USATF completely botches selection of 2019 Pan American Games team

WHAT??? The USATF made a mistake? I don't believe it!

I really don't know how this happens.

Like how in the world could Gregorek be left off the team? So you have corruption (changing the rules) and incompetence at the same time?

What does USATF do that is more important than select national teams? And Max Siegel makes more than a million a year for this?

For the last 10 years I have been posting that USATF is a cluster-f%$#k, with inept people working in the national office. Duffy Mahoney, the high performance director is an absolute idiot, and the people around him are just unprofessional, lacking in knowledge, and on an on. I worked with the organization for multiple years and when anyone asks me about the organization I tell them the same thing, "USATF is run by people that truly don't know much about track & field". It is just a shame that every year we have to put up with junk like this. Very sad.

From reading the article, I bet they tasked making selections for different events to different people, gave them ambiguous criteria on what lists to use, and didn't have anybody double check anybody else's work.

I'm sure the most competent staffer was tasked with booking suites for executives and their spouses.

Not just national. Our local JO Association championship was conducted recently and the meet information flyer very specifically stated that:

Advancement to the finals in the 100, 200, 400, Short Hurdles, and Long Hurdles events will be based on places first and then time within the qualifying heat according to Rule 303 in the Youth Athletics Handbook.

Of course, as far as I can tell, all qualifying was based solely on time. The fastest 8 were advanced, some heat winners did not advance.

fire them all wrote:

I really don't know how this happens.

Like how in the world could Gregorek be left off the team? So you have corruption (changing the rules) and incompetence at the same time?

What does USATF do that is more important than select national teams? And Max Siegel makes more than a million a year for this?

I've been trying for years to push back against the "fire 'em all" mindset, but Holy Shite! If I had anything to do with USATF and had a modicum of self respect, I'd have disassociated myself from them a long time ago. FIRE THEM ALL!!! Athletes - what the hell are you doing. Phoebe is gone, Symonds gone.....We need some articulate rabble rousers to light a fire and coalesce our T & F athletes. Lauren cant you rally the troops? It's gonna take balls but enough is frigg'in enough!

fire them all wrote:

I really don't know how this happens.

Like how in the world could Gregorek be left off the team? So you have corruption (changing the rules) and incompetence at the same time?

What does USATF do that is more important than select national teams? And Max Siegel makes more than a million a year for this?

It happens due to those at the top and layered in between.

Reading USATF’s explanation I was immediately questioning the education levels of those involved in writing their explanation. Convoluted and poor grammar were two descriptives that came to mind.

Note to USATF: You are what you officially write.

And in other news...Where are they putting the 2020 Indoor Championships that were removed from Staten Island?

Lots of deletions in this thread. I wonder what's going on and who is reporting the thread?

All the Garrett Heath, Riley Masters talk is gone. As is the 800m and Sowinski discussion.

Juicy.

These people are incompetent and yet make huge salaries to screw stuff up.

Marathon Qualifiers

Specifically stated IAAF APPROVED COURSES

Both women were chosen with times from CIM which is NOT IAAF approved

????????? wrote:

And in other news...Where are they putting the 2020 Indoor Championships that were removed from Staten Island?

Back to Albuquerque.

Lawsuits, lawsuits....

Only USATF can screw up something on two different directions!

I hear the 5k is also being respected! Paul Chelimo and Ben True!

The Pan Am Games?! Is nothing sacred??!!!

Holy cow...

I have been in meetings to discuss selection procedures for Olympic, world and other "protected" events. I have seen some simple errors made such as a wrong date put in or a date that is after a competition used in the selection criteria. Often someone catches it soon enough and a clarification is sent out (the notes and the people present including the AAC folks all agree it was an "honest" error.

But this really seems like a major oversight. It is fine if they used a combined 2018/19 list. It makes a lot of sense, but that needs to be clarified as soon as possible. People may have made competition decisions based on the information provided. Maybe someone did not enter a meet because he/she thought I have the top time from last year and no one is close so I will skip some events and then he/she is out.

This is really a mess. NGBs in general are pretty dysfunctional, but man...

polevaultpower wrote:

????????? wrote:

And in other news...Where are they putting the 2020 Indoor Championships that were removed from Staten Island?

Back to Albuquerque.

How do you know or are you just speculating?

Stock the mini bar wrote:

From reading the article, I bet they tasked making selections for different events to different people, gave them ambiguous criteria on what lists to use, and didn't have anybody double check anybody else's work.

I'm sure the most competent staffer was tasked with booking suites for executives and their spouses.

THIS.

The first sentence is 100% correct.

Someone figure out who SHOULD be selected with the original selection procedures? This is the biggest problem with USATF; there are never clear, concise, and timely announcements. They should take a page from NCAA playbook when it comes to qualifying cross country, indoor, outdoors. There is zero subjectivity and everyone knows what is happening long before so they can plan their season accordingly. Even in the qualifying standards (which are never released until April even though they're supposedly confirmed at Convention (December), they say they may very well change them up or down 45 days out.

Stock the mini bar wrote:

From reading the article, I bet they tasked making selections for different events to different people, gave them ambiguous criteria on what lists to use, and didn't have anybody double check anybody else's work.

I'm sure the most competent staffer was tasked with booking suites for executives and their spouses.

If that was the case, USATF should've just started a few threads on letsrun asking who should go and base it off of that.

Garret Heath and Kaela Edwards are both injured. Even if Pan Ams need roster before late-July USA meet, why not use 2019 to get currently fit athletes?