USATF Future Stars Meets relaunches for 2016 with expanded offerings, simplified program
1/11/2016
INDIANAPOLIS -- USA Track & Field on Monday announced the opening of applications for USATF Future Stars Meets, a community-based track program designed to provide significant support to mid-level, competitive track meets around the country and to foster participation by children nationwide.
Launched in 2015, this year’s USATF Future Stars Meets program includes several changes to streamline and simplify the process for meet organizers. The program will support meets around the country by providing financial assistance, insurance, sanctioning, equipment, branding, ribbons and an optional meet manual to each meet designated as a Future Stars Meet — all at no cost to meet organizers.
In 2016, any organizer hosting a community-based meet may apply for Future Stars Meets status and financial assistance. Criteria for funding include a history of meets held or previously operated by event organizers, the number of projected participants, cost of hosting the meets, and financial need of the area. Meets should be comprised primarily of children who are interested in track and field but not yet fully immersed in it; most participants should not already by USATF members.
“USATF developed the Future Stars Meets program to continue the robust participation of community organizations in the sport that had been fostered previously by Hershey’s Track & Field Games,” USATF CEO Max Siegel said. “Our first year of Future Stars Meets gave us a great foundation for expanding the program. We want to ensure these meets can flourish in their communities and continue to introduce children to competitive track and field and to USATF.”
Meets that receive Future Stars status are free and open to the public, and athletes do not need to be USATF members to participate. New in 2016:
- There is only one tier of designated, USATF Future Stars Meets, and all will receive funding in addition to other benefits.
- Meet organizers may contest track and field events that they choose, or they may utilize the optional, USATF Future Stars Meets handbook, which provides a turnkey manual for operating a meet.
- Children who participate in Future Stars Meets also are eligible for one of 800 free USATF Memberships, awarded by USATF through its local Associations where Future Stars Meets are held.
Meet Benefits
Beginning today through January 29, 2016, meet organizers from around the country seeking to receive funding as Future Stars Elite Meets can visit the USATF website to apply for funding and support. Meets from all 50 states and the District of Columbia are eligible.
Benefits for Future Stars Elite Meets include, at no cost:
- Funding assistance from $1,000 to $3,500 per meet
- USATF sanctioning and event-liability insurance
- Future Stars Meet handbook (optional)
- Ribbons for the top six finishers in up to 18 events at each meet
- Branding templates for awards, signage, and similar collateral
- Direct contact with USATF Associations and Youth Programs for assistance with the meets
Key dates for Future Stars Meets are as follows:
January 11 – USATF Future Stars Meets funding applications open
January 29 – USATF Funding application deadline – applications close
February 19 – USATF Future Stars Elite Meets funding recipients notified
February 23 – USATF Future Stars Elite Meets funding recipients announced
All year – USATF Future Stars Meets held throughout the country, introducing kids to competitive track & field
To receive funding, meets need only host two RunJumpThrow events — USATF’s youth activity program developed with The Hershey Company — and submit an after-action report.
For more information and to apply for funding, visit www.usatf.org/About/Community/Future-Stars-Meets.aspx
For more information on RunJumpThrow, visit http://runjumpthrow.usatf.org
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