Re: t-and-f: Junior qualifying

[Ed & Dana Parrot]

>2) Whatever meet(s) are used, something has to be done about the abysmal failure (and not just for junior meets) of too many >local USATF units to properly emply the local media to get the word around.   Having been involved with this on the ground level, the solution is simple - the local USATF units either need more volunteers or a paid staff person to do the media work.  Until the national organization decides that more funding and focus on local programs is a priority, it will not happen.   >In the best of worlds, the USOC would run the Junior Olympic program as it does the US Olympic team itself--farming out the >qualifying to designated organizations such as USATF. Since it evidently doesn't want to do this---it has had 20 years to pick >up the ball---then the only multi-sport organization around to do this would be the AAU. In either case, the USATF could run >its JO qualifying meet, send these athletes to a multi-sport competition and, at the same time, send those qho qualify to the >World Youth Games. There would then, perhaps, be an end to the redundancy of two junior competitions run each summer by >USATF. Or would that be too simple a solution?   You said it yourself, the logical thing would be for the USOC to farm out the qualifying to USATF.  But you also pointed out correctly the failure of many (most?) local USATF branches to put on quality youth programs, which is what leads to the national junior olympic and youth meets being much less competitive than they could be (Junior Nationals is pretty well attended, relatively speaking).  The AAU is no more capable of staging a nationwide track program than USATF is, and unless it is fully funded (not likely by the USOC), a multi-sport national youth championships would not be successful without strong local programs.   Sooner or later (probably later), people will realize that there is a direct correlation between the state of our youth programs and the quality and depth of American athletes at the elite level.  Hopefully this realization will be accompanied by a desire to give the grass roots programs the funding and focus they deserve.  Lord knows I've sounded like a broken record to USATF people on this over the past few years.   - Ed Parrot