Gary's blog

Landover Final Version of Results

2009-05-17T07:08:00.000-07:00

Hi Everybody,

On Friday May 15th the USATF National Office posted the latest and final version of the results from Landover. Unfortunately a number of events will never have a time and are indicated by NT. If any of you feel there is still an error the only process remaining is to contact me either by email or telephone. Please do not contact the Meet Director, Games Committee etc as they have been instructed to refer all inquires to me. I will post the inquiry and the result of each investigation here on my blog.

I want to acknowledge the extensive efforts of the Craig Chasse the Meet Director and Sandy Pashkin of the Games Committee who spent many hours reconstructing races from Hy-Tek files and finish line photos. Also, Carrol DeWeese, Games Committee Member who reviewed the
video produced by a vendor who filmed the meet for commercial purposes. The video can only be used to determine place but not times.

In my opinion the timing company was the major cause of this mess, especially the Hy-Tek operator(s). It is my understanding the operator reported late on Saturday the first full day of the meet when we were trying to start the meet with well over 200 60m competitors. In addition a different operator showed up mid day and was not qualified to handle our meet. The Games Committee Hy-Tek expert, Sandy Pashkin, who could have stepped in unfortunately was not at the meet. As problems continued Games Committee member Rex Harvey went to the timing area to lend a hand.

In addition the finish line clock, which is supposed to be connected to the Hy-Tek computer so the computer race time is exactly the same as the finish line clock, was being operated manually. Some one was starting it when the gun went off and stopping it when the first person passed the finish line.

Another source of confusion was the inconsistent posting of the official results on the results board on the wall near turn two. The results would flash up for a brief time and sometimes not at all leaving the competitors wondering what happened. This was entirely Hy-Tek operator error.

I have asked Jim Flanik the Chair of the Games Committee to make a recommendation to the USATF Masters T&F Committee for consideration prior to the Oshkosh meet to ensure the timing equipment and personnel are adequate. More on this later.

See you on the track!

Gary

garysnyder@att.net
617-480-606

Landover Results Update

2009-04-27T09:08:00.001-07:00

Hi Everybody,

First of all I want to apologize to all the Masters competitors who spent both their time and money to compete in our indoor championship meet with the expectation their efforts would be measured and recorded without an error. As you know I am also a competitor and fully understand how disappointing this has been and I am taking measures to further minimize the possibility of a repeat.

After a two week review by a number of folks from the Landover LOC and the USATF Masters Games Committee all the known results issues have been identified and investigated. Unfortunately a number of events do not have official times. We believe that for events without times that the correct first through third finishers have been identified. The Games Committee is in the process of changing the results and a final copy will be sent to the USATF National Office for posting online by the end of this week.

If at any time you feel that your concerns have not been addressed please contact the Jim Flanik the Chair of the Masters Games Committee at: jpflanik@aol.com. As always feel free to contact me.

Gary Snyder
617-480-6506 (cell)
garysnyder@att.net

Landover Results

2009-03-25T19:31:00.000-07:00

CEREMONY NO: 1

Hi Everybody,

As many of you know there are some problems with the results from the USA Indoor Championships last weekend. The USATF Masters Track & Field Committee members who were at the meet are working to correct the results. Immediately after competing we all want to know what our time was, me too. It is disappointing if we do not know immediately. If the time is not on the display board we begin pacing the results area for the sheets. Did I run well? Did I make the finals? Is it a record?

I have conferred with the Chair of the Masters, Jim Flanik, who said that the Hytek computer files, Finish Lynx photos and manual field sheets are enroot to various Games Committee members. These records will be used to review questionable results.

Beginning April 1^st you can contact Jim. I request that ONLY the competitor(s) that are concerned about their own results contact Jim at jpflanik@aol.com with as much information that you can provide, i.e. Gary Snyder M65 200M prelim incorrect place I was in heat 1 lane 3 and finished 2^nd but result shows 4^th. Unfortunately requests from others will not be honored. Any questions with the above please contact me at garysnyder@att.net.

I expect the process to take approximately two weeks at which time updated final results will be posted.

I have also initiated a complete review of procedures for the timing future USA Championship meets including the option our own equipment and crew.

Gary

Indoor Detail Schedule Posted

2009-03-11T09:57:00.000-07:00

The detail schedule of events for the indoor meet have been posted on the USATF website at:

http://www.usatf.org/events/2009/USAMastersIndoorTFChampionships/schedule.asp

Gary

Record Entries for Indoor Meet!!!!!!

2009-03-04T15:28:00.000-08:00

I have returned from a brief time away from the Internet to read the entries for the indoor meet have set a record at 850 and climbing. Congratulations are in order for the LOC. It’s not too late as entries close at 11:59 PT March 5th.

Gary

Athletes Meeting at Indoor Meet

2009-02-23T14:33:00.000-08:00

Hi Everybody,

Bob Weiner has informed me that the Athletes Meeting is scheduled for 6:30 PM on Saturday March 21^st in the Holliday Inn breakfast lobby room. This is a great opportunity to share a beer and munchies with your fellow competitors and ask those tough questions I’d rather not answer.

Gary

2009 Outdoor Schedule Posted

2009-02-23T08:07:00.000-08:00

The day of event schedule for the 2009 USA Masters Outdoor Championships is on line at the USATF website:

http://www.usatf.org/events/2009/USAMastersOutdoorTFChampionships/schedule.asp

Start making plans as this is shaping up to be one of the best meets in recent memory.

Check out the facility here:

http://www.titans.uwosh.edu/2008NCAATFChampionships/Venue.html

See you in at the indoor meet.

Gary

2009-02-19T12:19:00.000-08:00

Two Appointments to the Masters T&F Committee

I am announcing that Jeff Brower the current Masters T&F Committee Secretary will assume the responsibilities for All-American Standards formally held by Bob Cahners. The Committee would like to thank Bob for his past contributions.

I have also appointed Ray Funkhouser the Race Walk Chair.

Ray can be reached at: rfunkhouser@pbigordon.com

2009-02-18T10:14:00.000-08:00

Hi Everybody,

USATF has announced the new Board of Directors which includes one of the Masters Track and Field Committee candidates, Willie Banks. Congratulation to Willie and we look forward to hearing from him soon.

Announcement:

INDIANAPOLIS - USA Track & Field on Wednesday announced its newly constituted Board of Directors. Among what will be 15 members of the board are respected business executives, National Track & Field Hall of Famers, attorneys, officials, coaches and Olympic athletes.

The new board includes National Track & Field Hall of Famer and sports consultant Willie Banks; National Track & Field Hall of Famer and the first acting President of USATF's predecessor organization, The Athletics Congress (TAC), Dr. Evie Dennis; former world-class athlete and business executive Steve Holman; USATF official and youth track and field activist Kim Haines; businesswoman and former USATF women's long-distance running chair Elizabeth Phillips; international sports executive and former business professor Steve Miller; NASCAR executive and entertainment executive Max Siegel; longtime USATF official and practicing CPA Kenneth Taylor; and retired health-care industry executive Jack Wickens.

Athlete members include a trio of three-time Olympians: four-time USA 50km race walk champion and 1999 Pan Am Games bronze medalist Philip Dunn; 2004 Olympic marathon bronze medalist and two-time World Cross Country silver medalist Deena Kastor; and four-time national discus champion and 2003 Pan Am Games gold medalist Aretha Hill Thurmond.

Board members already specified by USATF bylaws are President Stephanie Hightower and IAAF Council Member Robert Hersh. USATF's "5E" member organizations, including the NCAA, NAIA and National Federation of State High School Associations, will name their collective board member by early March, which will bring the board size to 15 members.

"It is an honor to serve on the Board of Directors as USATF President," Hightower said. "This is an accomplished group in the personal, professional and athletic realms. They will bring their high standards of excellence to their work with USA Track & Field, to the benefit of everyone who loves the sport."

"I am extremely optimistic about working with the new board," USATF CEO Doug Logan said. "All are strong, independent-minded individuals who see the big picture. With their collective capacity to put the best interests of the sport first, we have a bright future."

The demographics of the board reflect the diversity of the sport: seven of the 14 members currently named are African-American and five are women; of those with world-class athletic backgrounds in the sport, the sprints/hurdles, jumps, middle distances, long distances, race walks and throws are represented. Nearly all are established businesspeople.

In sweeping bylaw changes overwhelmingly approved by USATF membership at its Annual Meeting in Reno, Nevada, on December 13, the Board was reduced in size from 31 members to 15. The USATF President, IAAF Council Member, 5E representative and three athlete representatives are selected directly by their constituencies. The six seats nominated by USATF's High Performance, Long Distance Running, General Competition, Youth, Coaches and Officials divisions, as well as three independent seats, were vetted and ultimately selected by USATF's Nominating and Governance Panel. Each USATF Division nominated three candidates for each seat, with the Panel choosing the board member from among the nominated candidates. The Independent board members were selected by the Panel from nominations gathered nationwide. The board will meet for the first time on March 7 in Orlando and will elect its own officers.

Tentative Day of Event Schedule for 2009 Indoor

2009-01-22T11:54:00.000-08:00

2009 INDOOR Schedule of Events (TENTATIVE - Age/gender order, and final times, to be decided after entries are received)

FRIDAY MARCH 20

Pentathlon

W All (60M Hurdles, High Jump, Shot Put, Long Jump, 800 M)

M All (60M Hurdles, Long Jump, Shot Put, High Jump, 1000 M)

Field

Weight Throw M50+

Track

3000 Meter Run W/M All

SATURDAY MARCH 21

Track

60 Meter Trials and Finals All

Mile Run All

400 Meter Timed Finals, All

4x800 Relays All

60 M Hurdles Trials and Finals All

Throws

Shot Put Finals All

Weight Throw W30+

Jumps

Long Jump All

Pole Vault W30+, M60+

High Jump Men 30-59

SUNDAY MARCH 22

Track

200 Meter Trials All

800 Meter Finals All

200 Meter Finals All

3000 Meter Racewalk All

4x400M Relay All

Throws

Weight Throw M30-49

Superweight All

Jumps

Triple Jump All

High Jump W30+, M60+

Pole Vault M30-59

January 2009 National Masters News Column

2009-01-18T12:52:00.000-08:00

Hi Everybody,

The 2008 USATF Annual Meeting was held in Reno Nevada from December 3^rd thru 8^th. This was an election year for the Masters Track and Field Committee to vote for officers. I ran unopposed and will serve as your chair for the next four years. Likewise for our Vice Chair Janet McCarthy-Smith. Our new Secretary is Jeff Brower and the Treasurer is Carroll DeWeese.

Many of you are familiar with my monthly email updates which were unfortunately limited to my address book recipients. In order to reach the entire MTF community I am joining the increasing ranks of bloggers effective January 1^st. This will enable me to provide almost immediate news and respond to issues and questions in real time. So get you questions ready!

My blog is at

http://chairreports.blogspot.com/

The MTF Committee voted to accept a bid from a group in the Cleveland area for the 2011 USA Masters Outdoor Championships.

The schedule is:

2009 Oshkosh WI

2010 Sacramento CA

2011 Cleveland

Looks like a nice run for the outdoor folks.

There were no bids submitted for the 2011 indoor so the schedule remains:

2009 Landover MD

2010 Boston MA

2011 ????

Speaking of bids I have appointed Mike Travers the New England Association Masters T&F Chair to the Championship Site Selection Chair previously held by Joy Upshaw-Margerum who resigned.

The committee also voted to approve a standard time line for the indoor and outdoor USA Championships meets. This provide for the posting of schedules on a consistent basis to aid travel and lodging arrangements.

6 Months prior to first day of competition. Entries open with day of event schedule

26 Days prior to first day of competition Entries Close

19 Days prior to first day of competition Late entries close

14 Days prior to first day of competition Detail Schedule Available

Members of the committee are developing a plan to increase participation and therefore membership which will focus on a Grass Roots campaign. Details will be available soon. The Region Coordinators will play a key role within the plan and increased funds to conduct clinics and all comers meets and improve region and association meets.

Enough for now!

See you on the track!

Gary Snyder

617-480-6506

garysnyder@att.net

A new era in USATF Masters track

2008-09-05T13:44:00.000-07:00

Blogs are a beautiful way to communicate. And this one goes beyond the pretend "Shin Splints" effort by Doug Logan, which offers no comment function. Blogs are a two-way street, allowing feedback from readers. So Doug's is a failure on its face. I wish all blog users greath health, wealth and happiness and age-group PRs forever!

August 2008 Report

2008-09-05T09:17:00.000-07:00

Executive Committee Meeting in Spokane August 6th:

The Executive Committee met on Wednesday evening for over two hours and discussed a wide range of topics.

We began work to develop a ‘standard’ timeline for all USA Championship meets which will establish milestones for posting of entries, close of entries, detail schedule etc.

Discussed the website or lack there of and the establishment of a ‘discrete’ Masters Fund’.

Some of us have not submitted expenses which will cause problems as we get closer to year end and try to estimate actual verses budget. If you are guilty please submit your expense but in the mean time please send Joy and me an estimate of what you have not submitted.

Annual meeting should be very interesting. Start making plans now!

USA Indoor and Outdoor Championship BIDS for 2012

Have not received a single BID for 2012 meets and as you know the meets are awarded at the Annual Meeting so if interested it’s time to get serious.

USA Outdoor Championships
Spokane August 7 – 10

Wow! Except for running behind schedule on Friday this was as good as it gets. Thanks to all the MTF Committee members who contributed. I’ve received nothing but praise for the LOC, meet management, games committee and the officials. The Saturday evening dinner was terrific with Dave Clingan handing out Athlete of Year awards and the special recognition of David Pain. Even the band was great.

**North, Central American and the Caribbean WMA Regional Championships** August 28 – 31, 2008

There are some concerns about Clermont regarding the LOC management, weather and facilities but as of now it is the site for the 2008 North American meet and the 2009 USA Championships. Four members of the Executive Committee will be in Clermont for the meet and will report back on what is necessary for our USA meet in 2009.

See you in Reno at the Annual Meeting!

Gary