USA Track & Field is the national governing body for track and field, long distance running, race walking and cross country. This manual contains information and techniques for testing, teaching, training and maximizing the competetive performance of athletes in every track and field event.
USA Track & Field (USATF) is the national governing body for track and field, long-distance running, racewalking and cross country. It is the United States' member of the International Amateur Athletic Federation, the world governing body for Athletics, as well as a Group A member of the U.S. Olympic Committee.
Through their nationwide membership of more than 2,500 clubs, schools, colleges, universities, and other organizations interested in track and field, long-distance running, and racewalking, USATF promotes programs of training and competition for men and women and boys and girls of all ages; protects the interests and eligibility of its some 125,000 member-athletes; and establishes and maintains the sports' rules of competition. The USATF is comprised of 56 member Associations.
USA Track & Field's mission is to continue its leadership role as the world's preeminent national governing body in Athletics--from the grassroots to the elite level. It will provide opportunities for athletes of all ages to pursue excellence in long-distance running, racewalking, and track and field in the USA. USA Track & Field is located in Indianapolis, Indiana.
The contributing authors of USA Track & Field Coaching Manual are among the best coaches and experts in the sport of track and field. This unique collection of elite track and field experts share the training methods and coaching philosophies they have used to train national, world, and Olympic champions. The list of contributors includes the following:
- Joseph Rogers (organizing a successful program), Head Track and Cross Country Coach at Ball State University and former chair of the USATF Coaches Education Committee, contributes his expertise in the organization of a successful program and serves as editor of the manual. He has been coaching since 1965 and at Ball State in NCAA Division I since 1984. He has coached 22 NAIA All-Americans and three NCAA-I All-Americans.
- Phil Henson (predictive testing of athletes), investigator of track and field talent identification, has been coaching track and field for 25 years at the junior high, high school, and university level. He also was former commissioner of the U.S. Olympic Festival from 1983 to 1995 and Competition Manager of the 1996 Olympic Games.
- Paul Turner (predictive testing of athletes), Assistant Track and Field Coach at Harvard University, has 17 years of Division I coaching experience. He brings to the manual experience in the practical application of talent identification and human performance.
- Curtis Frye (100 and 200 meters), coach of Allen Johnson (1996 gold medalist) and 30 NCAA championships, was named the 1999 World Championship Coach. He currently is the Head Track and Field and Cross Country Coach at the University of South Carolina.
- Clyde Hart (400 meters), head track and field coach at Baylor University, is a world-renowned 400-meter coach who has trained many world and Olympic champions, including world-record holder Michael Johnson.
- Ralph Lindeman (100- and 110-meter hurdles), Head Track and Field Coach at the U.S. Air Force Academy, has been on the NCAA Track & Field Rules Committee since 1996 and Chairman of the USA Track & Field's Men's Development/Hurdle Subcommittee since 1992. He was the Head Coach of the USA Men's team at the 1999 Pan American Games in Winnipeg and on the coaching staff of the USA Men's team at the 1992 World Junior Championships in Seoul, Korea.
- John Millar (100- and 110-meter hurdles), Assistant Track Coach/Speed Coach at the University of Notre Dame, has a list of accomplishments that include Head Coach of U.S. National Team at the 1999 World Indoor Championships, Women's Hurdles Coordinator for USA Track & Field, Assistant Coach of the U.S. Pan American Junior Team in 1993, and Coach of the 1984 gold Medalist in 100m hurdles, Benita Fitzgerald.
- Gary Winckler (400-meter hurdles) is currently the Head Women's Track & Field and Cross Country coach at the University of Illinois. He has been named Big Ten Coach of the Year five times (1988, 1989, 1992, 1993, and 1995). Along with his many accomplishments, he has coached three NCAA-I 400-meter hurdle champions, four 400-meter hurdle Olympians, and seven 400-meter hurdles All-Americans.
- Mike Poehlein (800 meters-mile) has been the Head Track and Field and Cross Country Coach for Purdue University for twenty-five years. He was Head Coach for the U.S. team in the Junior Pan American Games in 1997 and was named Big Ten Cross Country Coach of the Year in 1995. From 1989 to 1997, he also traveled to Europe with the Men's Middle Distance Olympic Development for summer competition.
- Lance Harter (3,000-10,000 meters) is currently Head Women's Track & Field Coach at the University of Arkansas. Harter was selected to coach the U.S. women's team at the 1999 World Outdoor Championships. He also was Team USA women's coach at the 1987 World Championships in Warsaw, Poland leading the squad to a team title, as well as coaching the 1984 U.S. team at the World Indoor Track and Field Championships in Paris, France.
- Harry Groves (3,000-10,000 meters) is currently Head Men's Track and Field and Cross Country Coach at Penn State University. He was Head Coach of the USA Team at the 1989 World Cup, as well as Head Coach at the World Championships in 1995, Gothenberg, Sweden. He also was Assistant Olympic Coach in 1992. He has coached 11 American-record holders, 19 national champions, and 13 Olympians.
- Rob Johnson (relays), Head Track and Field Coach at Wabash College, will be one of five assistant coaches for the USA Track and Field Team at the 2000 Olympic Games. Some of his accomplishments include longtime work with the Olympic Development Committee and two U.S. Junior National Teams, one of which broke two world records, as well as head track coach for the North Team at the 1983 Olympic Sports Festival in Colorado Springs and assistant coach at the National Sports Festival in New York.
- Karen Dennis (relays), Head Coach for the 2000 Olympics USA Track and Field team, currently coaches at the University of Nevada in Las Vegas. She has coached many outstanding athletes, including Judi Brown-King, 1984 Olympic silver medalist in the 400-meter hurdles; 12-time Big Ten champion sprinter Cheryl Gilliam; three-time All-American and 13-time Big Ten champion Odessa Smalls; and cross country All-American, 10,000-meter All-American, and Big Ten champion Mary Shea.
- Kyle Tellez (long jump), Assistant Coach at the University of Houston, has coached NCAA All-Americans John Davis, Nathan Labus, and Edwina Ammonds.
- Kathy James (long jump), formerly the Assistant Track and Field Coach at the University of Texas, was the USA Track and Field Women's Development Coordinator for Long Jump and Triple Jump from 1990 to 1995. She also was involved with the Olympic Sports and Festival Teams for the South in 1990 and 1991. In 1991, she traveled with the U.S. Junior National Team.
- Dean Hayes (triple jump), Head Track and Field Coach at Middle Tennessee State University, has coached several All-Americans and three Olympians. These Olympians include Tommy Haynes and Rayfiel Dupree in the triple jump and Brian Oldfield in shot put. His coaching accomplishments also include head coach of the U.S. team that competed in the World University Games in 1985, coach for the U.S. team at the 1988 Olympic Games, head coach of the 1990 Goodwill Games, head coach of the U.S. team that competed in the World Cup in 1994, and head coach of the 1997 World Championship team.
- Sue Humphrey (high jump), USATF Women's Development Chairman, has been named the Nike Elite Coach of the Year. She was an Olympic Coach in 1992 and 1996. Some of her additional accomplishments include USA National Team Coach since 1974, Head Pan Am Games Coach 1987, Head World Cup Coach in 1985 and Head Olympic Manager in 1992.
- Doug Nordquist (high jump) is a former USA Outdoor High Jump (7'8") Champion. He was fifth place on the 1984 Olympic Team, the 1986 Goodwill Champion, and a two-time National Champion. He currently belongs to the USATF High Jump Development team.
- Jim Bemiller (pole vault), Pole Vault Coach at the University of Tennessee, has coached five NCAA title winners and seventeen NCAA All-Americans.
- William Godina (shot put), author of the USATF Instructor Training Course, also was the coach of the 1990 Junior National Discus Champion. He belongs to the USATF Coaching Education Program and coaches throws for Cheyenne Central High School in Cheyenne, Wyoming.
- Ronald Backes (shot put) is currently Assistant Track Coach (throws) at Ohio State University. He was a shot put competitor in the 1992 Summer Olympics as well as U.S. Indoor Shot Put Champion in 1991 and U.S. Outdoor Shot Put Champion in 1987, 1988, 1991, and 1992.
- Don Babbitt (discus) throws and Multi-Events Coach at the University of Georgia has coached 45 NCAA qualifiers, 45 All-Americans, and 15 NCAA Champions. One of his outstanding performers includes Janet Hill, who still holds the NCAA Division II discus throw record; she is a three-time qualifier for the U.S. Olympic Trials and was ranked sixth in the United States in 1993.
- C. Harmon Brown (javelin) has coached numerous All-Americans and three Olympians in throwing events. He currently is the throws coach for Millbrae Lions Track Club, California State University, Hayward, and San Francisco State University. He has coached at the club, high school, collegiate, and national and international levels since 1953.
- Bill Webb (javelin), Head Coach at the University of Tennessee, has coached 10 NCAA Champions, 49 Division I All-Americans, 51 Division II All-Americans, 35 SEC Champions and a total of 24 Olympic Trials competitors. Included in these outstanding athletes is Tom Petranoff, former world-record holder in the javelin, and Bob Roggy, a past American record holder.
- Bob Sing (javelin) is currently practicing as an Emergency, Family, and Sports physician. He authored the book Dynamics of the Javelin Throw, 1984. He was a Division III NCAA Champion in 1974 and a finalist in the 1980 U.S. Olympic Trials.
- Ken Bantum (hammer), former NCAA and USA Track and Field Shot Put champion and Olympian, formerly shared his talent at Saint John's University as the Throws Coach. He has coached athletes to 10 National Championships, and indoors and out American recordholding athletes have competed in the Pan American Games, World Games, and Olympic Games in Hammer Throw.
- Jeff Salvage (racewalking) holds the position of U.S. Junior National Racewalk Coordinator. He also is the coach of national class racewalkers. He is a former international racewalking competitor himself and has been the director of racewalks at the Penn Relays.
- Bohdan Bolwicaski (racewalking) was the former coach in residence at the Arco Training Center and a former Olympic racewalker himself.
- Gwen Robertson (racewalking) is currently Head Girls and Boys Track Coach at Issaquah High School in Washington. She is the National Team Coordinator and a former National Team racewalking member.
- Ian Whatley (racewalking) is the USA Track & Field Sports and Sciences Subcommittee Chair. He has competed in three U.S. Olympic trials and has competed internationally in racewalking. He currently is an advanced concepts and research and design consultant in the sporting goods industry.
- Gary Westerfield (racewalking) is currently on the IAAF racewalk Judges Panel. At this time, he is one of only three certified judges in the U.S. and one of only 60 around the world. He is the coach of national-class racewalkers and coaches Boy's Track and Field at Smithtown High school in New York. Formerly, he was the TAC National Team Coordinator for racewalking.
- Cliff Rovelto (Heptathlon), Head Track and Field Coach at Kansas State University, has coached two Olympians, three NCAA Champions, and 59 NCAA All-Americans. These include Nicole Green, NCAA outdoor 400-meter champion; Percell Gaskins, 1993 NCAA indoor high jump champion; Connie Teaberry, six-time All-American high jumper; and Clifton Etheridge, six-time Big Eight horizontal jump title winner.
- Harry Marra (decathlon) is currently the coach of the USA National Decathlon Team. Since its founding in 1990, the National Team now holds every possible World Record in decathlon competition. Marra has been named as coach for the Olympic Festival (1981 and 1982) and three times coach for the USA Decathlon Team that competed against the Germans, Russians, and Canadians. He has recently been named as Assistant Coach for the 1999 Pan American Games. Brian Brophy, Marra's current top decathlete, made the USA World Championship Team, Gothenborg, Sweden, 1995, was third at the 1998 USA National Championships, and represented the U.S. at the 1998 Goodwill Games.
