Contact: Joe Hughes
Communications Intern
USA Track & Field
(317) 261-0478 x357
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
http://www.usatf.org
USATF News & Notes
Volume 3, Number 79 August 14, 2002
Deal signs on as Oregon coach
1996 Olympic hammer throw silver medalist Lance Deal has joined the
University of Oregon track & field program as a volunteer assistant coach
for the 2002-2003 season. He will coach athletes in the hammer, discus and
shot put.
A four-time Olympian, Deal holds the U.S. hammer throw record of 82.52
meters/270 feet, 9 inches and was ranked #1 in the world in that event in
1996. The owner of 12 U.S. Indoor 35-lb. weight throw titles, Deal retired
following the 2000 season. He returned to compete in two events earlier this
year before winning his ninth U.S. Outdoor hammer title in June.
“I’m really excited about the position,” Deal said. “I remember about 1 ½
years after I moved here (Eugene, Oregon), I told Stewart (Togher, then UO
throws coach), ‘I want to do what you do.’ It’s a little intimidating to
follow in his footsteps, but it should be something that’s fun and
enjoyable, and I’ve always enjoyed working with new throwers.”
Carter coaches while training
2002 US Outdoor 400-meters hurdles champion James Carter will be training,
coaching, and taking classes at Hampton University during the upcoming
school year.
Maurice Pierce, who is Carter’s personal coach and the new Head Women’s
Track & Field coach at Hampton, reported that he has added Carter to his
coaching staff as a volunteer assistant. Carter will take classes to
complete his undergraduate degree during the morning, train with Pierce
midday, and then help coach in the afternoon.
Carter is scheduled to compete at the next Golden League meet, the
Weltklasse in Zurich, Switzerland, on Friday.
Metcalf to head UW track program
Former University of Washington All-American Greg Metcalf has been named
head coach of his alma mater’s track & field and cross country programs.
Metcalf replaces long-time UW head coach Orin Richburg, who left the
University in June to pursue other interests.
A native of Ephrata, Wash., Metcalf was the 1987 Washington Class A state
cross country champion, and he captured the state title in the 1,600 meters
in 1988. He was an All-American steeplechaser for UW before graduating in
1993 with a degree in geography.
As an assistant coach at Washington for the past five seasons, Metcalf
directed the school’s women’s cross country team to five consecutive NCAA
Championships appearances, including an all-time best ninth place finish in
1998.
Travel anyone?
Media interested in covering the 2002 IAAF Grand Prix Final (Sept. 14 in
Paris, France) or the World Cup in Athletics 2002 (September 20-21 in
Madrid, Spain) should contact Tom Surber at the USATF National Headquarters
to receive accreditation forms for those events. He may be reached at
[EMAIL PROTECTED] or 317-261-0500 x 317. Please make your request at your
earliest convenience.
Wedding bells in the track world
USATF Director of Communications Jill M. Geer and Paul J. Souza, head men's
and women's track coach at Wheaton (Mass.) College, were married August 10
in Hyannis, Mass.
USATF's chair of men's high jump development and Penn State's indoor record
holder in the high jump, Souza has coached the Wheaton women's team to the
last four NCAA Division III indoor track championships and the last two
outdoor crowns. Geer doesn't even own any of her high school individual
records anymore, but she was once a Wisconsin Class B high school state
champion in cross country. She competed in track and cross country at the
University of Arkansas and was an award-winning sports journalist before
coming to USATF in March of 2000.
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