2001 Youth Athletics National Championships

Track & Field Fireworks in Decatur This Summer!

The fuse is lit! After a highly successful meet last year, USA Track & Field returns to Millikin University and Decatur, Illinois, this summer for the 2001 edition of the Youth Athletics National Championships, part of the Verizon Youth Series. The dates are July 3-7, meaning there'll be fireworks on and off track again this year!

As the national governing body for the sports of track and field, race walking and long distance running, USA Track & Field (USATF) offers more than 140 national championships each year - for athletes of all ages and abilities. We're supported by 57 local Associations and close to 2,000 member clubs throughout the country, so there's one near you!

What is the Youth Athletics Championships? It's unique in that it's a national championship with open entry instead of qualifying standards (there are performance guidelines published for the meet that show athletes what some of the medal-winning marks will likely be). Youth Athletics has the same age divisions as our Junior Olympics program - Bantam (10 and under), Midget (11-12), Youth (13-14), Intermediate (15-16) and Young Men/Women (17-18).

More than 2,000 athletes were on hand for last summer's meet, with team titles awarded in all 10 age divisions. Close to 200 USATF member clubs signed up for the competition, and they were not disappointed. The five days in Decatur were highlighted by spirited competition - and camaraderie - at all levels. Add in a large dose of midwestern hospitality and it was a winning combination!

Another draw for last year's meet was its status as one of the selection competitions for the second IAAF World Youth Track and Field Championships, which will be held this July in Debrecen, Hungary. The athletes who were selected for that team will be back on the track this year in Decatur, not only to compete, but to gather and train for a few days prior to leaving for Europe.

Don Luy, the head and cross country coach at Millikin, said preparation was the key to last year's success. "It was a lot of work, and it was a lot of fun for athletes," Luy said. "We were able to achieve our goal, which was to bring some exposure to Millikin and Decatur, and we were able to do it well. We're very pleased with how it came off."

So was the city of Decatur! Denene Wilmeth, Executive Director of the city's Convention and Visitor's Bureau said, "Last year's event was the single largest sporting event that our community has ever hosted and we are excited to have the athletes return this year."

The Association host for the 2001 Youth Athletics Nationals, USATF Illinois, is gearing up for a firestorm of athletes and spectators: "We are preparing for upwards of 3,000 athletes and over 7,500 spectators to attend this year's meet," according to Mary Watters, Illinois Youth Chair and Administrative Coordinator for the Nationals.

How do you get involved with this year's meet? Log on to USATF's website - www.usatf.org -- for entry and USATF membership information. You can also locate the USATF Association nearest you on our site. There's even information for parents who would like to volunteer at the Youth Athletics Championships.

How do you get there? Decatur, Illinois is a two- to three-hour drive from several major cities, including St. Louis, Chicago and Indianapolis. The USATF website lists a wide selection of dormitory housing and hotels in many price ranges.

What's missing? One of USA Track & Field's themes about participation in the sport is the phrase: "All That's Missing Is YOU!" That is never more evident than this year in Decatur. The fuse is lit. Join us for the fun!