Volume I Issue 5

The Handoff Texas Track & Field Coaches Association

May, 2011

2 0 1 1 S P C & TA P P S C h a m p i o n s Congratulations to The St. Mark’s School of Texas and to Hockaday for capturing the 2011 crown for boys and girls respectively.

This is St. Mark’s 8th straight track & field title and Hockaday’s first.

Outstanding performers: Ty Montgomery (St. Mark’s), Jackie Choucair (Hockaday), Chioma Nwankwo (Bellaire Episcopal), Schaffer Ochstein (Dallas Episcopal), Roberto Diaz (Austin St. Andrew’s), Bryce Holcomb (St. Mark’s), and Clifton Harlin (FW Country Day).

2A Girls—Shiner St. Paul 3A Boys—Colleyville Covenant Christian 3A Girls—Carrollton Prince of Peace 4A Boys—Midland Christian School 4A Girls—Tomball Concordia 5A Boys—Argyle Liberty Christian 5A Girls—Dallas Ursuline Academy

TAPPS Champions 1A Boys—Granbury Happy Hill Farm 1A Girls—Boerne Geneva 2A Boys— Muenster Sacred Heart

H a r t t o H e a d l i n e T F C C T, J a n . 2 0 1 2 Baylor Track & Field legend Clyde Hart will headline the 2012 Track &

Field Coaches Clinic of Texas annual clinic, January 6-7 at the Crowne Plaza-Addison near the Galleria. Confirmed speakers alongside Coach Hart include Rob Lasorsa, founder and director of the National Throws Coaches Association, Erica Bartolina, 2008 Olympic pole vaulter and owner

of Bartolina Athletics PV facility in Louisiana, and Lucas Lovejoy’s Greg Christensen, who led his Leopards to the 2010 3A boys and girls state titles in Cross Country.

More names will be announced soon as will the 2012 Hall of Fame class.

Volume 1, Issue 5

Membership Drive Here are a few of the advantages of membership in the TTFCA: 

Receiving The Handoff, our regularly published newsletter providing timely information, interviews, educational opportunities, and more.

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Full access to the website www.TTFCA.com – with complete track & field coverage including photos, meet results, top performance lists, recruiting, etc

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A partnership with the nation’s #1 source for high school track and field – ESPN / RISE – DyeStat – an official announcement is coming soon!

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A partnership with Texas Sports Hall of Fame for cross-promotional opportunities.

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Endorsement of the state’s #1 annual track & field clinic - the Track & Field Coaches Clinic of Texas. [Starting immediately, one’s $10 membership fee prior to the clinic date will allow for a 10% reduction of the clinic rate; on the other hand, one’s membership fee will be deducted from the clinic’s full payment. Membership packets will be handed out at the clinic for those becoming members at that time. For all others, TTFCA membership information will be mailed.]

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Instant, electronic delivery of the Texas Track & Field Records book, consisting of not only Texas Track & Field Records – indoor and outdoor – but also national records. This electronic book will be delivered to you at a minimum two weeks before it’s released to the public via the TTFCA website.

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Conduit of information for the UIL.

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Annual Texas Track & Field Coaches Association Hall of Fame recognizing coaches, officials and contributors who have left a positive and lasting impact on the sport.

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Recognition of student-athletes and coaches through an awards and [future] scholarship program.

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Studying and initiating proposed rules changes and making recommendations to the appropriate organizations.

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Beginning 2012 school year, award certificates for both All-State track & field athletes as well as Academic All-State track & field athletes

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Discounts with TTFCA partners - a list of partners and initial membership discounts coming soon

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And much more in the early stages of planning and implementation…

Texas Track & Field Coaches Association 2012 Membership Application Membership is open to any individual track & field coach – active or retired – official, student-athlete, or any individual interested in helping to promote track & field in the state of Texas. Membership is $10 for the calendar year January 1 – December 31. Benefits are provided on the Membership page of the website. For multiple coaches from a single school or organization, please photocopy this form so that we may have his / her information on file and that he / she may receive his / her benefits.

[Please print legibly.]

NAME: (FIRST)

(LAST)

(MIDDLE INITIAL)

MAILING ADDRESS: (street address / p.o. box)

(city)

(email address)

(phone #)

(state)

(zip code)

(fax #)

(School / Club affiliation – if any) CHECK APPROPRIATE COACHING CATEGORY AND RELATED INFORMATION ° High School

° Men’s

° Women’s

° Head

° Assistant

° Collegiate

° Men’s

° Women’s

° Head

° Assistant

° USATF Club

° Men’s

° Women’s

° Head

° Assistant

° USATF Youth

° Men’s

° Women’s

° Head

° Assistant

° AAU Youth

° Men’s

° Women’s

° Head

° Assistant

° Official ° Athlete – age ____ ° Fan ° Other – please clarify _____________________________________________

MEMBERSHIP [MEMBERSHIP IS $10. Please make check or money order payable to: Texas Track & Field Coaches Association. After processing, you will receive your membership card in the mail. All TTFCA benefits require TTFCA membership. Benefits are outlined on the TTFCA Membership page.

Please make sure the email you provide will not be blocked by your school’s firewall.] A non-school email – Hotmail, Yahoo, etc – works best.

Please mail TTFCA Memberships to: TTFCA Membership / 1012 W. Foxwood Lane / Wylie, TX 75098

Letter from the President:

Championship season is upon us. Beginning with SPC Championships in Fort Worth to Waco for TAPPS State Championships, and now to Austin where all eyes are turned to the UIL state meet. While we watch intently, supporting, coaching and applauding athletes through the final bell, our friends in the state legislature a few blocks away on Congress Avenue also bear watching.

The 82nd Legislature is in regular session with several bills in committee that could directly impact our sport. While the General Appropriations bills (HB1/SB1) dealing with education funding have received much attention, lesser known bills (HB2322/SB1214) have gone almost unnoticed. If enacted, HB2322/SB1214 would require UIL to ―provide private and parochial schools with equal opportunity to become members of the league for the purpose of providing their students with access to league activities.‖ It is not the first time these issues have surfaced, nor will it be the last.

Before we close another season and turn our thoughts to summer, I invite you to become a member of the Texas Track & Field Coaches Association (TTFCA). If you are already a member, thank you for your support; if not, please consider joining the more than 500 coaches around the State to help advance the interests of Track & Field through education, advocating issues, recognizing outstanding athletes and coaches, and promoting our sport.

Visit the www.ttfca.com Membership page to view the many advantages of membership and for a new Membership application.

See you on the track!

Mike Sheaner

Interview with SPC Girls’ Championship Coach Autumn Johnson Q. Congratulations on the SPC Girls Championship. Did you know, heading into the 4x4, that if your team got the stick around –even in the middle of the pack—you’d win the title?

A.

I had been watching the points and knew that if I was adding correctly, we would be able to win if we finished 6th or better.

Q.

Can you describe the feeling of winning a track & field state title and what it means to The Hockaday School?

A.

It was the best feeling ever to see the girls’ faces when we found out we had won. All of the hard work, determination, and heart that each girl contributed to the team had finally paid off. It was special seeing the seniors who had been running together for several years accomplish this goal together. This is a huge accomplishment since it is the first SPC Championship in Hockaday track and field history. I couldn’t think of a better way to celebrate my time here at Hockaday.

Q.

What did you tell your coaches / your athletes after the realization had set in?

A.

I commended all of them on their work ethic, time and heart they poured into the program day in and day out. I told them that we believed as coaches they could do it and felt that if they really believed in themselves, they could do it. I told them if they keep working hard, supporting each other, and having fun out of season as well as in season, they will continue to succeed. I can’t thank all of the coaches enough for all of their time and dedication to the program. Each coach has so much to offer and many talents and attributes that put together = a great coaching staff.

Q.

You’re leaving Hockaday after this school year. Where are you headed, and will you be teaching and coaching there as well?

A.

I am headed to Minnesota where all of my family lives. I’m a bit nervous to go back to the cold weather again, but sure excited to be close to family :) I am currently in the application process in finding a teaching/coaching job in Minnesota … I will cherish the coaches that I worked with; without them, it wouldn’t have been possible … I will miss the girls and all of their stories … What a tremendous group of athletes!

What’s not to miss?

Check the TTFCA flickr links from the Top Performance pages of the website the week of May 9th for pictures from the TAPPS State Track & Field Meet. Follow us on Twitter @ twitter.com/ttfca for updates from the meet, and as always, check the website for complete results.

Do you have an outstanding multi-event athlete? Then let him / her display his / her skills at the TX Greatest Athlete competition June 4-5 at the St. Mark’s School of Dallas. As the website states: ― we will be conducting a decathlon / heptathlon clinic and competition that is open to anyone with or without experience in any or all of the events. The event is sponsored by USATF and the Southwestern Association in an effort to: 1) discover and develop "combined-event" talent in Texas and the throughout the United States, and 2) provide a competition for elite/ emerging elite college level athletes.‖ Go to http://tgainvite.com for information.

LEAP OF FAITH 8TH ANNUAL XC DISTANCE CAMP—JUNE 13—AUGUST 5 FOR INFORMATION, GO TO TTFCA.COM/CAMPS This camp is run by experienced Coaches / Runners Mark and Jody Hawkins—a tremendous opportunity for athletes of all ages, but it’s limited to the first 100!

Bill 1214 Rekindles Debate about Private schools Playing with UIL, minus football and basketball Read the article from MySanAntonio.com on the TTFCA homepage; Vote in the online poll on the TTFCA homepage; Do you support Bill 1214 allowing “private schools onto the UIL playing fields” — except in football and basketball? ◊ Yes ◊ No