USATF Press Release
August 12, 2009
INDIANAPOLIS
- Terry Crawford, a national coaching Hall of Famer, former Olympic
head coach and longtime USATF contributor, on Wednesday was named
USATF's first Director of Coaching by CEO Doug Logan.
Amongother duties, Crawford will serve as liaison to coaches and the
coaching community, oversee USATF's Coaching Education program; develop
a coaching certification program; oversee Team USA coaching staff
selection and credentialing; and direct the track & field residence
program at the Chula Vista Olympic Training Center. "Without
our coaches, our athletes cannot be successful," Logan said. "Early on
in my tenure I recognized the imperative that USATF devote staff and
resources to serving their needs. The respect Coach Crawford has from
her peers as a coach, administrator and coaches' advocate will serve
her well as we strengthen our ties to coaches and revamp the programs
that serve them." "I am very excited about this next phase in
my career," Crawford said. "To be able to elevate USATF's service to
coaches, and by extension, to athletes, is something I couldn't pass
up. I am looking forward to being part of this new era." Crawford
coached at the University of Tennessee from 1974-'84, winning the first
national title for any Lady Vol athletic team in 1981. At the
University of Texas from 1984-1992, she led the Lady Longhorns to five
national championships, including the only women's "triple crown" in
history when Texas won the NCAA cross country, indoor track and outdoor
track titles. She has coached at Cal Poly-San Luis Obispo, as Director
of Track & Field/Cross Country, since 1992. In more than 30 years
as a head coach, Crawford has coached twelve Olympians. The
1988 Olympic women's head track and field coach, Crawford also has
served as a national team coach at the IAAF World Track & Field and
World Cross Country Championships, World University Games and
Pan-American Games. She was a 1996 inductee into the U.S. Track &
Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Hall of Fame.
That organization in 2008 also established the Terry Crawford Program
of the Year Award, awarded annually to the most outstanding NCAA
Division I women's cross country and track & field program, based
on the places finish at the NCAA Division I cross country, indoor and
outdoor track championships. She has served as President of the
Women's Collegiate Cross Country Association and as President of the
U.S. Track Coaches Association (1999-2001) and is a former member of
USATF's board of directors, as chair of the USATF Coaches Advisory
Committee.
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