General

Straddler Steve Hackel trains off concrete at a homemade facility in Illinois.

General December 24, 2018

Help comebacking M65 high jumper find brief 1971 clip from ‘CBS Sports Spectacular’

In the summer of 1971, the NAIA Outdoor track championships were held in Billings, Montana, and a second-place Sioux Falls College high jumper was interviewed by long jump legend Ralph Boston for a tape-delayed episode of “CBS Sports Spectacular.” “My last cleared height was shown on TV in about August or September of ’71 when this was broadcast,” writes Steve Hackel. “To my knowledge, this is the only video of my jumping that might still exist.” So nearly M70 Steve, making a comeback after 26 years, wrote me for help in digging up the clip of his jump. “I am…

Phil Greenwald (inset, shown in Malaga) will direct 2021 indoor nationals at the new home of the Millrose Games.

General December 9, 2018

Phil Greenwald named meet director of 2021 USATF masters indoor nationals at Armory Track

Upon learning that the Armory track in New York City was the likely (and only) choice for 2021 indoor nationals, I wrote to Jonathan Schindel, who presented the bid at Columbus. Jonathan is co-president and CFO of the Armory Foundation. He graciously responded, informing me that the nationals are set for March 19-21, 2021, and “our goal would be to keep entry fees as close as possible to current / then-current entry fees.” But the biggest news is that Phil Greenwald, known mainly as USA team manager (stadia) at WMA worlds the past umpteen years, will serve as meet director….

Carroll DeWeese, shown at 2009 Lahti worlds, is our treasurer and newly minted WMA delegate.

General December 7, 2018

Here’s how USATF Masters T&F Committee is allocating its dollars — budget of $258,000

Carroll DeWeese, treasurer of the USATF Masters Track & Field Committee, has graciously shared our budget for 2019, adopted at the recent Columbus annual meeting. He sent it as an Excel file, and I also made a PDF version. So view either way. Carroll wrote me: Note that it is not a budget in the traditional sense. It is actually pre-approved spending limits for different areas of responsibility. The total is actually greater than the funds being provided to MTF by USATF. MTF knows that everyone will not spend all their approved funds and the total spending will be less…

Kerry Sloan, in front during a pentathlon 1500 at 2011 Berea nationals, faces serious charge involving a 17-year-old girl.

General December 5, 2018

Kerry Sloan faces 10-to-life sentence in rape case — with federal trial set for April 15, 2019

Three months ago, I reported how M55 hurdler Kerry Sloan had been arrested on rape charges on the way to Malaga worlds — seized at a Texas airport on the way to London. I tracked the case for a few days and then let it slide. Wednesday, a USATF notice brought Kerry to my attention again: Please be advised that it has come to USATF’s attention that the following individual has been deemed ineligible by the U.S. Center for SafeSport (www.safesport.org). KERRY SLOAN (Harker Heights, TX) – INELIGIBLE (SUBJECT TO APPEAL/NOT YET FINAL) Accordingly, this individual is prohibited from participating,…

Josh Robbins showed off national meet hardware. He rook silvers in Spokane in the M40 100 and pentathlon.

General December 4, 2018

Speedy Josh Robbins of Arizona quick to embrace masters track, share stories via video

M40 national-sprinter Josh Robbins is so geeked out on masters track he’s started posting videos promoting our niche on Facebook and YouTube. He’s based in Arizona, but his work is an example for USATF associations and clubs nationwide. I was so taken by his professionalism, I shot him a note. He graciously replied to my quickie Q&A. Masterstrack.blog: Where in Arizona do you live? What’s your line of work? Josh Robbins: Gilbert, Arizona. I am a full-time parent (two daughters, Jaya and Maya. Ages 6 and 3) and married 11 years. I worked as a freelance videographer from 1999-2012 (PA/NY/CA/AZ)….

Kay, in her trademark red elf tights, is our Medicare masters star.

General November 30, 2018

At 65, Kay Glynn jumps for joy in 12th annual Christmas photo greeting to masters tracksters

Kay Glynn of Hastings, Iowa, is 65 and still splits my sides with her annual Christmas photo greeting. But I’m onto her secret. It’s the long hair! She apparently took the story of Samson to heart. But I doubt anyone’s angling to mow her mane. So expect her to show her superhuman strength and flexibility for years to come (especially in the pole vault). Here she is at Sky Zone trampoline park in Omaha, where she asked staff about when it was least busy. “They told me that if I were to get there right when they opened on a…

General November 26, 2018

USATF could end masters club scoring (titles at indoor, outdoor nationals) under rule proposal

Last January, the WMA Competition Committee issued the world body’s “Rules of Competition 2018-2020.” Buried within, under Scoring, is Rule 151.1: “There shall be no overall Team Championships.” That appears to mean that WMA meets won’t score national teams for the purpose of identifying the top teams. OK fine. But since USATF likes to stay in step with World Masters Athletics, a rule proposal at the Columbus annual meeting this week aims to update USATF rules to end club scoring at masters nationals. (See team results from Maryland indoor nationals and Spokane outdoor nationals.) Have you been struggling with infertility?…

Becca flies over bar

General November 25, 2018

Landslide victory predicted for Willie Banks as USATF’s pick for IAAF Council rep

Becca Gillespy Peter, the PoleVaultPower.com legend who made her masters vault debut at Spokane over the summer, has posted her valued endorsement of Willie Banks, our masters track friend, for IAAF Council. One commenter on Becca’s post said: “Fearless prediction – Banks in a landslide.” Delegates will make their pick this coming Saturday at the USATF annual meeting in Columbus, Ohio, where the favorite daughter (and local resident) is Stephanie Hightower, the incumbent U.S. rep to the IAAF Council. If Willie wins, it will be a ratification of my bit role in his career. In 2009, at the Reno annual…

Charlie Allie anchors America's gold-medal M65 4x100 relay team at Malaga.

General November 21, 2018

Charles Allie, Lesley Hinz named USATF Masters Athletes of Year (with Charlie top overall)

Surprising nobody, Charles Allie has been named USATF Masters Athlete of the Year. In a related decision by the USATF Masters Awards Committee, Charlie and Lesley Hinz were named male and female masters athletes of the year. The committee chaired by W40 combined-eventer Rachel Guest — herself an honoree — also introduced event-group athletes of the year (along with the usual age-group AoYs). Photographer Rob Jerome did a wonderful job of highlighting award winners. Here’s the USATF press release on Charlie as overall AoY: Charles Allie (Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania) is no stranger to accolades. Since entering a new age group this…

Annelies is an accomplished javelin thrower as well as high jumper, who proudly wears Dutch orange.

General November 20, 2018

W70 world champ Annelies Steekelenburg homeless from Malibu fire but not friendless

Lady Gaga fled. So did Miley Cyrus, Neil Young and Robin Thicke. But I’m not worried about their fate from the devastating Woolsey Fire that razed parts of Malibu. I’m stunned how masters royalty has been victimized. Malaga M60 champion Peter Hlavin shares the sad news that his high jump friend — and Malaga W70 gold medalist — Annelies Steekelenburg lost almost all her possessions. She rented a home in Malibu. “Annelies is safe, having evacuated with car, computer, some clothes, a few of her personal paintings and — high jump shoes,” Peter writes. “For the past 18 years, she…