RACEWALKING AT THE COLLEGIATE LEVEL Georgia Race Walkergeorgia.usatf.org/USATF_ASSOC_45/files/eb/ebdb321a-6146... · 2016-10-14 · volume 1 september 2016 walking and rolling race

It is surreal to think

that after the inaugural

issue with its 16 pages

of information and

news that there is still a lot to report and share,

but there is.

The reception to the

first issue of the

Georgia Race Walker was very

welcoming. I received several comments

that inspired me to complete this issue and

that is motivating me to consider a

monthly or at the least a bi-monthly issue

instead of the original idea of maybe three

or 4 times a year.

Although I have not yet fully felt the depth

of dialogues inspired by my challenges,

the mission or the vision, the number of

responses to the last issue and submissions

to the next issues humbles me. In fact, the

challenge resulted in my receipt of

numerous articles and video links.

Thank you to all who sent articles, news,

comments and the request nominations for USATF-GA Race Walk Committee Race

Walk of the Year categories. Your

responses are awe-inspiring. This issue

also features the USATF-GA Race Walk

Committee Race Walk of the Year Award

recipients, as well as introduces many of

you, via a Spotlight Feature, to Olympian

Gary Morgan, a.k.a. “Mr. Ubiquitous.”

ISSUE 2

SEPTEMBER 2016

VOLUME 1

WALKING AND ROLLING

RACE WALK OF THE YEAR SPOTLIGHTS

FEATURING MR. UBIQUITOUS

USATF-GA MACH 2 DEVELOPMENTAL

MEET/USATF-GA ASSOCIATION 1500M,

3000M, 5K & 10K CHAMPIONSHIP/USATF

SE 5K & 10K CHAMPIONSHIP

RACEWALKING AT THE COLLEGIATE LEVEL WALK TALK – RESPECT, TOLERANCE, UNDERSTANDING, APPRECIATION MARK YOUR CALENDAR

Time to Walk and Roll by Jean Williams USATF-GA Race Walk Chair

As stated in the August issue, my goal, as

USATF-GA Race Walk Chair is to

support, inform, promote and recognize,

the sport and its athletes regardless of

affiliations and the meets in which athletes

participate. It is my belief that in order to

grow and promote the sport, it is of upmost importance to welcome and

encourage all race walkers.

Our strength is in numbers, elite or

beginner, active or post competitive. All

who share our common interest are always

welcome. Through our efforts, I believe

that our membership as race walk athletes

and as an organization will lead to

increased participation and that because of

our efforts, we will enhance our future

activities.

Please do not forget to mark your calendar

with upcoming events (see page 9 for a

schedule). If you are able to volunteer,

officiate and/or participate, do not forget

to sign up.

Please remember that several of our

Masters (Alan, Larry, and Joel) will

contest the race walk at the Georgia

Golden Olympics in Warner Robbins on September 23. If you are able, consider

coming out to cheer them on

.

and/or to volunteer or officiate.

Regardless, cheer them on in spirit.

Registration is at www.athletic.net for the

October Southeast/GA Association Race

Walk Championship. Spread the word. All events are opened to all age groups. The

Clinic and 800m race are free and do not

require a USATF membership. The

1500m, 3000m, 5K and/or 10K require a

$20-25 fee (see page 9 for a copy of the

flyer).

I again extend the invitation to you to

share copies of the Georgia Race Walker

newsletter with others. Share via e-mail,

social media, leave copies in the waiting

room of the hairdresser, barber, medical dentist, and legal offices. Leave a copy in

the break room at work. Educate others on

the many wonderful happenings in the

world of race walking. Share with others

the achievements of our athletes

regardless if they walk for exercise, health

and/or competition. I look forward to

working with you and invite you to join us

in the potential implementation of new

programs and initiatives. Consider

checking out our new Facebook page. I hope to see it develop as we continue this

journey together.

Thank you for sharing

your passion, time, and

ideas with me.

wit

Georgia Race Walker Walking it Out in the Peach State!

While at the 2016 AAU Junior Olympic Games, race walkers had the opportunity to be judged by Olympian Gary Morgan who also is known as “Mr. Ubiquitous” because of his omnipresence escapades around the world. Gary is an aficionado of sports who began his running career while a high school student. He later found his true love of race walking when he competed at an AAU track competition 41 years ago, in 1975, when he was fifteen. Gary’s passion for the race walk has led him to compete in the 20K and 50K events at six Olympic Trials. Gary Morgan's accomplishments include five qualifying finishes for the Olympic Time Trials. At the 1988 USA Olympic Trials, Gary placed 1

st which resulted in him

representing America as a race walker in the Seoul, South Korea Summer Olympics. In the 1992 Olympic trials, he placed 2nd. Gary’s resume is impressive and includes the following achievements, some of which we have already mentioned:

1988 USA Olympian in the 20k Walk

Won 17 National Championships from 1985-2000: Distances from 5k to 40k

Six Olympic Trials from 1984-2004 in the 20k and 50k events. Placed 1

st in 1988, 2

nd

in 1992, and 3rd

in 1996

Competed on 17 National USA teams in Race walking, Olympics, Pan Am games, World Cup and various other teams

Carried the Olympic Torch in 1996 and 2002

Is an officer of the USATF Athlete’s Advisory Committee to the U.S. Olympics.

Named New York Athletic Club's Athlete of the Year in 1997

Ran a 2:35:40 Marathon in 1981 before beginning to race walk

Ran or walked over 60 marathons, that includes, New York, Boston, Chicago, Kilimanjaro, & Antarctica

Ran the Comrades ultra Marathon [56miles] in South Africa, 2009 & 2010

Served as a pacer for 20 marathons

Climbed Mt Kilimanjaro, Africa's Highest Mountain in 2006

Participated in 8 Olympics, competing, volunteering, or doing media work

Traveled in 38 countries and all 50 states.

Michigan Sports Hall of Fame Inductee.

Serves, 2008-present, on the Athlete Advisory Committee- USOC representative alternate, For USATF

Served USATF in various capacities

Serves as Michigan’s Road Runners Club of America State, 2005 - present

Currently a videographer and writer As one can see based on Gary’s resume, his passion for sports is not limited to competing. Gary, a television reporter for the Running Network and writer for Michigan Runner, shares publish accounts of his world travels providing anecdotes related to his adventures, which are not limited to running and/or walking, but also includes escapades of mountain biking, cross-country skiing, camping and all outdoor sports. Gary’s volunteerism is a priority with him. Since retiring as an electrician from General Motors, he commits countless hours to community initiatives, whether reading to children at Salvation Army Shelters, working with youth from The Save the Family Foundation, or serving as an official at the AAU Junior Olympic Games. In recognition of his work as a community volunteer, Gary received the 2011 Jackie Joyner Kersee Award for his dedication to track and field and community service. After meeting Gary in Humble, I requested an interview from him.” Upon returning from Rio, “Mr. Ubiquitous” took time out to answer the following questions: Q: What has been your biggest race walk accomplishment? A: My biggest accomplishment was making the 1988 Olympic team. Q: What is/was your race walk training ritual? A: When I was training, I usually did around 50-60 miles per week. 2 hours a day, many days, I did double workouts. Q: What was the most difficult thing about race walking for you? A: The most difficult challenge was the loneliness of training for hours by myself, especially on cold windy winter days in Michigan. Q: You have had an abundance of experiences and successes as a race walker, what goals related to race walk are you trying to accomplish now? A: Now that I'm retired from competitive walking, my goal is to inspire people of all ages to be active and to have goals in life. No matter what your age you must have goals or you won't do anything. Life without goals sucks. Q: What do you think about all the recent doping bans as it relates to the Olympics? A: It doesn't surprise me and it’s too bad. The real truth about doping is “For the Love of Money” is the root of all evil. This is why athletes use drugs. Many times, agents, Lawyers, Coaches, federations, (and the list continues), coerce them into taking drugs. It

has been there for years; yet, at this time in sports it seems to be getting worse as athletes chase more money than ever. Q: How do you see the growth of race walking? A: Walking seems to be growing a bit in developing countries and the Far East. Since the USA and Caribbean, countries dominate sprinting and Africa dominates the long distance races. Walking is a great spot for countries that want medals outside of those events. There are nine walking medals in world track events. That can be a great motivating tool for other countries to get into walking now that Russia is banned for the mean time. Q: What advice can you offer youth race walkers regarding being teased, disrespected, and/or treated as if the race walk is not a reputable sport? A: As for people not respecting walking as a sport, I would tell race walk athletes to ignore them and keep moving forward; to have thick skin; and to be proud and confident in what they do with their lives. I heard all the crazy comments for years; yet, I stuck with it and became an Olympian. In addition, I would advise them to cross train in the off-season with running, cycling, skiing, swimming or any other sport that they enjoy doing and to Keep walking but participate in other sports that interest them. Q: Some non-Georgia high schools have race walk as a sport; what do you think about race walking as a high school event? A: It would be great to have walking in the high schools as well as in colleges and universities. With nine Olympic medals up for grabs, walking should be included in these programs. Q: What ideas do you have about promoting race walk with young people? A: I believe we should promote it as a manly and womanly sport. The armed services and police academy's make recruits march all the time. We should talk to them about starting walking competitions in the military and police academies. USATF should even consider sending coaches to these places. WCAP World Class Athlete program is big in the Army. It should be encouraged by all the other armed forces and police academies in America. I believe we could find some good walkers there. A special thanks to “Mr. Ubiquitous” for the interview and for providing us with resources to help with this spotlight. We are lucky to have an opportunity to become acquainted with and inspired by an actual Race Walk Olympian.

Getting to Know Olympian Gary Morgan a.k.a. “Mr. Ubiquitous”

Jordan Crawford (Douglasville, GA), a scholar-athlete in Douglas County HS’ International Baccalaureate Program., received the 2016 USATF-GA Race Walk Committee’s Male Youth Athlete of the Year Award and was recognized for accomplishing the

High School 1 Mile Race Walk Georgia records. So far, Jordan is the only Georgia high school race walker who in 2016 ranks nationally Anyone who becomes acquainted with Jordan knows that although relatively quiet and very humble, his passion for the race walk is second-to-none. He is a multifaceted athlete who competes in the 800m, 1500m, 1600m, 3000m, 3200m, Cross-Country 5K, the 2000m Steeplechase and on several relays. When given an opportunity to select one event to run, he usually chooses the race walk. Most people know that when it comes to race walk, you have those who strongly dislike it, those who tolerate it and those who love it. Jordan not only loves the event, he appreciates it and has an honorable respect for the sport. Jordan has race walked for seven years and has accumulated many race walking honors, accolades and awards. In addition to his numerous local, state, district, and regional race walk medals, and his race walk records, he is a nationally-decorated race walk athlete, known in the youth circuit. His athletic bio includes the following national honors. *1st Place – 2010 AAU Junior

Olympics *1st Place – 2011 AAU Junior

Olympics *2nd Place – 2012 AAU Junior

Olympics 1

st Place – 2013 AAU Club Nationals

5th Place – 2013 USATF Junior Olympics

3rd

Place – 2013 AAU Junior Olympics 1

st Place – 2014 AAU Club Nationals

2nd Place – 2014 AAU Junior ‘Olympics

2nd Place – 2014 USATF Junior Olympics.

1st Place – 2015 USATF Junior Olympics

3rd Place – 2015 AAU Junior Olympics 5th Place – 2016 New Balance

Outdoors 2nd Place – 2016 USATF Junior

Olympics 1st Place – 2016 AAU Junior Olympics 2016 University of West Georgia &

OSP Elite Athlete Talent Identification Combine Invite & Participant

4-Time USATF Race Walk Honor Roll Honoree (2014, 2015, 2016)

2016 - Youth Representative on the USATF-GA Race Walk Committee

2016 – Georgia High School Race Walk Record (Indoor & Outdoor Mile)

2016 – Only Georgia High School Race Walker ranked nationally among the top high school race walkers.

To give you an opportunity to know Jordan better, our committee reached out to him for the interview below: Q: How did you become involved in the race walk? A: My coach, Coach Vaughn, invited me and several other team members to try the 1500M race walk. Q: What do you like about race walking? A: I like that the race walk involves certain rules and technique. Q: What has been your greatest race walk accomplishment? A: My greatest accomplishment is probably winning the gold at a National Junior Olympic in my first year of race walking. Q: When did it dawn on you that you had a special gift for race walking? A: Learning the technique came easily to me. I realized almost instantly that I was good at the sport. Q: How much do you practice? A: Because of my school involvement in cross country and track & field, I mainly practice 1-2 times a week during the summer season during my regular track practice. Q: For you, what is the most difficult thing about race walking? A: Trying to stay focused the entire race because maintaining form and technique is crucial so as not to be carded.

Q: What are your race walk goals? A: As always, my short-term goal is always to continue to lower my time. Since I am now in my junior year of high school, I also am working on being able to compete in the race walk at the collegiate level. My long-term goal is to one day compete at the Olympics in 2020 or 2024. Q: What are your thoughts about this year’s recent doping bans of Olympic race walk athletes? A: It is a tragedy that doping happens but I am glad there are serious punishments to those who dope. The last thing race walking needs is the playing field being unfair. Q: How do you see the growth of the race walk? A: My hope is that it gets the recognition it deserves. The Olympics usually help boost the awareness temporarily, but we need to find a way to keep the momentum going after the Olympics. Q: Are you ever teased or disrespected? A: I get teased about race walking a lot, but it doesn’t bother me much because I know those doing the teasing do not realize how difficult the race walk is to do. What I found is that those who have actually tried to race walk, for at least 400m attempt it; they come away with a newfound respect for the sport. Q: Some non-Georgia high schools include the race walk as an event in their track & field program. What do you think about race walking as a high school event in Georgia? A: I think Georgia should implement the race walk into Georgia high schools as a sport and that it should be contested at the state level of track and field. This would increase the awareness of the sport and potentially will boost its popularity. Because there could be some hidden talent discovered, it will also help the USATF with its shortage of race walkers in the USA. This will be a huge asset to the USA and will compliment the need for our country to recruit race walkers from other country. Q: How do you perceive your race walk future? A: As results-base accomplishments of my aforementioned goals: race walking at the collegiate, Olympic, national and international levels.

Committee Commemorates Crawford Success

When it comes to race walking in the 9 year-old

girls age division, eight-year old Abigail Quinn

is second to only a few. In fact, her 1500m time

was better than the 11 and 12-year-old girls, as

well as the 9, 10, 11, and 12-year-old boys. In

the 10-year-old girls division, she would have

been second.

Abigail, a 3rd

grade straight A student, began

running track when she was four. She began by

contesting the 1500m run, the shot put, and the

turbo-javelin in the 2013-2016 AAU junior

Olympic Games. When Abigail turned six, she

began training for the race walk with her

brothers, Samuel and Josiah. Both brothers are

All American Race Walkers who have also been

National Champions. She raced walked in

several meets last year but was unable to

compete at Nationals because there is not a 7-8

year old race walk division.

In 2016, Abigail’s race walk achievements

included:

Set the meet record at the Mark Trail

with an 8:47.45 time

Won the AAU GA District

Championship and Qualifier with an

8:40

Won the AAU Region 8 Championship

and Qualifier with an 8:19.96

Won the AAU Club National

Championship and broke the record by

30.21 seconds with the time of 8:20.43.

Won the AAU Junior Olympic

Champion with a time of 8:08.02;

breaking the previous record by 42.1

seconds.

Presented with the USATF-GA Race

Walk Committee Record Breaker

Award

Voted the USATF-GA Race Walk

Female Youth Athlete of the Year

Award.

Abigail is coached by her father, Scott Quinn of

Abigail Quinn: Record Breaking Champion

Recognized as USATF-Georgia Race Walk

Committee Female Youth Athlete of the Year

USATF-GA Race Walk Committee Recognizes Abigail Quinn as Female Youth Race Walker of the Year

Abigail’s father, Scott Quinn, coaches her her. Coach

Quinn is the head coach of Quintessential Track Club.

Female Youth Athlete of the Year Abigail Quinn

Quintessential Track Club

Male Youth Athlete of the Year Jordan Crawford

E-1 Track Club

Masters Athlete of the Year Alan Moore

Atlanta Track Club

Race Walk Coach of the Year Vaughn Williams

E-1 Track Club

Event Organizer of the Year Pamela Williams

Oval Street Productions

Club Race Walkers of the Year E-1 Track Club

High School Race Walk State Records of the

Year as noted on hsrw.net Camryn Curtis

E-1 Track Club

Outdoor 1 Mile Race Walk (Dream Mile)

9:45.97

Jordan Crawford

E-1 Track Club

Outdoor 1 Mile (New Balance Outdoors) 7:11.42

1500m National Race Walk Record Breakers Abigail Quinn

Quintessential Track Club

AAU Club Nationals

8:20.43

Abigail Quinn

Quintessential Track Club

AAU Junior Olympics

8:08.02

Joshua Sleight

E-1 Track Club (E-1 at time of Achievement; He is now a member of AMP)

TFCUSA Indoor

9:01.85

Nathaniel Grimes

E-1 Track Club

TFCUSA Indoor

8:55.47

USATF-GA Race Walk Committee Proudly

Announces 2016 Race Walk Awards Recipients

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Alan Moore, USATF Master Race Walker and member of the Atlanta Track Club Elite has been race walking for seven years. When asked how many race walkers were in his club, he noted, “Currently, I believe there are only two race walkers, Joel Dubow and myself. Our interview with Alan resulted in the following responses: Q: How did you become involved in the race walk? A: When I attended a free Walking Club of Georgia race walk clinic put on by Dan Strohl and Charles Williams I became "hooked" on race walk. Q: What do you like about race walking? A: I enjoy the physical and mental aspects of race walking and the fact that a person can burn as many calories as running with much lower impact on the leg joints. Q: What has been your greatest race walk accomplishment? A: Difficult to say, but one of my biggest RW accomplishments was walking a 1500m with an Age Grade of 80.68 % and within 6+ seconds of All American at the 2013 National Senior Games in Cleveland, OH. Other big accomplishments were setting an age group American Record for M65-69 and M70-74 in the Indoor Mile at JDL Fast Track in Winston-Salem, North Carolina. Unfortunately, this accomplishment did not receive recognition because the RW judges did not have proper certification levels for the records to count. Q: When did it dawn on you that you had a special gift for race walking? A: After the first six months of race walking and learning hip rotation and proper arm swing technique, I realized I could be competitive in my age group. Q: How much do you practice? A: I currently practice race walking averaging 5 days a week. Q: For you, what is the most difficult thing about race walking? A: The most difficult thing about race walking for me is keeping my head up and unequal arm swing. Dominant left arm swings faster than right arm.

Q: Do have any race walk goals? If so, what are they? A: At my age RW goals are becoming less important. However, I would still love to achieve All American status in the 1500m or mile race walk. Primary goal is to remain uninjured. Q: What do you think about all the recent doping bans this year as it relates to the Olympics, especially involving race walkers? A: I'm glad the Russian race walkers were banned because their RW program had been using performance-enhancing drugs for many years Q: How do you see the growth of the race walk? A: I believe and hope race walking will continue to grow and improve especially in elementary, middle and high schools with proper guidance and coaching. Q: Has anyone ever disrespected you, as a race walker? A: I am never disrespected as a race walker except by clueless young kids. Q: Some non-Georgia high schools include the race walk as an event in their track & field program. What do you think about race walking as a high school event in Georgia? A: I believe the USATF-GA former Race Walk Chair, Jim Norvill, was on the right track speaking to H.S. track coaches; even though many of the coaches turn a deaf ear about race walk. USATF-GA should make another attempt to have a separate walking division with awards in the Publix Georgia Half and Full Marathon, the Thanksgiving Day Half Marathon/5K, and other high profile races in Georgia i.e. the Soldier Marathon, Half/5K at Ft. Benning and the Berry College Half Marathon /5K and others. Q: How do you perceive your future as it relates to race walking? A: I plan to continue as a Masters race walker as long as I remain competitive in my age group. Currently I have no desire to be a race walk official or judge. However, that may change in the future.

Getting Acquainted with Alan Moore, USATF-Georgia Race

Walk Committee’s Master Race Walk Athlete of the Year

Pamela Hudson Williams, USATF-GA’s 2016 Race Walk Committee’s Honoree as Race Walk Event Organizer of the Year has been involved in track and field for several years. For eight seasons, Pamela has been instrumental in not only organizing track meets, but in making sure that the race walk is included in the event offerings.

In 2009, Williams, then a member of the SMART Event Management team of Ray Lanier and Karsten Edwards, began including the race walk in the SMARTMeets spring Crystal League series. SMARTMeets continues to include the race walk in what is now known as the Crystal League Awareness Series.

Prior to SMART Event Management, most race-walk youth athletes only had 1-2 opportunities to compete in the Race Walk prior to the Junior Olympics series, the Georgia Games. Once the Junior Olympic series began, they had the USATF Region Championship and the two AAU Junior Olympic Qualifiers before competing at a National Championship. In fact, because of the then low numbers and because a rule states that if there are less than six participants athletes in an event can be given a bye; race walkers usually had a bye from the USATF Association to the Region Junior Olympic Championship. Although that still takes place in some Associations, Georgia realized the importance of providing opportunities for race walkers to learn, improve, and contest the Race Walk at the Association level; and in doing so, began contesting the event instead of providing byes.

In the spring of 2014 when Pamela began The TrackLab, she continued to include the race walk in her meet series. After honored as Race Walk Organizer of the Year, Pamela took the time to stop and answer the following interview questions.

Q: Why did you begin incorporating the race walk in events you were organizing?

A: It has always been included, although not as often as other conventional events, like the sprints or hurdles. Race walk appeals to athletes looking for an alternative to, or an additional endurance/distance events, and is

unlike any other event on the track in terms of form compliance (save, hurdles).

Q: What inspired you to add the Race Walk to this year's Combine?

A: Race walk athletes are athletes, too! If testing for endurance, why would we not include the race walk athlete?

Q: Some non-Georgia high schools have race walk as a sport, what do you think about race walking as a high school event in Georgia?

A: Not a bad idea for the reasons listed above – great alternative to/addition of a distance event. It may be an additional source of distance points – a way of countering the sprint points.

Q: How many race walkers participated in the TrackLab this year? Was that an increase or decrease from your inaugural year?

A: I am not sure of the actual numbers; I did not notice a decline or spike. I can say the same clubs, year to year, enter athletes in the event. I did not see any new club entries this past year, which is disappointing.

Q: What challenges did you face when you first began offering the race walk as an event at meets you organized?

A: The challenges are in the form of complaints, and are no different year to year: Many coaches (mainly sprint coaches) view race walk as an unnecessary addition to the schedule, as a schedule delay, and/or as a waste of time. Aside from the complaints, athletes entered in the event (and sometimes parents and coaches) do not “take seriously” the walking technique; the event is treated as a “fun” walk, and not as a competition between athletes. Having judges on hand – who actively warn and disqualify – would help with reinforcing that race walk is a “real” event, a competitive event with rules.

Williams closed her interview with the following statement, “From an organizer’s point of view, I use the race walk to offer an additional event for endurance athletes, and as a way to rest sprinters and other ballistic athletes.”

Meet Pamela Hudson Williams, USATF-GA Race

Walk Committee’s 2016 Event Organizer of the Year

A Letter To High School Athletes

About Race Wa(Last update: January, 2016)

Camryn Curtis, 8th Grader at Chapel Hill Middle School

is a versatile athlete. In addition to the race walk, she

runs the 400m, 800m, and 1500m races. Additionally,

she plays soccer.

This athlete, a two-time national All-American in the

race walk, was recognized on August 20th at the USATF

Annual Meeting’s Race Walk Committee Summit for

setting/breaking the Georgia 1-Mile race walk record as

notified to us by Michael Roth of hsrw.net.

Camryn has only been race walking for one year. In

2015, she placed 4th in the 1500m Race Walk at the

USATF Junior Olympics (Jacksonville, FL). This year,

2016, she placed 1st in the 3000m Race Walk at the

AAU Junior Olympic Games in Humble, Texas.

Her honor resulted in an article for this issue of the

Georgia Race Walker. Her responses to the questions

asked are below:

Q: How did you become involved in race walking?

A: My coach, Coach Vaughn introduced me t race

walking in June of 2015. I was a naturally good at it.

Q: What do you like about race walking?

A: Race walking lets me feel free, and at peace.

Q: What has been your greatest race walk

accomplishment?

A: My biggest accomplishment was winning the gold

medal at the 2016 AAU Junior Olympic Games in

Humble, Texas.

Q: How often do you practice race walking?

A: I practice the race walk 2-5 days a month

Q: For you, what is the most difficult thing about race

walking?

A: After walking for a while, my knees feel out of

place.

Q: Do have any race walk goals? If so, what are they? A: Yes, my short-term goal is always to decrease my

time. My long-term goal is to one day compete in the

Olympics. I am, however, anxious about the walk being

20 kilometers.

Q: How do you see the growth of the race walk?

A: I see race walking becoming more popular; each

meet I am happy to see more kids competing.

Q: Are you ever teased or disrespected as a race walker?

A: Yes, I’ve been told that race walking isn’t a real sport, that it is easy, and that anyone can win (medal) in

it.

Q: Some non-Georgia high schools include the race

walk as an event in their track & field program. What do

you think about race walking as a high school event in

Georgia?

A: I think race walking should definitely be a high

school event; it would bring lots of thrill and

excitement.

Q: What are some ideas you have about making the race walk more visible and/or accepted in Georgia?

A: I think if my fellow race walking athletes and I

continue doing our thing and winning, then race walking

will be recognized sooner or later.

Q: How do you perceive your future as it relates to race

walking?

A: I see great things in my race walk future. I see

myself on an Olympic podium with a chunk of gold

around my neck.

Camryn Curtis Holds the Record amongst

Georgia High School Female Race Walkers

Each year in January, Vince Peters

posts an updates of his “Letter to

High School Athletes about Race

Walking in College. Below is an

almost word for word excerpt of the

letter. Please be advised that the

entire letter including a list of

college and universities who

traditionally have race walkers can

be found at

http://www.racewalk.com/resources/

2016LetterHighSchool.pdf

The letter begins by stating, “High

School track and field athletes in

general and high school race walkers

in particular, need to be made aware

that there is a shortage of race

walkers in the USA. There are

currently more colleges needing race

walkers for their Track & Field

teams then there are HS walkers in

the USA. As a result, some colleges

recruit race walkers from other

countries to walk here in the USA.

Peter presents this fact to stress the

point that high school race walkers

are an important college commodity.

What does it take to be a collegiate

walker? The current qualifying times

for the collegiate nationals in the

race walk are on the aforementioned

website. Reaching the standard is

challenging; Peters notes, “on

average only about a dozen men and

a dozen women make the qualifying

time each year. These stats are

especially exigent for those athletes

who first take up the race walk event

at the collegiate level. That is why

HS athletes who already know how

to walk are in high demand.

There are scholarships available for

aspiring high school athletes who

are experienced race walkers. Not

many, 10 to 15 per year, but they

exist. Because there are so few high

school walkers in the USA that can

hit Provisional times, many

scholarships aren’t distributed.

The letter points out that locating a

school that has race walking is not

easy to find for a high school athlete.

It is equally difficult for a college

coach to find high school race

walkers, especially when many

schools do not post results of race

walk competitions and because most

states do not offer race walking in

high schools. Therefore, the purpose

of the “Letter to High School

Athletes” is to help college coaches

and prospective athletes connect.

The High School Race Walk web

site (http;//www.hsrw.net) is a great

place for college coaches, athletes,

and parents of athletes to peruse. It

provides recognition to the top HS

Race Walkers in the US, as well as

provides an annual ranking of the

top HS race Walkers in the indoor

and outdoor seasons.

The National Association of

Intercollegiate Athletics (NAIA) has

included the race walk as a scored

event at its National Track & Field

Championships for over 40 years.

Since 1980, nearly 75% of all race

walkers on the USA Olympic Team

have graduated from NAIA member

colleges and universities.

The NAIA is a driving force for the

inclusion, not exclusion, of all

Olympic Events at the collegiate

level. The race walks is a scoring

event at both the indoor and outdoor

National T&F Championships.

Regretfully, the National Collegiate

Athletic Association (NCAA) does

not recognize the race walk as a

track & field event at any level,

especially since the combined

Scholarship Limits for an entire

program at the NCAA Division I

level for Track & Field/Cross

Country athletes are 18 for the

women and 12.6 for the men.

Because of these limits, race walkers

have been ruled ineligible by the

NCAA’s Compliance Office to

receive athletic scholarships,

prohibiting race walking athletes

from receiving financial assistance

(race walk scholarships) from the

athletic departments at their

colleges, unless they contest other

events.

Although there are NO athletic

scholarships for race walking within

the NCAA ranks, opportunities do

exist for race walking at certain

NCAA universities. There are

supportive coaches at some NCAA

institutions. Peters in his letter

outlines important facts related to

NCAA universities beginning with

NCAA Division I schools, which

currently do not have any coaches

actively coaching race walking.

When it comes to NCAA Division

II, Peters, in his letter, names

Mansfield University in Mansfield,

Pennsylvania as a good school for

athletes who race walk, noting that

the coaches are Michelle Rohl, a

three-time Olympian in the race

walk and her husband, head coach

Mike Rohl. Peters also notes that

The University of Illinois at

Springfield, Illinois, initiated it’s

first ever track & field and cross-

country programs in 2015. Its head

coach, Coach Dewitt, is a renowned

race walk coach who for nearly 30

years was in charge of running the

powerhouse race walk program at

University of Wisconsin – Parkside.

NCAA Division III coaches are

NOT allowed to give scholarships

based upon athletic abilities, only

academics. If athletes are top notch

academic students, several NCAA

schools on the east coast do have

coaches that have tried to assist their

track & field athletes who also race

walk.

Race Walking In College An Excerpt from Letter to High School Athletes about Race Walking in College

September 18 – 2016 USATF National 10km Race Walk Championships, H. Lee Dennison-Suffolk County Executive Building, 100 Veterans Memorial Highway (NYS 454/347) and Constitution Blvd., Hauppauge, NY 11788 September 23 – Georgia Golden Olympics, Warner Robbins, GA October 2 – USATF Southeast/Georgia Association 800m/1500m/3000m/5K & 10 K Race Walk Championships, Campbell Middle School, Smyrna, GA October/November (Date TBA) – Race Walk Lunch & Learn, Location TBA October 29 – USATF SE/South Carolina Association 1-Hour Postal Race Walk, Furman University, Greenville, South Carolina November 12 - 2016 USATF Nat'l Masters 30k & Fl Assoc 30k, 20k RW Championship 2016 USATF Annual Meeting, November 30-December 4, 2016 Hilton at Walt Disney World Orlando, FL

Thursday, December 1 - Race Walking Executive Committee (11:00 AM 12:50 PM)

Friday, December 2 - Race Walking Site Selection Subcommittee (8:00 AM 9:50 AM)

Friday, December 2 - Race Walking General Session (11:00 AM 5:50 PM)

Saturday, December 3 - Race Walking General Session/Working Group (10:00 AM 1:15 PM)

Saturday, December 3 - Officials Clinic D Topic 1: Race Walk (10:30 AM 1:20 PM)

Saturday, December 3 - Race Walking Judging/Working Group (2:15 PM 5:30 PM)

December 17 - The 2016 Galleria Games (Youth, Open, Masters) Birmingham CrossPlex, Birmingham AL

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Meet USATF-GA Race Walk Committee’s 2016 Race Walk Coach of the Year

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At the August 20, USATF-GA Race Walk Committee Annual Meeting, the committee named Vaughn

Williams, head coach of E-1 Track Club, Race Walk Coach of the Year. Additionally, his team, E-1, was also awarded the Club Race Walk of the Year Award. Coach Vaughn, a USATF Level 1 and Level 2 and a

USTFCCCA certified Technical Coach, as well as a certified AAU Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA)

Double-Goal Coach. He has over thirteen years of experience as a track head coach, assistant head coach,

assistant coach and/or parent coach of youth clubs and recreational cross country and track &field teams. He

is the parent of two National Champions and Medalists who are/were collegiate athletes. One is also an All

Conference Athlete, a National All-American, as well as an NCAA Conference SAAC representative. Coach

Coach Vaughn’s record as a coach is impressive; he has assisted and/or individually coached over 280

National Medalists with over 30 National Champions; over 250 GRPA medalists, over 40 GRPA champions

and has also coached over 800 county, district, area, state, and regional medalists and ribbon winners; with

over 75 champions. Coach Vaughn is proud of the fact that 100% of his athletes have achieved personal

bests.

As a race walk coach, he has coached 28 All-Americans national race walk gold medal winning champions as well as more than 88 2nd-8th place All-American athletes for a total of more than 106 All Americans

Additionally, he has coached over 150 regional race walk medalists and over 150 state/Association medalists.

Out of the two race walking athletes who have graduated, one received a race walk scholarship; the other

changed teams and no longer race walks. Among his many areas of coaching expertise and experience are

sprints, relays, mid-distance running, distance, race walking, cross-country, long jumps, shot put, and

swimming. Coach Vaughn, a physical therapist by profession…

· Is a member of the USATF, AAU, NSCA, CCYTL, and APTA

· Holds USATF Level I and Level II education, Neuro-Developmental Therapy, First Aid, and CPR

certifications.

· Holds a USTFCCCA Technical Certificate in Track & Field

· Is an AAU Positive Coaching Alliance (PCA) Double-Goal Coach.

· Hold a B.A. in Physical Education A.S and B.S in Physical Therapy

· Is a former HS All-State Track & Field athlete.

· Is a conditioning and strengthening specialist and is working on completing his National Strength and

Conditioning Association certification.

· Has experience as a track & field, cross country, swimming and basketball.

· Is completing his certification in strength and conditioning from the National Strength and

Conditioning Association.

When asked what he likes about coaching, Coach Vaughn states, “I like the challenge of educating and

molding athletes into the athlete he/she is inside and having athletes not only recognize their potential, but

also realize their potential, regardless of the event.” When asked if this applies to race walking, he notes, “We

have some walkers who are developmental, some who are competitive and some who are either elite or near

elite; regardless, most are very good and those that aren’t,are working to get there.” He goes on to note, “We take them where they are and provide them with skills and opportunities. I believe that hard work beats talent,

when talent does not work hard. Our athletes work hard, no matter the event. As a result, I have

observed athletes on my team, as well as those on other teams in Georgian, not only become

cognizant of race walking skills and techniques, but also learn to tolerate, appreciate, and even

become zealous about the sport.

USATF-GA Race Walk Committee Select E-1 as 2016 Club Race Walkers of Year

E-1 Track Club is not a traditional race walk club as is the South Texas Walking Club. E-1 is a true track and field club with athletes who compete in every event from sprints to distance – 50m to 5Ks, from jumps to throws, from hurdles to the race walk and from cross-country to combined/ multi-events. In fact, the only events not contested at E-1 are the hammer, weight throw and pole vault. The club’s national achievements include:

Since E-1’s founding in the summer of 2010, forty-one E-1 athletes have medaled nationally in the race walk

A total of 82 national race walk medals (23 Gold) have been awarded to 41 E-1 athletes

Twenty-three gold medals have been won by 9 athletes Thirty-two race walkers have won fifty-nine 2

nd-8

th place medals at one or more National Championships.

When it comes to the race walk, E-1 gives the sport as much respect as all other sports. Athletes not competing in the race walk not only tolerate the race walkers, they have a true understanding and respect for the sport and its athletes. Most athletes have attempted race walking at least once at practice or at a meet; they realize it is not an easy sport and that it takes skill, practice, and knowledge. Because the race walk is not the only event of most E-1 athletes, but rather an additional sport, E-1’s athletes compete against one or more of the other athletes in other events. What makes this Club different from other clubs with race walkers? E-1 not only has some of the best race walkers in the country, an outstanding Coach and Assistant Coach, they also boast to have four officials on the team who specialize in the race walk. All of them judge/officiate/umpire other events, but became officials because of the need for race walking judges. All are (or were) parents of race walkers and have dedicated themselves to learning the rules of the sport and in one case, a Masters race walker and a parent coach. During 2016, E-1 Track Club participated, competed in and/or judged the race walk at the following events:

Alabama Striders Indoor Classic Galleria Games TFCUSA nationals New Balance Indoors National

University of West Georgia & OSP Elite Athlete Talent Identification Combine Invitee & Participant

USATF Masters/Open Track & Field/LDR/Race Walk Championship

Mark Trail Memorial Day Weekend Championship AAU District Junior Olympic Championship USATF-GA Association Junior Olympic Championship Track Lab Series

USATF-Region Junior Olympic Championship New Balance Outdoor National

Georgia Games AAU Region 8 Junior Olympic Championship

USATF Junior Olympics USATF Dream Mile AAU Junior Olympic USATF Annual Meeting/USATF Race Walk Committee Annual Meeting

This year, E-1’s race walkers made up about 9.5-10% of the team, with nine race walkers competing during the indoor and spring seasons and seven during the summer: Camryn, Elise, Jordan, Joshua, Kennedy, Kelvin, Nathaniel, Nicholas and Ronndasia were the spring athletes. All, but Joshua and Nicholas competed for E-1 during the summer. At the national level:

Camryn competed in Humble in the 800m, 1500m, 3000m Race Walk and the 4x800m, returning home with a 1st place Race Walk Medal and a 7

th place

4x800m medal. Last year, she placed 4th in Jacksonville.

Elise competed in the 1500m Race Walk, placing 9th after staying on the line too long. She is a 2015 USATF Junior Olympic 7

th Place All-American.

Jordan Crawford competed in Sacramento in the 3000m Race Walk, placing 2nd

. In Humble, he competed in the 1500m, Steeplechase and 3000m Race Walk, placing 1

st in the Race Walk and 9

th in the Steeplechase. He placed 5

th in the New Balance Outdoors Nationals and 8

th in the New Balance Indoor Nationals. See his

commendations on page 3 of this newsletter. Jordan won the USATF Junior Olympic Race Walk last year and placed second at AAU’s Junior Olympic. He is now a 3-time USATF Race Walk Committee Honor Roll Honoree.

Kennedy competed in Humble in the 800m, 1500m, 3000m Race Walk and the 4x800m, returning home with the a 2nd

place Race Walk medal and a 7th place

4x800m medal.

Kelvin competed in Sacramento in the High Jump, 1500m, and 3000m Race Walk. He returned home with the 2nd place USATF Junior Olympic Race Walk. He is now a 4-time USATF Race Walk Committee Honor Roll Honoree.

Nathaniel Grimes competed in Humble in the 800m and 4x800m. Although he ran a strong leg in the relay, they just missed eighth by a step, finishing ninth.

Ronndasia was the only new member of E-1’s 2016 Race Walk Team; she finished 5th in Humble.

E-1 usually has 6-10 youth race walkers each year. They also have a few parents and siblings who have learned to race walk and race walk in developmental meets opened to to Masters and Open athletes. Coach Vaughn, Race Walk Coach of the Year, the head coach of E-1 and in addition to coaching a variety of other events, took on the role as the Head Race Walk Coach. His son, Trey, a multi-year Junior Olympic All American and who has race walked since he was 11 years old and who raced one year on a race walk scholarship at the collegiate level before deciding to retire, assists him. Recently coming out of retirement, Trey, now 22, is working to return to race walk shape and has made his return presence in a few races with athletes who he mentors. If all goes as plans, he will begin training again in 2017. Although most athletes have completed their race walking career until next years, Several of E-1’s youth, its Masters and its Open athlete will be competing at the USATF-GA/Southeast Race Walk Championship on October 2

nd and a few are preparing for the Indoor season. The officials on E-1 will also be busy judging meets

during the fall and winter. When it comes to E-1, they exemplify the words, “Walk it Out” and the mantra, “Keep Calm and Race Walk”

article, I will focus on tolerance, acceptance, appreciation and respect. Some of our Race Walk of the Year honorees address these topics in some of their interview responses Wendy Bumgardner (No Respect for Olympic Race Walking, www.verywell.com, 2016) updated her article in August, noting that although walking has been a noble sport and part of the Olympic Games since 1906, it still does not get the respect it should. She alludes to the fact that it may be tolerated and in some cases accepted; but it has a ways to go when it comes to appreciation understanding and respect. Her article stated the following, “broadcasters and sports pundits cannot resist taking a jab at racewalking. Every four years it's a topic of conversation on television, in print and in social media.” To demonstrate her point, Baumgartner uses the following anecdotes: The 2012 women's 20 kilometer walk

saw Elena Lashmanova set a world record as she passed Olga Kaniskina, both of Russia. But that didn't stop NBC from showing the footage in fast motion against the Benny Hill theme and mocking the athletes.

A Snickers ad joined in the mockery. It

featured Mr. T pulling up alongside a male racewalker and yelling at him, "“You’re a disgrace to the man race! It’s time to run like a real man" and then firing Snickers at him out of gun.

Bumgardner, in her article, calls attention to what she says is NBC’s long history of mocking race walking during the Olympic Games by quoting Bob Costas in the September 24, 2000 Olympic broadcast when he commented, “What's up with the racewalkers? I mean I respect them as athletes but come on...a contest to see who can walk the fastest is like having a contest to see who can whisper the loudest." In her article, Bumgardner also refers to a Time Magazine insult about race walking and a” humorous open letter” to the Olympic Committee from Gary Linnell that was published n the Sydney Morning Herald. Regrettably, at this time I do not have a link to those items. When we discuss tolerance, acceptance, appreciation and respect, we cannot accept Bob Costa’s statement as respect. I think the term he used is debatable, at the least. Given the Wikipedia definition of tolerance as “a

fair, objective and permissive attitude toward something without bigotry,” I personally do not believe Costa’s comment exemplifies any of the noted virtues. If the comment has to be categorized, it probably comes closest to acceptance. Scott Noelle in his article Acceptance vs. Tolerance (2005-07-02) noted, “One can accept something while not tolerating it.” However, I believe Costa’s acceptance is not related to the athlete; it is more about the fact that it is an Olympic event, like it or not. Scott Noelle, categorized the process of tolerance and acceptance by noting, “The difference is how you feel in the process: Tolerance without acceptance leads to

resentment. Tolerance with acceptance leads to

appreciation. Intolerance without acceptance leads

to conflict. Intolerance with acceptance leads to

creativity. Based on Noelle’s descriptions, it appears that Costa’s comments, as it relates to the athlete and the actual sports were more similar to resentment than any of the aforementioned virtues. Bumgardner (2016) also insinuates that the seeds of disrespect for the race walk may be a result of the fact that historically the United States has not consider the race walk as an event. She notes that since the top competitors in the sport are non-Anglo and that Russia, Mexico, Ecuador and Poland typically field the best when it comes to race walking at the Olympics and therefore the USA, Canada, and Britain finishes don’t result in medals and leave these athletes off the podium—the result? Less or No press. In my opinion, understanding the sport with its technique, style, skills, and rules, as well as its athlete’s commitment to hard work and strenuous training has lead to tolerance at its worst and appreciation and respect at its best. Race walkers are not only ambassadors for the sport, they are catalysts for change; they have the power to impact the future; are fueled by passion and have been successful in inspiring the passion in others; and they have a strong ability to self-discipline and self-motivate. They are change agents.

Tolerance, Acceptance & Respect

It is not a secret that some of our athletes, especially our youth athletes are only in the race walk momentarily; the fact is that they are in it. Who knows, some may extend that moment to years, even a lifespan; it may become a lifestyle or even a passion. We are already aware, from the increased number of youth race walkers that our investment is paying great dividends for the future. The increased opportunities for learning and competing as it relates to the race walk have made a huge impact in the growth and future of the sport. As a result, there has been a significant shift in the race walk continuum: from disrespect to indifference, from indifference to tolerance, from tolerance to appreciation, and for some from appreciation to passion. That paradigm shift, my friends, is no small feat. To make that type of progress, it is about changing behaviors and mindset. I can still remember when the Savannah-Chatham Cheetahs were the only race-walkers we would see on the track. As a matter of fact, although my son Trey began race walking as rehabilitation from an injury, he stayed fascinated with it and was inspired by the skills of a young man who walked for the Savannah-Chatham Cheetahs. Back then, 2004, people weren’t always tolerant; there were often rude chants, loud calls, and impolite comments directed at the walkers by spectators, athletes, and even coaches; in some cases, even some working the meets use the race walk as time to take breaks. As time has passed, there have been many changes. Even though there are still people who express a resentment of race walk taken time away from other events, it is not nearly as frequent or as boisterous. Why the change in behavior and mindset? I sincerely believe a lot of it has come from education about the sport, respect of some of the athletes who race walk, as well as respect for the skill level they demonstrate as they walk. I can still remember when the word got out that my son, Trey had received a race walk scholarship; it created another level of knowledge, acceptance, and respect that an athlete could get college paid for by race walking. Now, curious athletes and some with a potential interest ask race walkers for advice, guidance, and/or instruction. When it comes to the race walk, there is a wide gamut of responses and perception from dislike to respect. For the purpose of this

https://www.facebook.com/USATFGeorgiaRaceWalk/?fref=ts

We are now on Facebook. It is my first

attempt creating a page, so I apologize if it

looks like an amateur created it, she did. LOL.

Regardless, it serves the mission and goals.

1. To promote the sport and its

athletes

2. To inform, recognize, and

celebrate the sport and its

athletes

3. To explore social media

Right now, the page includes pictures, videos,

events, sayings and basic information. Feel

free to “like” anything you want.

The Race Walk Committee is on the go! After a restructuring effort, we are no busy working on the work—the vision, mission, and goals! This issue is a result of some of our work. Thanks to the following for all their hard work and/or advice. Executive Committee

Jean Williams, Chair

Kellie Crawford, Vice Chair

Jacquelwyn Anthony, Secretary Committee Members

Alan Moore (Atlanta Track Club, Masters Race Walker)

Joel Dubow (Atlanta Track Club, Masters Race Walker, 2014 National Race Walk Age Group Athlete of the Year)

Jordan Crawford (Youth Race Walker)

Larry Wood (USATF RW Committee-Atlanta Track Club Liaison, Masters Race Walker)

Peggy Curtis (Official & Parent of a Race Walker)

Robert Fowler (Atlanta Track Club, Masters Race Walker)

Steve Hubbart (Masters Race Walker)

Trey Williams (Open Race Walker)

Vaughn Williams (Race Walk Coach) Committee Resources

Cindy Slayton (USATF-GA Officials Chair)

Dexter McCloud (USATF-GA President)

Diane Graham-Henry (USATF National Race Walk Committee-Vice Chair)

Ian Whatley (USATF-SC, USATF Director of Racewalk Coaching Development, World Class Race Walker, Member of Team USA, 5-Time Olympian Trial participant, USATF Certified Race Walk Official & Coach, Author, Researcher)

Pamela Betz (USATF-FL, USATF Southeast Region Representative)

Mike Rohl (USATF-NC), Former Member of Team USA, creator of www.hsrw.net, Mansfield University Track & Field Head Coach, Race Walk Coach

Steve Hubbart (Atlanta Track Club, Master Walker)

Susan Heiser Whatley (USATF-SC Race Walk Chair, Race Walk Official, Race Walk Coach)

If interested in serving on the Race Walk Committee as a member, volunteer or resource, Please email me at [email protected]

,

Working on the Work