26 Jul USA Track & Field Foundation Expands Its Mission To Support The Long-Term Career Development Of USA’s Top Track & Field Athletes
PITTSBURGH – During the past few days the USA Track & Field Foundation announced grants to 115 athletes totaling over $2.4 million. This funding is aimed at supporting the pursuit of the lofty athletic performance dreams of these athletes. With this announcement our Foundation Board Of Directors also aims to invest in the long term life goals of these grantee athletes.
The USA Track & Field Foundation is partnering with AthleteBiz, a non-profit that was founded by Jack Wickens, a board director of the Foundation since 2006, to offer a suite of career services, called YourNextSuccess, which includes professional career coaching, skills/interest assessments, job leads, internships, financial planning, mental health well-being and an extraordinary list of mentors. All of the expert career professionals and mentors in this program are deep fans of our sport. Many of them were pro athletes and/or competed in the Olympics themselves in their past.
Each of the announced 115 grantees will be given access to a special YourNextSuccess career development grant of up to $500, designed to cover at least 70% of highly discounted cost of career support for each athlete, customized to their unique individual needs and stage of athletic life. The YourNextSuccess program was launched a few years ago and has produced feedback like this from Sam Mattis, Tokyo Olympics Discus thrower:
“YourNextSuccess has helped me start thinking about and preparing for what comes after track while still giving me the space to work hard on the track. I’ve begun to rethink my career options and my career coach has been a great help for approaching this next step in my life.”
“Our board of directors all know from personal experience the vital importance of preparation, networking and professional assistance to achieve career success”, says USA Track & Field Foundation Chairman Bob Greifeld, “and we stand ready to help our grantees prepare for their post-athletic life at the time and at the pace that works best for them.”
AthleteBiz is a 501(c)3 which offers a wide array of services to support athlete’s “off the track” goals. To learn more about the YourNextSuccess career program visit here: https://www.abyournextsuccess.com/ or contact Jack Wickens at jack@athletebiz.com.