The Niagara Track & Field Hall of Fame Annual Awards

The Niagara Track & Field Hall of Fame will be presenting annual awards the outstanding high school and college athletes and the top high school coach from the Niagara Association.

The following awards will be presented at Niagara Track & Field Hall of Fame Annual Awards Banquet on September 08, 2012:

• College Male Athlete of the Year
• College Female Athlete of the Year
• High School Male Athlete of the Year
• High School Female Athlete of the Year
• High School Coach of the Year

The 2012 awards are based on the 2011 - 2012 School year. For the College awards, the NCAA Outdoor Track & Field Championships marks the end of the of school year. For the High School awards, the USATF Junior Championships marks the end of the school year. Performances in Cross Country Running, Indoor (Winter) Track & Field, and Outdoor (Spring) Track & Field will be considered. Performances or participation in other sports will NOT be considered.

For more information and a nomination form see: Annual Awards

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The Niagara Track & Field Hall of Fame Track Classic

The first annual Niagara Track & Field Hall of Fame Track Classic will be held on Saturday, 21 July 2012 at Penfield High School in Penfield NY.

The Niagara Track & Field Hall of Fame Track Classic is a team oriented competition with teams from the New York State Public High School sections located within the Niagara Association. The sections included are Section 3 (Greater Syracuse area), Section 4 (Greater Binghamton / Ithaca areas), Section 5 (Greater Rochester area), and Section 6 (Greater Buffalo area).

For more information see: Hall of Fame Track Classic

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Summer Development Meets in Buffalo, Rochester, and Jordan, NY

Summer Development Meets will serve as the qualifiers for the Hall of Fame Track Classic (see: Hall of Fame Track Classic for more information).

Summer Development meets are being held at:

• Sweet Home High School, Amherst, NY (Qualifiers for the team from Section 6) -- Meet Director: Brian Lombardo
• Penfield High School, Penfield, NY (Qualifiers for the team from Section 5) -- Meet Director: Dave Hennessey
• Jordan - Elbridge HS, Jordan, NY (Qualifiers for the team from Section 3) -- Meet Director: Ryan Hannon

For more information see: Summer Development Meets

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Latest News:

Niagara Track & Field Hall of Fame Awards Banquet Set for Rochester on March 31, 2012.

Niagara Track & Field Hall of Fame is pleased to announce that it will hold an Awards Banquet on Saturday, March 31, 2012. We will induct our twelfth and thirteenth classes on this date.

The banquet will be held at the Diplomat Banquet Center located at 1 Diplomat Way (1656 Lyell Avenue, near Route 390), Gates, NY 14606. Travel directions to the Diplomat Banquet Center

Master of Ceremonies:

• Lewis Johnson, reporter for ESPN, and NBC Sports for Track & Field Meets including the 2008 Olympic Games

Banquet Flyer:

View our Awards Banquet Flyer

Ticket Orders:

Tickets are $50 per adult; $30 per registered student, and $500 per table of 10. Club discount: Running / Track and Field clubs receive a 20% discount -- table of 10 is $400.

The banquet order form is available here: Order Form for March 2012 Banquet

Hotel Information:

The host hotel for the Niagara Track & Field Hall of Fame Awards Banquet is the La Quinta Inn & Suites, located at 1956 Lyell Avenue, Rochester, NY 14606. The La Quinta is located right next door to the Diplomat Banquet Center.

Room rates are $69.00 per night and are good for Friday, 30 March 2012 and Saturday, 31 March 2012. Call 585-254-1000 to make a reservation.

Rooms must be reserved by 01 March 2012 in order to receive this rate. (After the deadline, the standard rate applies.)

When calling for a reservation, ask for the "Track Hall of Fame Dinner" block.

Program Advertisements:

Advertisements are being accepted for the March 2012 Awards Banquet Program. The advertising rate care is available here: Rate Card for March 2012 Awards Banquet. The deadline for advertisements is 07 March 2012.

Advertisement Order form

Niagara Track & Field Hall of Fame Hall of Fame Sponsorship Opportunities:

There are many ways to support the Niagara Track & Field Hall of Fame. In addition to program advertisements, there are a number of sponsorship opportunities available. The available sponsorship options are:

For complete details and a full list of benefits, see: Sponsorship Program Overview

Sponsorship Order Form

Honorees:

Ten athletes are being honored for their outstanding achievements and contributions. Those who will be honored are:

• J. Kimberly Batten (Florida State University 1991; East HS, Rochester, NY 1987)
• Former World Record Holder in the 400 meter hurdles
• 1995 World Champion in the 400 meter hurdles
• Two-time US Olympian
• 1996 Olympic Silver Medallist in the 400 meter hurdles
• 6-time US Champion
• 1995 Pan-Am Games Champion in the 400 meter hurdles
• Lewis "Deerfoot" Bennett (Buffalo, NY -- professional runner 1856-1870)
• 6-time World Record Holder
• 10 miles – 51:25 London (Brompton) 03 March 1863
• 1 Hour run – 18,379m London 27 Oct 1862
• 1 Hour run – 18,425m London (Hackney Wick) 12 Jan 1863
• 1 Hour run – 18,507m London (Brompton) 23 Feb 1863
• 1 Hour run – 18,589m (11 miles 970 yards) London (Brompton) 03 April 1863 (Stood until 1897)
• 12 miles – 1:02:02.5 (or 1:02:11.5)
• Stephanie A. Best (Cornell University 1991)
• 1999 Pan-Am Games bronze medallist at 1,500 meter run
• 1999 USATF Silver medallist in the 1,500 meter run
• 1997 Mt. SAC Relays 1500m Champion
• 1996 Los Angeles Invitational Indoor 1 Mile Run Champion – Stephanie Best (Mountain West), 4:40.63
• 1996 US National Indoor Champion in the one mile run
• 1991 Bislett Games, Oslo, Norway 1500 meter champion
• Eleven-time Heptagonal League Champion
• Two-time ECAC Champion
• Six-time All-East
• Holds three Heptagonal Records
• Set nine Cornell School Records
• Set one Barton Hall Record
• Chester A. Bowman (Syracuse University 1925)
• US Olympian -- Finished 4th in the 1924 Olympic Games in the 100 meter dash with a time of 10.9e (estimated)
• Three-time US National Champion
• 1927 100 yard dash with a time of 9.6 seconds on 02 July 1927 (equal to the World Record, the American Record, and the Meet Record)
• 1926 Indoor 60 yard dash with a time of 6.2 seconds
• 1930 Indoor 60 yard dash with a time of 6.4 seconds
• 1924 US Olympic Trials 100 meter Champion with at time of 10.6 seconds
• World Record as a member of the Newark AC 4x110 relay team that ran 41.0, equaling the world record, (=WR) in Lincoln, NE on July 1927. Ran the lead-off leg.
• US Olympic Trials Record in the 100 meter Dash with a time of 10.1 while winning the event on 13 June 1924
• Two-time IC4A Champion
• Steven J. Dering (Syracuse University 1991, Christian Brothers Academy HS, Albany, NY 1987)
• 1988 US Junior Champion
• 1990 Penn Relays Champion 62.94m (206-6)
• 1990 IC4A Champion (212-3)
• 1990 Colonial Relays Champion (208-7)
• Six-time Big East Conference Champion
• Set two School Records (Syracuse University)
• Suzanne M. Girard Eberle (Georgetown University 1985; Maine Endwell HS, Endwell, NY (near Binghamton) 1980)
• Member of four US National Teams
• 1987 USA World Cross Country Team Champions
• 1986 IAAF World 15K Road Race Championship Team - Third place team, Lisbon, Portugal
• 1983 IAAF World 15K Road Race Championship Team Champions (1983: San Diego (10km: 4 Dec); 1983
• 1986 USA World Team vs. USSR and Japan - 800/1500 meters
• US National 5,000 Meter Champion
• Five-time All-American
• Five time Big East Champion
• Two-time ECAC Champion
• Set five School Records (Georgetown University)
• Adam B. Gunn (Buffalo, NY -- early 1900's)
• Two-time US AAU All-Around Champion
  • 1901 – 5,739 points (held in Buffalo, NY on July 4, 1901, during the Pan-American Exhibition)
  • 1902- 6257 1/8 points (originally incorrectly reported as 6,260 1/8 points) – July 4, 1902, Celtic Park, Long Island City, NY
• 1903 – 5,808 1/4 points, second to Ellery Clark (July 4, 1903, Celtic Park, LI, NY)
• 1903 – Set world record with a score of 6562 in the Civic Games in Buffalo, NY on September 12, 1903
• 1904 – 5,907 points finishing second to Thomas Kiely, of Ireland
• 1905 (July 4, 1905, Brookline, MA) – finished third with 6,131 points
• Junior Champion 1901 – 16 lb Shot Put with a throw of 39’5” in Buffalo, NY (Pan-American Exhibition Stadium)
• Jamie K. McNeair Reese (Buffalo, NY; Purdue University 1990)
• 1995 Pan-Am Games Champion (with meet record score of 6266 points)
• 1995 Olympic Festival Champion (6374 points)
• 1990 US Olympic Festival Champion
• Three-time US National Champion
• Three-time NCAA All-American
• Six-time Big Ten champion
• Set six Purdue school records
• Harry Franklin Porter (Cornell University 1905)
• 1908 Olympic Champion in the High Jump (6’3” – 1:905m) – Olympic Record
• Two-time US Outdoor Champion in the High Jump
• Three-time US Indoor Champion in the High Jump
• Set the Cornell high jump record in 1903
• Sonja Fitts Walters (St. John's University 1992; Gates-Chili HS 1988)
• 1991 Pan-Am Games Silver Medallist in Hammer Throw
• World Record in the 20# weight Throw (1992 18.92m / 61-1)
• Member of the 1989 USA Junior Track & Field team
• Two-time Penn Relays Champion (1992 Hammer Throw (54.24m / 177-11) and 1992 Discus Throw 48.52m / 159-2)
• 8-time US National Champion
• Three-time USA Outdoor Track & Field Women's Hammer Throw Champion
• 1994 – 58.06m / 190-6
• 1993 – 54,92m / 180-2
• 1992 – 56.48m / 185-4 (US Olympic Trials)
• Five-time USA Indoor Track & Field Women's 20-lb. Weight Throw Champion
• 1995 – 18.77m / 62-7.25
• 1994 – 17.47m / 57-3.75
• 1993 – 18.62m / 61-1.25
• 1992 – 19.15m / 62-10
• 1991 – 18.18m / 59-7.75
• Twelve-time Big East Champion
• Twenty-time BIG EAST All-Conference Selection
• Three-time ECAC Conference Champion
• Five-time All East Selection
• Eight-time Metropolitan Conference Champion
• Eight-time Gold Medallist at the Empire State Games (1987-1991)
• Multiple Metropolitan Athletic Congress Woman Athlete of the Year

Special Award Recipients:

Being honored for recent US record performances are:

• Jennifer Suhr, US Record Holder in the Women’s Pole Vault
• Brycen Spratling, US and Collegiate Record Holder in the Indoor 500 meter dash

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Dediction of the Trent Jackson Memorial Athletic Complex

The Trent Jackson Memorial Athletic Complex was dedicated on 08 October 2011 during halftime of the Franklin High School homecoming football game. Here are some news reports on the dedication:

• Field Dedicated to Rochester Sports Legend. From YNN Rochester (formerly R News), with a video clip (08 October 2011)
• Athletic Field Named After Rochester Sports Legend. Second story from YNN Rochester (formerly R News) (08 October 2011)
• Franklin High School Dedicates Athletic Complex. From News 8 in Rochester, NY, with a video clip (08 October 2011)
• Franklin High School Dedicates Athletic Complex. From WROC News 8 in Rochester, NY, with a video clip (08 October 2011)
• High School Field Dedicated To Rochester Sports Legend. From WHAM 13 (10/09/2011)
• Football field to be named for Franklin alum. From the Rochester Democrat and Chronicle (Oct. 5, 2011)
• Dedication of the Trent Jackson Memorial Athletic Complex
• Photo gallery from the dedication of the Trent Jackson Memorial Athletic Complex>
• Program from the dedication of the Trent Jackson Memorial Athletic Complex (PDF)
• Trent Jackson Memorial

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Niagara Track & Field Hall of Fame Elects Class of 2011

The Class of 2011:

Rochester, NY: The Niagara Track & Field Hall of Fame proudly announces their Class of 2011. With the election of the Class of 2011, the number of members of the Niagara Track & Field Hall of Fame is 63, consisting of 54 men and 9 women. There are 50 athletes (41 male, 9 female), 10 coaches, and 3 contributors in the Hall.
• Cornell University graduate Walter S. Ashbaugh was a 1952 US Olympian, placing fourth in the triple jump (15.39m, 50’ 6”) and the 1952 US Champion in the triple jump. Ashbaugh is a two-time Heptagonal champion (1949 and 1950), and the 1951 IC4A champion for the 120 yard high hurdles. He was a member of the 1951 Penn Relays Shuttle Hurdles Relay Champions and set a school record for the 120 yard high hurdles in 1950. Ashbaugh also a star center for the Cornell basketball team. He was inducted into the Cornell Athletics Hall of Fame in the Class of 1981.
• A native of Ithaca, NY, Thomas L. Gage, a graduate of Cornell University, was one of the top hammer throwers in the United States from 1965 to 1974. Gage, a 1972 US Olympian, was the 1972 US Olympic Trials champion, the 1969 US Champion, and the 1967 Pan Am Games champion in the hammer throw. He was a four-time Heptagonal Champion (Hammer Throw 1964 and 1965, Weight Throw 1965, and Outdoor Shot Put 1965), and the 1965 IC4A Hammer Throw Champion. Gage won the Penn Relays Shot Put in 1965 with an Ivy League record. He also set two Cornell school records and the IC4A record in the Shot Put. Gage continued competing as a Master athlete and set four Masters World Records, six US Masters records, and won three US Masters championships. Gage was inducted into the Cornell Athletics Hall of Fame in the Class of 1988.
• Cornell Graduate David C. Munson, an Olympic Gold Medallist as a member of the four mile team race, was the 1904 US Champion in the One Mile Run and a two-time IC4A Champion in the One Mile Run (1904 and 1905). Munson set a World Indoor Record for 1-1/2 mile run in 1905 and was a member of the 1904 World record setting 4 x 1 mile relay team from Cornell. He also set two IC4A records and one Cornell school record in the one mile run. Munson was inducted into the Cornell Athletics Hall of Fame in the Class of 1988.
• James D. Ulrich, Sr. retired Men’s Head Track & Field Coach at Fredonia State College, led the Blue Devils to twenty-seven New York State Collegiate Track and Field Conference (NYSCTFC) Men’s Track & Field Championships (fourteen indoors, thirteen outdoors) and thirty-five State University of New York Athletic Conference (SUNYAC) Men’s Track & Field Championships (fourteen indoors, and twenty-one including twenty consecutive outdoors). Ulrich coached five NCAA Division III National Champions (plus three runners-up) and sixty-eight NCAA Division III All-Americans. He was named NCAA Division III Regional Coach of the Year five times, NYSCT&FA Coach of the Year eight times, and SUNYAC Coach of the Year 13 times. Ulrich was inducted into the Fredonia State Hall of Fame as a coach in 2004, into the Indiana State University Hall of Fame as an athlete in 2002, and into the Kenmore West High School Athletic Hall of Fame as an athlete in 1997.

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Brian Risk has produced a book that demystifies mental conditioning and gives the coach and parents a step-by-step handbook to systematically implement the principles behind sport psychology into daily practice and every day life.

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This book is masterfully written. It is a must read for any serious coach or athlete interested in improving performance. I would strongly recommend this book be part of every coach's and athlete's library

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If you are to compete at the highest level or just to be at the top of your genetic potential Brian's book is an indispensable part of what the coach and athlete need to achieve that aim. Sportsmen need to prepare all parameters of performance and Brian has outlined and outfitted you to do just that. His approach covers masterfully in an easily digestible format what one needs to do and practice to allow that 5% to direct that 95% to its genetic best. All of what one needs to improve psychological performance is there. This is one book or in this case one course that the coach and athlete should not be without. Mental skills are attainable, but must be practiced the same as any physical skill. Let Brian help you to expand your ability to be the 100% complete athlete. This work is extremely well done.

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• Dr. Track Interviews Angela Williams, 2008 World Indoor 60 meter champion.
• Dr. Track Interviews Michael Ford, new coach of Jeremy Wariner.

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Do you get our FREE This Day In Athletics Daily Newsletter? Get birth dates and records set today and every day sent to your inbox.

Do you get our FREE This Day In Athletics Weekly Newsletter? Get birth dates and records set during the coming week sent to your inbox. This newsletter is sent on Wednesday of every week.

Sign-up for the FREE This Day In Athletics Daily Newsletter or This Day In Athletics Weekly Newsletter

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Glass Dragon Digital Publishing is now offering Coaching Education articles in PDF format.

See the Glass Dragon Digital Publishing web site.

Available Articles at Glass Dragon Digital Publishing include:

• Training Theory - A Primer on Periodization by Dr. Marc R. Grosso in the April 27, 2006 edition of The Coach (published in England).
  This article was reprinted in the July 2006 edition of Modern Athlete and Coach (published in Australia). It was also reprinted in the Spring 2006 edition of the IAAF Regional Development Center Bulletin for Beijing, China.
• Training Theory - Additional Considerations by Dr. Marc R. Grosso in the July 27, 2006 edition of The Coach (published in England).
  This article was reprinted in the October 2006 edition of Modern Athlete and Coach (published in Australia).
• Developing An Athletics Training Program by Dr. Marc R. Grosso to the October 27, 2006 edition of The Coach (published in England).
  This article was reprinted in the January 2007 edition of Modern Athlete and Coach (published in Australia).

In addition, you can find articles and books from:

• Brent McFarlane
• Brian Risk
• Dan Pfaff
• Tony Veney
• Cedric Walker
• Mike Thompson
• Bonnie Edmunson
• John Cissik, and
• Michael Holloway

To have an article published on Glass Dragon Digital Publishing see the web site for details.

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Nominations for the Hall of Fame Class of 2012 are due by May 1, 2012.

Nominations for future classes of the Niagara Track & Field Hall of Fame may be submitted by any interested party. Contact the Hall of Fame Committee Chair, , to request nomination materials. Nominations may be submitted electronically.

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