New USTFCCCA Excellence in Communications Award to Begin With 2014 Track & Field Season

New USTFCCCA Excellence in Communications Award to Begin With 2014 Track & Field Season
January 22, 2014

NEW ORLEANS – The efforts of athletics communications representatives at schools and conferences around the nation are crucial in generating interest and exposure for the sports of collegiate track & field and cross country, and beginning in 2014 the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) will honor those efforts.

Starting with this 2014 collegiate track & field season, the USTFCCCA will bestow the "USTFCCCA Excellence in Communication Award" to those athletics communications staff members whose commitment to providing outstanding coverage for track & field and cross country contributes to the growth of the sport.

For both the track & field season (indoor and outdoor combined) and the cross country season, one individual per NCAA Division and an additional honoree from the NAIA will be recognized.

Among the criteria considered for the award:

Exhibiting consistent, innovative, high-quality coverage of the sport
Demonstrating a record of improving coverage and public awareness in the area/campus, etc.
Taking risks with their decisions in hopes of increasing awareness of the sport
Providing excellence in professionalism in interactions with the media, coaches and student-athletes.
Effectively and cleverly utilizing multimedia and social media.
Bringing understanding to an individual/subject/cause through excellence in feature writing, producing or promoting.
Nominations are open to media, coaches and athletics communications representatives, as well as the general public. Submissions can include digital or mailed examples of the nominees’ works.

The track & field award will open for nominations on the second business Monday of May and will remain open until the second Tuesday after the NCAA Division II and Division III Outdoor Championships.

Cross Country nominations open the second business Monday of November and remain active through the Tuesday following national championships weekend.

The USTFCCCA communications staff will review nominations and select winners, which will be announced following the NCAA Division I Outdoor Championships for the track & field award and after national championships weekend for cross country.

For more information, please contact USTFCCCA Director of Communications Tom Lewis attom@ustfccca.org.


U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association
1100 Poydras Street, Suite 1750
New Orleans, LA 70163

Contact: Kyle Terwillegar
Communications Assistant
kyle@ustfccca.org
(504) 599-8905