with their Olympic Games preparation, including training costs, coaching, travel to competitions, health insurance, and injury care & prevention.
The Foundation Elite Athlete Grant Program contributes to the pursuit of world-class performances by American post-collegiate track and field athletes. Athletes must meet minimum performance and financial need standards to be eligible.
by Trixie | Feb 29, 2012 | News
INDIANAPOLIS – The USA Track & Field Foundation will have six Elite Athlete Grant recipients competing as members of Team USA at the upcoming IAAF Indoor World Championships in Istanbul, Turkey, March 9-11, Foundation Executive Director Tom Jackovic and Chairman Bob Greifeld announced today.
The following athletes were named to Team USA as a result of finishing either first or second in their event this past weekend at the USA Indoor National Championships in Albuquerque, NM, and obtaining an IAAF qualifying standard in their individual event (with the exception of the 4×400 relay):
- Leslie Cole (’10 grant) – 4x400m relay
- Brenda Martinez (’10 grant) – 1500 meters
- Erica Moore (’11 grant) – 800 meters
- Mary Saxer (’12, ’10 grants) – pole vault
- Amanda Smock (’12 grant) – triple jump
- Jamaal Torrance (’12, ’11, ’10 grants) – 4x400m relay
The Foundation Elite Athlete Grant Program contributes to the pursuit of world-class performances by American post-collegiate track and field athletes. Athletes must meet minimum performance and financial need standards to be eligible.
by Trixie | Feb 13, 2012 | News
INDIANAPOLIS – The USA Track & Field Foundation successfully launched the inaugural Run With US! (RWUS!) program on Wednesday, February 8, 2012 at the John Muir Middle School in Los Angeles, CA, Foundation Executive Director Tom Jackovic and Chairman Bob Greifeld announced today.
The primary focus of RWUS! is fighting the epidemic of childhood obesity and its associated negative medical, social and psychological effects, especially as it relates to inner-city youth. By having elite athletes and Olympians as teachers, mentors and role models, the Foundation expects to positively impact the way children view exercise and nutrition.
“The launch of the Run With US! program marks an exciting new chapter in grant-making and programming for the USA Track & Field Foundation,” said Foundation Director Amory Rowe. “The Foundation has long been committed to engendering opportunities for both elite athletes and youths in the sport of track and field, and now with the launch of RWUS!, it hopes to combine aspects of both of those priority funding areas by enlisting the sport’s most talented athletes to serve on the frontlines of the battle against childhood obesity. The Foundation believes that the pilot program at the John Muir School – as well as other future RWUS! programs in Los Angeles and nationwide – will place some of our finest mentors in the most deserving communities to teach critically important – and even life-saving – lessons to our youngest citizens about the merits of leading healthy and fit lives.”
Athletes Ginnie Powell (100m hurdles) and Ryan Wilson (110m hurdles) led the first day’s activities and will spearhead the LA program throughout the initial six-week phase. Local non-profit LA’s Promise partnered with the USATF Foundation on the launch and will continue to assist the Foundation on an ongoing basis. Gallup Corporation has also signed on to provide program measurement.
After opening introductions, more than 125 middle-school kids were engaged in a trivia contest on nutrition, followed by an intense introduction to the fine art of sprinting and starting. Prizes were awarded to those that performed well. “Everyone had a blast,” noted Foundation Executive Director Tom Jackovic.
Also on-hand at John Muir for the launch were members of the USATF Foundation Board, including noted film producer Frank Marshall, Director Dan McClory, Executive Director Tom Jackovic; athletes Carmelita Jeter (2011 World Outdoor Champion & 2011 Jesse Owens Award winner), Nicole Leach (100m hurdles), Brandon Shaw (800m); from LA’s Promise Veronica Melvin (CEO) and Chaitali Gala (Associate Director, Special Projects).
“I believe our youth need positive and energetic role models, and what better way than bringing elite athletes and Olympians to our schools to share their journey, knowledge and wisdom,” said Zoila Gomez, elite marathoner and USATF Foundation program coordinator.
Please visit the Foundation’s Facebook page – Run With US! & The USA Track & Field Foundation – to get a true perspective at http://www.facebook.com/#!/pages/Run-With-US-The-USA-Track-Field-Foundation/221415794619893.
by Trixie | Feb 8, 2012 | News
INDIANAPOLIS – The USA Track & Field Foundation has presented Elite Athlete Development Grants to twenty athletes, Foundation Executive Director Tom Jackovic and Chairman Bob Greifeld announced today.
“It’s crunch time for these extraordinary young men and women athletes,” said Jack Wickens, Foundation Board member and leader of the elite athlete programs. “In less than 5 months they will try to earn one of the precious spots on the USA Olympic team.”
Athletes receiving $3500 grants include first time grantees Ben Bruce (3000 meter steeplechase, Crystal Manning (triple jump), Tori Polk (long jump), Jeffrey Porter (110 meter hurdles), Amanda Smock (triple jump), Christine Spence (400 meter hurdles) and Blessing Ufodiama (triple jump).
Repeat grantees receiving $3500 grants include Jim Dilling (high jump), Brianna Glenn (long jump), Jon Ryan Harlan (decathlon), Becky Holliday (pole vault), Mark Hollis (pole vault), Yvette Lewis (100 meter hurdles/triple jump), Melinda Owen (pole vault), Jacob Pauli (pole vault), Mary Saxer (pole vault), Alice Schmidt (800/1500 meters), Jamaal Torrance (400 meters), Bettie Wade (heptathlon) and Tiffany Williams (400 meter hurdles).
Well over 100 athletes have been supported by the USA Track & Field Foundation Elite Athlete Development Grant program, many of which have gone on to compete and medal at the Olympic Games, World Championships, Pan American Games and other international competitions.
The Foundation Elite Athlete Grant Program contributes to the pursuit of world-class performances by American post-collegiate track and field athletes. Athletes must meet minimum performance and financial need standards to be eligible.
by Trixie | Feb 1, 2012 | News
MR. & MRS. JOHN W. JAMES
INDIANAPOLIS – The USA Track & Field Foundation is very pleased to announce the 2012 recipients of a John W. James Endowment grant, USATF Foundation Chairman Bob Greifeld and Executive Director Tom Jackovic announced today.
Mark and Lori James & Frias Holding Company made the initial gift of $200,000 to the USATF Foundation in July of 2010 to seed the endowment, which is used to fund elite grants for men and women track athletes in the throwing events, and to promote and highlight the throwing events at major competitions.
“The James family and Frias Holding have gone to extraordinary means to honor John W. James and provide unprecedented support for Olympic throwing hopefuls,” said Jackovic.
The seventeen outstanding men and women receiving a $4000 grant include Gwendolyn Berry (hammer throw), Lance Brooks (discus throw), Noah Bryant (shot put), Mike Hazle (javelin throw), Britney Henry (hammer throw), Cyrus Hostetler (javelin throw), Kibwe Johnson (hammer throw), A.G. Kruger (hammer throw), Cory Martin (shot put), Suzy Powell (discus throw), Aretha Thurmond (discus throw), Sarah Walker (shot put/hammer throw), Ian Waltz (discus throw), Corey White (javelin throw), Russ Winger (discus throw/shot put), Jason Young (discus throw) and Rachel Yurkovich (javelin throw).
The Foundation will also be announcing the initial 2012 Elite Athlete Grants in the coming days.
