Hey Everyone,

I’m at the Annual meeting in Virginia Beach, and while I have been here going to the meetings I have learned a lot. I learned a lot about USA Track and field (USATF), the structure, and it’s goals. For those of you who do not know much about track it is an individual sport that has a governing body called USA Track and Field.

That is what I want to talk about, the thing that we take pride in is the same thing that is making it difficult for us to grow as a sport. One thing that makes track different from many other sports is that it is an INDIVIDUAL sport; it is a sport where we step on that track by ourselves and compete against our competitors in front of thousands of people. It is a sport that we can control our destiny, we are in charge of our fate. We are always told if we dedicate ourselves and work hard, success will come, and for years that is the way we have been operating. However, the time is now for change. Although track is an INDIVIDUAL sport, there is also a time where we need to band together and UNIONIZE. Like in every organization there are always complaints, problems, issues, things that people do not like, but different from other organizations, until now we have not had a functioning athlete union.

The union that key players in the Athlete Advisory Committee (AAC) have formed is called Track and Field Athlete Association. Throughout this week at the annual meeting more and more athletes have slowly began to join, however, there are still people who are not willing to join, for a number of reasons, one being because they are afraid to lose, when honestly we have nothing to lose. In the bigger scheme of things we are all in the same boat, everyone wants more sponsorships, money, recognition, and countless other things. However, what they do not understand that right now we are DIVIDED and in the long run everyone suffers from this DIVISION. As they say, “UNITED we stand DIVIDED we fall“. That is true DIVIDED we are just the noise you hear in a crowded stadium where everyone is yelling and screaming at the same time. Every single person is saying something however; it just sounds like a bunch a noise to USATF! Yet as a UNION the noise turns into one solid strong voice that can affect outcomes! It becomes organized and everyone can be heard; more issues can be addressed, and more people can come out satisfied. But until we unite as one there will always be division, confusion, and misunderstandings.

So athletes think about what it took to get to where you are now, the time, hard work, patience, faith, and DEVELOPMENT, you need to put that same hope and faith in to this union and watch it grow. These are traits and characteristics we all have developed and learned through our athletic careers. With that said use the skills and traits that make you great, have faith in our leaders and let’s finally be a team sport. There is no I in team, but, “there is no USATF without U-S… US the ATHLETES” –Jon Drummond. Let’s help make the change.

http://trackandfieldathletesassociation.org/

xoxo MacKenzie

View Original Post at mackenziesjourney.com

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