Youth Committee

Committee Type : Sports Committee, Standing

Committee Purpose

The Youth Committee (formally known as the Youth Athletics Committee) is tasked with promoting Youth Athletics, specifically Track & Field and Cross-Country, in the state of South Carolina. The Committee does this in several ways:

• USATF Junior Olympics
• Helping develop new Clubs
• Supporting non-USATF Association events

USATF Junior Olympics

The Youth Committee plans and organizes the USATF South Carolina Association Junior Olympics, and every three years the USATF Region 4 Junior Olympics. The Committee is also responsible for conducting the events, but that is a coordinated effort that relies heavily on others within the Association (such as Officials, Volunteers, and Coaches) to conduct a high quality meet.

As part of planning for the Junior Olympics, the Youth Committee is responsible for selecting venues and vendors. This is done via an RFP (Request for Proposal) process. Potential hosts and vendors submit to the USATF South Carolina Association Youth Committee proposals. The Committee compares and evaluates the proposals, then selects the venues and vendors that add the most value to the meet and to the USATF South Carolina Association. The term value of course includes a financial component, but it includes much more than that. It also includes considerations for quality (of the venue, of products, or of services) as well as the overall expectation of a positive experience for our Athletes, the spectators, and the Coaches (generally in that order).

Helping develop new Clubs

The Youth Committee often provides guidance on creating and developing new USATF South Carolina Clubs. Sometimes the Committee has the answers, other times the best answer is to refer them to a similar club that has ‘been there, done that.”

Supporting non-USATF Association Events

In a much lower profile role, the Committee provides assistance as needed to USATF Clubs that are planning and organizing their own event.