NEW ORLEANS – Annually one of the most important aspects of the U.S. Track & Field and Cross Country Coaches Association (USTFCCCA) Convention experience, Symposium session with some of the nation’s top track & field and cross country coaches will once again return to the 2014 Convention at the JW Marriott Phoenix Desert Ridge Resort & Spa in Phoenix, Arizona, from December 15-18. With nearly 40 sessions covering each of the sport’s disciplines plus general coaching seminars currently scheduled over the course of three days, all attendees who wish to take advantage of the opportunity to learn will find a presentation to benefit them. Among the many premier coaches set to share their wisdom, experience and insights are Dan Pfaff of the World Athletics Center (sprints/hurdles and throws), Dave Dumble of Arizona State (throws), Tom Hays of Kansas (jumps) and former Weber State coach and USTFCCCA Hall of Famer Chick Hislop (endurance).
Pfaff, the World Athletics Center’s Education Director since 2013, Â has tutored 49 Olympians including nine medalists, 51 World Championship competitors (also nine medalists), and five world- record holders. Most recently he guided UK Athletics’ long jumper Greg Rutherford to the Olympic gold medal in 2012. He is respected as perhaps the finest teacher of coaches in the track & field world, and is highly sought after by many professional organizations for his unique abilities to determine the correct course of action for often-injured athletes, or extremely difficult cases. Dumble, the assistant coach for throws at Arizona State for a decade-and-a-half, has produced more Division I national throws champions than any other program during his tenure. His throwers have won 16 national titles since he began at Arizona State, including six national titles in the discus and shot put by 2010 The Bowerman Finalist Ryan Whiting and four more by shot putter Jordan Clarke. He also coached Sarah Stevens and Jessica Pressley to two NCAA titles each. He also coached combined-event athlete Jacquelyn Johnson to seven NCAA titles before she ultimately went on to represent Team USA at the 2008 Olympics. Hays is entering his 10th season as the vertical jumps coach at Kansas, where he has developed a several of the nation’s top collegiate pole vaulters. Most recently he guided Natalya Bartnovskaya to the 2013 NCAA Indoor women’s pole vault title and a runner-up finish at the NCAA Outdoor Championships. Before Bartnovskaya he coached Jordan Scott to the 2010 NCAA Outdoor Championships men’s pole vault title after he won both the indoor and outdoor Big 12 titles in the event, and Amy Linnen to the 2002 and 2005 NCAA Indoor Championships women’s pole vault titles. Prior to coming to Kansas he built an Arizona pole vault program that produced 15 All-Americans, two national champions, two national runners-up and two collegiate record holders.
