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Outdoor Track 1999

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Jr Nationals
US Nationals

 

Junior Nationals

June 19-20, 1999 at Denton TX
 
Results - complete results both days including multi-events
Individual Events - 100 pictures - results and pictures of 
each event, plus Doug Speck's expert analysis, on same page 
  Men - Women
Heat Sheets - as of Thursday 6/17
Preview release from USATF 6/16
University of North Texas Jr Nationals page
Delta Timing Jr Nationals page

 

 

Dear Coach/Athlete/Parent

This Is It ! How to Enter Check List
Standards Registration Where is Denton?
Schedule Declaration Travel Information
Track Information Drug Testing  
Pan Am Info Pan Am Schedule USATF Elite Camps

What are the Junior Nationals?

The U.S. Junior National Track & Field Championships are open to athletes who will not turn 20 during the year of competition (for 1999 that would be athletes who were born in 1980 or later). The fields of competition are typically made up of about one-half first year collegians and about one-half high school athletes.

This mixture has proven to be a good one for high school athletes. The 1998 Junior Championship Meet in Edwardsville, Illionois at Southern Illinois University, was headlined by the presence of Track & Field News Prep Male and Female Athletes of the Year, Greg Yeldell of North Carolina and Angela Williams of Chino, California. Both athletes went on to star for the U.S. Junior National team in the World Junior Championships in Annecy, France, with both setting U.S. High Schools records during involvement with the 1998 Junior program (Williams set the High School 100 Meter record of 11.11 at the U.S. Junior Meet, with Yeldell extending the U.S. High School best in the Triple Jump with a 53-11.25 at the World Junior Championships). Williams came home from the World Junior Championships with a gold (relay) and silver (100m) medal, with Yeldell securing a bronze medal in the Triple Jump.

Members on the U.S. Junior team typically come from all across the nation. A number of National High School Records have been set in recent years in the USA Track & Field Junior National Championships or by members of the U.S. Junior National team chosen from that competition during summer international meets.

Seven of the top ten on the Boys' side in voting for 1998 US Prep Male Athlete of the Year, and the top ten on the Girls' side for that honor were all participants in the U.S. Junior National Championships during their prep careers. Many of these athletes were members of the U.S. Junior National team in summer meets, picking up invaluable international experience.

The presence at the U.S. Junior Nationals of these top male and female stars shows the importance of that competition in the seasonal plan of top prep athletes. Many college coaches follow the Junior Championships to discover future recruits.

The U.S. Junior National Championships are the qualifying competition for membership on a U.S. Junior National team. Every two years there is a World Junior Championship in the sport (even years), with Pan-American Junior Track & Field Championships held on the alternate years (odd years, such as 1999). Expenses of the competition tour as a member of the U.S. Junior National team will be paid by USA Track & Field. Between one-half and two-thirds of the U.S. Junior National teams are made up of high-school age athletes.

A significant number of Americans who have been members of and award winners on Pan-American, World University, World Championship, and Olympic Teams have come up through the U.S. National Junior program. A survey of the 1996 U.S. Olympic team showed that one-half of that special group of athletes had competed in the Junior National Championships while eligible at that level. Carl Lewis and Jackie Joyner-Kersee had their first taste of international experience as part of a U.S. Junior National team after qualification in the U.S. Junior National Championships.

What is the USATF?

USA Track & Field USA Track & Field is a 1992 name change of The Athletics Congress/USA (TAC/USA), the organization that replaced the AAU as national governing body for Athletics (track and field, race walking, and long distance running) in 1979 by mandate of the Amateur Sports Act of 1978.

USA Track & Field is responsible for coordinating Athletics programs at all levels of competition, including Junior Nationals. USA Track & Field is the United States' member of the International Amateur Athletic Federation (IAAF), the world governing body for Athletics.

USA Track & Field has a membership of 2,500 clubs and schools, with more than 150,000 member- athletes with an age range of 10-under to 80-plus. Its responsibilities include promoting programs of training and competition for its members, as well as protecting athletes' eligibility and establishing and maintaining the sport's rules of competition.

USA Track & Field is made up of 56 local Associations; each Association's territory represents a geographic area defined by the Congress' Bylaws. Each Association establishes its own Bylaws, and elects its own officers. Association responsibilities include registering member-athletes, club enrollment, and sanctioning events in its geographic area.

Coaches/Athletes/Parents:

     Hopefully you are having a fine spring Track & Field season. As a
consultant to USA Track & Field for Junior Programs I am authorized by the
Operations Department to inform you of an exciting post-interscholastic
season championship competition for your athlete.   The U.S. Junior National
Championships in Track & Field (open to athletes born 1980 or later) will be
held June 19-20, 1999 in Denton, Texas at North Texas State University.
     The fine group of athletes who compete in this year's U.S. Junior
Championships will be attempting to qualify to represent their nation on a
Junior National team, with the U.S. Junior Championship competition serving
as the qualifying competition for the Pan American Junior Championships in
Track & Field in Miami, Florida July 8-10 1999. We are sure that you will
agree that this U.S. Junior National Championship competition and possible
qualification for a U.S. National team with international competition would
be an invaluable experience in the development of your athlete.  The U.S.
Junior Championships will be the only end of the season Meet for High School
athletes that can lead on to such a U.S. National team position.  Over half
of the U.S. Junior National team selected from last year's U.S. Junior
National Championship meet were of High School age.  Most College Coaches
follow the Junior Championships to discover future recruits. 
     We hope you are as excited about the possibilities for your athlete as
we are!  You undoubtedly have some questions about how you qualify to compete
in the USA Track & Field Junior National Championships at North Texas State
University at Denton on June  June 19-20.
     1) You must have been born in 1980 or later (and be at least 14 years of
age on the day of the competition at the championships).
     2) You must have met a specific standard during a particular time frame
(see standards on enclosed brochure).
IF YOUR ATHLETE IS ELIGIBLE YOU SHOULD DO THE FOLLOWING IMMEDIATELY:
     1) Read over the enclosed information closely on the Junior
Championships. 
     2) If your athlete has met a standard in an event fill out the entry
blank enclosed with this packet and submit it to the address indicated on the
form.  If your athlete has not at this point in the season met the standard
but you feel he or she has a good chance of qualifying during the season
please save the entry form and begin preliminary planning for your trip to
Denton, Texas (a suburb of Dallas). Please closely follow the entry deadline
and "declaration" directions on the Meet brochure. 
     3) Begin working now for your athlete to attend.  We are sure your
athlete is a celebrity in your community, and it is very possible, by working
through local and community organizations, to raise part or all of the
necessary funds to send athletes and their coach (or family members) to the
Junior National Championships. 
DO NOT PUT OFF THE ABOVE STEPS--THE TIME TO START PLANNING IS NOW!!!
      This is an exciting opportunity for a young athlete to compete against
the nation's finest and earn a spot on a Junior National team and gain
invaluable international experience.  This would certainly be the chance of a
lifetime for your very special athlete!

Remember--the time to start planning is now--See you in Denton!!!!

Doug Speck  -   USA Track & Field Consultant to Juniors
2155 Verdugo Road #132
Montrose, CA  91020 (phone/fax) 818 249-5227
e-mail:  [email protected]

cc:      
P. Duffy Mahoney - Director of Operations - USA Track & Field -
Cathy Sellers - Manager of Operations Programs
(317) 261-0500 Ext 312        
web site:   
http://www.usatf.orgcc:      
P. Duffy Mahoney - Director of Operations - USA Track & Field -
Cathy Sellers - Manager of Operations Programs
(317) 261-0500 Ext 312        
web site:    http://www.usatf.org



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