Track & Field and Cross Country News spring / 2016 NOTE FROM THE ASSOCIATION Men, Women and Friends of Yale Track and Field and Cross Country: I recently celebrated my 70th birthday. That being the case, I have spent exactly one half of my life directly involved with the Yale Track and Field and Cross Country programs as an athlete or coach. In one of those roles or the other (and in a few cases both), I know or have met most of you except some of those who graduated prior to 1964. Those of you who know me are aware that I am a competitive sort. It was in that competitive frame of mind that I asked to write this edition of the annual appeal letter on behalf of the Yale Track Association. At the most recent meeting of the Association’s Board of Directors in April, we learned that the percentage of those of us who are considered to be members of the Association (because of past participation or contribution) who made financial contributions in the most recent fiscal year was quite low, especially as compared to other Yale athletic associations. This has been a recent trend. I know that we can do better. We are all aware that our alma mater constantly requests contributions for myriad good reasons; AYA, alumni fund, class gift fund, residential college fund, etc, etc. Often, if not always, those appeals suggest a threshold gift amount which may, in fact, dissuade one from giving to that particular cause as that amount may not be practicable for that person in that year. For THIS particular appeal, the goal is increased participation. Most, if not all, of us had very positive experiences with the Track and Field
and Cross Country programs; friendships formed, life lessons learned, successes, team bonding, and so forth. Each of us has as at least one great story (and often many) about the importance of that experience in their life at Yale and beyond. If that is the case for you, please consider making a contribution in some amount this spring. Many of you have been generous over the years. For that generosity, I, and Coach Shoehalter, are very appreciative. Much of what the program does to carry out its mission – pre-season practice for cross-country, the spring trip, the Oxford-Cambridge series, bringing recruits to campus for official visits, to name several – is primarily, if not entirely, funded by the Track Association. So, to those of you who have given and continue to give, thank you, thank you. For those who haven’t given recently, for whatever reason, please do so now. Instructions on how to make a gift are on the back page of this newsletter. One piece of good news for any of you who are celebrating class reunion years this spring, you can make your reunion gift and designate it to the Track Association and you get double credit. The association gets the money and your class gets the credit. What could be better? Many thanks!! Yours at Yale, Mark T. Young ‘68 Director of Track and Field and Cross Country (Retired)
PICTURED ABOVE LEFT: MEN’S 2015ͳ16 CROSS COUNTRY TEAM; RIGHT: WOMEN’S 2015ͳ16 CROSS COUNTRY TEAM. PICTURED AT TOP LEFT: MEN’S 2015ͳ16 TRACK AND FIELD TEAM; RIGHT: WOMEN’S 2015ͳ16 TRACK AND FIELD TEAM.