Even Mike Smith is leaving the NCAA. The NCAA is be gone in a few years for Track & Field and most all Olympic Sports. That’s being said the USTFCCCA is also be gone.
It's 100% happening and the NCAA is be long gone for track coaches. better start those clubs to secure a job
If you go back 25 years there was no real organization for the coaches. Essentially, everyone sort of did their own thing. Then Sam Seemes, almost all by himself created USTFCCCA. Do the organization have issues......certainly. But it gave all track coaches a place to be proud of. Without them who would promote track and field? There website provides the coaching community with a place to go a find important information. I find it sad that coaches nowadays don't realize the scattered sport that we were. I have had lots of issues with Sam, and I find that not to be a problem. But he has done more good for the sport than just about anyone else. It pisses me off when coaches who do nothing to help the betterment of the sport complain about someone who actually is trying. I've been in enough meetings with Sam to know that he does understand the sport and he does care about the sport. But he is not perfect but I'm okay with that. For all the folks coming on here to complain. Please tell us what YOU have done to bring the sport forward to a better place. Give credit to someone who at least is trying.
Sam has also made greedy, stupid decisions like going with Athletic.net when there was already a standard bearing organization. Fracturing the sport without any benefit to the users. The choice was empirically worse for the sport.
If he gets credit for helping the organization that's fine, he still isn't immune from criticism and bad choices.
The probably with the leadership at USTFCCCA is that nobody takes them, and thus the association, seriously. ADs don't care what the association thinks, university president's don't care and none of the NCAA committees care. Nothing that the coaches vote for ever gets enacted. The association should focus on coaching education and networking.
It needs to stop pretending that it has anything to do with the NCAA.
Unless USTFCCA rids itself on RunnerSpace/Nike as an owner it's dead. We all hate Hayward Field. They lie.
The USTFCCCA has nothing to do with Nike or Runnerspace . They just let the Bowerman to put their event during their convention so people have to show up. Again the USTFCCCA and Nike have nothing to do with each other.
A lot of top head coaches not in attendance this year. Is the a convention dying or losing it appeal?
The smart coaches don’t waste their time. I went this year and I’m never going again. It’s like others have said, it’s just for assistant coaches to get drunk or older ones to golf. Meetings or “symposiums” that are scheduled for discussion for 60min last 10-15 min. It’s a complete waste of time and money.
I'm sorry your experience was so jaded. I've attended on and off over the years and found this year's convention valuable. There were a # of symposiums that I learned something new or reinforced something I've been doing. I also met new coaches (some experienced and some new) and exchanged ideas. All the sessions I attended ran the full allotted time; the only exceptions being the division voting sessions.
That said, are we spending too much money on this? Perhaps so. I'm not on the inside, but the venues are extravagant and I've got to think we could do just as well with a little better financial oversight.
Speak for yourself, i got more action this time than any previous convention
The convention is a dude fest and the only women coaches are not exactly something to be proud of. You’re better off hitting the golf course and skipping the convention at all costs.
A word about professionalism.
From Indeed (easy source to look up regarding professionalism) - "Professional behavior is characterized by being considerate, formal and focused."
More from Indeed - "Respectful to others: Making others feel like they are appreciated and treated with respect is essential for professionals."
I had several communications with women coaches who were professional. They were there to seek ways to improve their coaching abilities - showing the dedication to be professional and contributed well to all the conversations of which I was privy to observe.
If you go back 25 years there was no real organization for the coaches. Essentially, everyone sort of did their own thing. Then Sam Seemes, almost all by himself created USTFCCCA.
Sam Seems had nothing to do with the original start of USTFCCCA. Frank Gagliano was the one who came up with the suggestion of organizing a D1 coaches organization to help get legislation pushed through the NCAA. At that time, as now, track was at the bottom of the ladder with the NCAA. Jimmy Carnes was elected the first President of the group and the first convention was held in Las Vegas. Sam didn't come on board until some years later.
I've gone to convention for many years and am a better coach for it. Information that I've gleaned from listening to some of the best coaches in the world has been invaluable. Watching the Bowerman highlight the best and brightest in our sport has been uplifting and motivating. As some have said earlier, Sam isn't perfect, but he has done a Hell of a lot for our sport in his time and I'm grateful. It's events like the Bowerman that we need to dream up and implement to get T/F on the bigger stages. I just hear a bunch of haters (Actually probably only a few using different IP addresses) who have likely done nothing to to move the sport forward. If YOU aren't willing to be a part of the solution then you have nothing to complain about other than your own laziness.
If you go back 25 years there was no real organization for the coaches. Essentially, everyone sort of did their own thing. Then Sam Seemes, almost all by himself created USTFCCCA.
Sam Seems had nothing to do with the original start of USTFCCCA. Frank Gagliano was the one who came up with the suggestion of organizing a D1 coaches organization to help get legislation pushed through the NCAA. At that time, as now, track was at the bottom of the ladder with the NCAA. Jimmy Carnes was elected the first President of the group and the first convention was held in Las Vegas. Sam didn't come on board until some years later.
The USTFCCCA is a literal scam of an organization. They charge every school money to hand out awards.
It did not start out that way. Jimmy Carnes I recall either did not get paid or got something like $12,000. The intent was honorable, to push legislation up the ladder to help track and field at the D1 level. As with many organizations, things change, sometimes the ship drifts due to rudder issues, you might say. My point was simple, Sam was not involved in the original creation of the association. Gags and Sam Bell, Indiana, were the drivers for the new organization.
All I hear is coaches complain about how tough this job is on their family- which is true. Then the same coaches head to convention to get drunk for a few days during the last buildup to Christmas. Anyone with family who went to convention this year is to blame- not the job.
California Carlson: You are partly correct. Until 2000 there were FOUR separate coaching associations. There was a women's cross country, women's track & field, men's cross country, and men's track and field. Jimmy Carnes, Sam Bell and others got the men's side moving. But Sam took all four and brought them under one roof. I was in a leadership position in one of the organizations and worked with Sam on the creation of USTFCCCA. The biggest difference is that the four separate organizations had little to no power. As a representative of one of them I met with the NCAA many times on issues facing the sport. They had no respect for any of the organizations. In fact, they couldn't stand people like Sam Bell who basically complained all the time (but I got along with him well). Sam Seemes changed that. He got into meeting with the NCAA President, Cabinet, etc. No one had ever been able to do that before. Singlehandedly, Sam got the two region model for outdoor track done. That was a massive issue to get solved. While I didn't agree with the model to be used Sam was masterful in getting it done. Just some context.
Singlehandedly, Sam got the two region model for outdoor track done. That was a massive issue to get solved. While I didn't agree with the model to be used Sam was masterful in getting it done. Just some context.
You mean the 2 region model that now most coaches and even Sam Seemes HIMSELF want to get rid of?