USATF COACHING EDUCATION
USATF CALENDAR OF SCHOOLS
https://www.usatf.org/programs/coaches/calendar-of-schools
- Sept 30-Oct 2 Level 1 – Community College of Philadelphia, Philadelphia, PA
- Oct 2-Nov 12 Level 2 – Weekend Program
- Oct 8-9 Level 1 – Alhambra High School, Phoenix, AZ
- Oct 14-16 Level 1 – Zoom #2022-41 (EDT)
- Oct 28-31 Level 1 – Zoom #2022-43 (EDT)
- Nov 11-14 Level 1 – Zoom #2022-45 (EST)
- Nov 18-20 Level 1 – Zoom #2022-46 (CST)
- Nov 25-27 Level 1 – Zoom #2022-47 (PST)
- Dec 9-11 Level 1 – Zoom #2022-49 (CST)
- Dec 16-18 Level 1 – Zoom #2022-50 (PST)
USATF Level 2 School — Weekend Debuting October 2 — November 12, 2022
The USATF Level 2 School has been reimagined in a new, online weekend format. Members can now become a USATF Level 2 Track & Field Coach across six Sundays, October 6-November 12. The new schedule will provide the same in-depth and immersive experience as the traditional summer school, only on a new schedule and more convenient format. Each live session will be hosted on Sundays from 2:00pm – 6:00pm (Eastern Time) on Zoom.
The USATF Level 2 School is accredited by the United States Center for Coaching Excellence and prepares coaches to plan, teach, assess, and adapt event-specific training based on sports science principles and LTAD practices.
Interested coaches must hold a current USATF Level 1 certificate, USATF membership, and a minimum of three years coaching experience in the sport. Members can choose from the following event disciplines: Endurance, Sprints/Hurdles/Relays, Jumps, Throws, and Youth Specialization. Applications will be accepted through Friday, September 16, 2022.
Don’t miss the last opportunity in 2022 to become a USATF Level 2 Track & Field Coach. Learn more about the new format and apply at:
https://www.usatf.org/programs/coaches/calendar-of-schools/usatf-level-2-school-%E2%80%93-weekend
2022 USATF Coaching Education Award Nominations Due October 2, 2022
USATF annually recognizes coaching professionals for outstanding contributions and service to coaching education. Examples of qualifying service include: being a frequent speaker/contributor at USATF Level 1, 2, or 3 Schools, history of service at the club, state or national level, frequent contributor of articles, videos or books that strengthen the professionalism of coaching, mentoring beginning coaches/students in the sport, and offering support to the Coaches Education Committee to strengthen curricula, outreach, and public relations. Awards are presented at the Annual Meeting during the Coaching Education General Session. Nominations will be accepted online through October 2, 2022.
Awards
- Joe Vigil Sports Science Award
- Ron Buss Service Award
- Fred Wilt Educator of the Year Award
- Vern Gambetta Young Professional Award
- Terry Crawford Distinguished Female in Coach Award
- Kevin McGill Legacy Award
- Level 2 Coaches Rising Star Award
Award descriptions and the nomination form are accessible at:
https://www.usatf.org/programs/coaches/coaching-education-awards.
Limited Emerging Female Grants Remaining for 2022 Level 1 Schools
The Emerging Female Grant is provided by USATF and provides a select number of minority women track and field coaches the opportunity to attend USATF Coaching Education Level 1, 2, or 3 Schools or approved USATF specialty courses. A limited number of Emerging Female Grants are available at remaining 2022 Level 1 Schools. Recipients must be minimally USATF 3-Step SafeSport Compliant. Grants are valued at $210 for Zoom and $500 if attending an in person Level 1 School (includes travel expenses and registration fee).
Interested members may apply and learn more at:
https://www.usatf.org/programs/coaches/grants/emerging-female-coaching-grant
Please note all 2022 Emerging Female Grants for Level 2 have been awarded.
USATF Coaching Education Instructor Spotlight
An interview with Dr. Wendy Truvillion, Alhambra High School (AZ)
Dr. Wendy Truvillion is The Assistant Principal of Athletics at Alhambra High School in Phoenix, Arizona. She was a six-time NCAA All-American at LSU and former track coach at Georgia Tech and Penn State University. Truvillion presently serves as the USATF Women’s Track and Field Vice Chair, Women’s Commission Vice Chair, Junior/HS Focus Group Co-Chair, World Athletics Coaching Matters Virtual Forum host and Adjunct Professor for Grand Canyon University. Truvillion has served on over 20 USA international teams, taught in over 40 Level 1 Schools, and is the USATF Level 1 Region Coordinator for the Southwest. In 2015, Truvillion received the Terry Crawford Distinguished Female in Coaching Award.
MR: Wendy, I’ve made a habit of starting with this question, and why not keep the streak alive? Tell us how you got started in coaching, and second how you got involved with USATF?
WT: After finishing my eligibility at LSU in 1982 I moved to Atlanta. Dee Todd, the head coach at Georgia Tech, was leaving GT for the ACC office and she reached out to my LSU coach and asked him to recommend an African American female coach to take over her position at Georgia Tech. My coach stated that one of his top athletes, Wendy Truvillion, had just relocated to Atlanta and may be interested in coaching. When I got the call from Dee Todd to consider taking her job, I was flattered and scared to death to go into coaching, but I took it as a challenge and as an opportunity to get back into the sport that I had just left. I accepted the job as Georgia Tech’s Assistant Women’s Track coach. Seven years later I became the Head coach. During the seven years as assistant coach, I began attending the USATF convention to network with other coaches and continue to learn from mentors like Evie Dennis, Stephanie Hightower, Sue Humphrey, and Duffy Mahoney. When I got the job at Georgia Tech, I flew back to Baton Rouge to meet with my former coach, and he walked me through the Level 1 School course material to refresh my memory on all my training as an athlete. He taught me how he set up workouts, how the energy system worked, and why “drills” were important. I immediately took a liking to the Coaching Education, so I began my USATF certifications: Level 1, Level 2, ITC, and soon began hosting Level 1 schools.
MR: You recently returned from World U20’s in Cali, Columbia where you hosted a daily show with World Athletics interviewing team staff coaches across all countries. Share with our readers some of the insights from the various team coaches, and if you can, please share where they can find these resources online. I particularly enjoyed your interview with Carmelita Jeter, Team USATF Women’s Assistant Coach (Sprints/Hurdles), where Coach Jeter broke down the role of a team staff coach and the “do no harm” philosophy.
WT: Being put in charge of the Coaching Club in Cali, which was similar to the club in Eugene, was one of the most memorable and fulfilling experiences of my career. I created the onsite interviews which we called “cameo’s” to add a more entertaining presentation of the coaches’ perspectives of the U20 championships. I was told to be creative and make the Coaches Club interactive and informative, so I developed the format of “cameo” interviews of coaches “in the trenches” and on set interviews (similar to Eugene) with select coaches coupled with the expert panel of coaches to review and preview the meet performances. They were called “one-take Wendy” when I conducted the cameo interviews at the track and at the practice track with coaches from all over the country. The cameo interviews were presented during the onset coaches interviews to add to the dialogue. As the moderator of the coaches interviews my job was to guide the discussion by the guest coaches and expert panelist around the theme of “preparing U20 athletes for senior level competition”. This theme centered around the statistical data that shows only 6% of U20 and youth athletes progress onto the senior and elite level of competition. Most of the international coaches shared their expertise on how they train their athletes to compete and prepare for top level competition. The Coaches Club material will be housed on the World Athletics website under “webinars” for all coaches to review. Most rewarding was my interview with Carmelita Jeter as she shared her progression from youth athlete to elite athlete to Olympian and World record holder. Her humbling experience and progressions were highlighted by her quest for her Level 1 School certification to improve her coaching expertise and her encouragement for all coaches to “keep getting educated”. It was exciting for me to have her share that Level 1 School experience because she attended my Level 1 school as a student. Being able to contribute to her educational progression into coaching was a monumental moment for me as a Coaching Education instructor. Imagine having an Olympian and World Record holder in your class as a student and then interviewing her in an international competition. It was great.
MR: As an advocate for women in the sport and your seat on the Women’s Commission, what advice would you offer to other aspiring female coaches and administrators?
WT: The advice I would give to aspiring female coaches and administrators would be to “keep getting educated”, similar to what Carmelita Jeter said. Women in coaching must always come to the table for coaching jobs with more education than men coaches. Women have to prove themselves more and more competent in order to be considered for the bigger jobs. I would advise women to attend coaching education schools, clinics, and conferences; gender equity conferences, leadership conferences and seminars, and acquire a mentor to advise them in their quest for coaching jobs at the high school and/or college jobs. I would advise women to be confident, professional, and perseverant and to always perform as if someone is watching them because you never know when you may be in the room with your “next boss”.
MR: Lastly, you earned All-American status, relay, and team titles while at LSU, have traveled across the world supporting over 20 USATF delegations in manager and coach roles, and numerous other personal achievements and accolades in the sport. To this point, what stands out to you as the most memorable or proudest moment in your years involved in the sport of track & field, and why?
WT: Most memorable moments are those as head coach, assistant coach, and/or head manager of our USA teams. Working with the USA’s top athletes at the senior level, junior level, and youth level has been the most rewarding for me. Working behind the scenes to support and enhance the athletes’ performances directly and indirectly gives me a sense of personal accomplishment similar to my own personal accomplishments when I was an athlete at LSU. Carmelita said it in her interview with me, that she gets “butterflies” for the athletes like she did when was an athlete. I get the same “butterfly” feeling (as if it is me performing) when the USA athletes are performing. Being a behind the scene support for our USA athletes, and encouraging them to be confident and “get it done” gives me my own unique feeling of accomplishment. I have two most-proudest moments involved in the sport of track and field: One was when I ran on my LSU 4×400 meter relay team in 1985 where we won the relay and clinched the ‘team’ title. Second was as the USA head coach for the 2000 World Junior Championships in Barcelona, Spain. Our women’s 4×400 meter relay team was disqualified because they lined up “out of the zone” in error. After being disqualified, Duffy Mahoney filed a protest and I traveled with him to the TIC area to review the video which showed the meet official putting our USA athlete at the end of the zone and not at the beginning of the zone. Duffy dialogued, calmly with the meet officials and we were allowed to run (under protest) alone to get a lane in the finals. In doing so, we were allowed to run in the finals where we won the 4×400 relay. I had a deep feeling of despair while we waited (3 hours) for permission to run alone. After winning I was never more proud to be an American and a part of the best country in the world and the most rewarding sport of all times.
MR: Wendy, thank you again for being a part of this feature. It was great to learn more about you and share your story with our community. USATF members interested in learning more from Dr. Wendy Truvillion can catch her next (alongside Sue Humphrey and Simone Terry) at the USATF Level 1 School, Alhambra High School (AZ), October 8-9, 2022.