Pfaff to USOTC

[rainbowgirl28]

http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/ ... 8/-1/RSS04

Athletes determined to stay, train in Stockton
With Tri-Valley Athletics' future looking bleak, Acuff and Powell-Roos step in


By Bob Highfill
Record Sports Editor
October 20, 2008 6:00 AM
STOCKTON - Their funding dried up and their coach took another job.

But Olympic track and field athletes Amy Acuff of Isleton and Modesto's Suzy Powell-Roos wouldn't allow their training club in Stockton to follow suit.

The former UCLA teammates, who trained with about a dozen other elite track and field athletes for the 2008 Olympics at the Port of Stockton, have helped form the Stockton Athletic Club, formerly Tri-Valley Athletics of Livermore.

The club will continue to operate out of a 40,000-square-foot warehouse at the port, and Acuff and Powell-Roos hope to make it self-sustaining by offering training in various sports to youth, high school and adult athletes.

"We've reorganized," said Acuff, a four-time Olympic high jumper. "We hope to regroup over the next several months and eventually get another great coach and just grow from there."

Tri-Valley Athletics owners Jim and Michelle Doggett will continue to operate their pole vaulting club out of their home in Livermore, while renowned coach Dan Pfaff has accepted a newly created position - director of track and field programs for able-bodied and para-Olympians - at the U.S. Olympic Training Center in Chula Vista.

"The people in Stockton were so kind to us, and it was such a good experience," said Pfaff, 54. "We did some amazing things. It was a decision I had to make for my family in terms of security."

Pfaff attracted dozens of track and field athletes from all over the world while coaching for Tiger Bar Sports in Isleton, which disbanned in January when its land went up for sale. Pfaff and the athletes relocated in January to the port and joined Tri-Valley Athletics. Eleven athletes who trained extensively with Pfaff competed in Beijing, including Acuff; Powell-Roos, a three-time Olympian in the discus; Brad Walker, the American record holder in the pole vault; and Hyleas Fountain, who won the silver medal in the heptathlon.

But from the beginning, funding for the club was a major issue. The athletes, who had no financial support from their national delegations, accepted donations and raised funds to cover expenses, primarily Pfaff's salary of about $8,000 per month. The port leased the warehouse to Tri-Valley for $1 per year, which saved the club thousands of dollars. Many athletes shared living expenses and worked side jobs to support themselves. Tri-Valley cut its final check to Pfaff in August, and the club's future in Stockton was tenuous at best.

During the Olympic Games, Joe Cebulski, a decathlete from Grand Rapids, Mich., who trained with Tri-Valley but didn't qualify for Beijing, met with community members and business leaders. Cebulski said he was on the verge of acquiring a grant to fund the club for the next two years when Pfaff accepted the job from the USOC.

Cebulski, who hoped to be Pfaff's assistant coach in Stockton, has moved back to Grand Rapids with his wife, Laura, who is expecting their second child in December, and their 3-year-old daughter, Rowan.

Acuff and Powell-Roos then stepped in. They developed a new business plan, renewed the warehouse lease with the port and are filing the necessary paperwork to become a nonprofit organization.

About six athletes currently are training at the port for the indoor track and field season, including Acuff. In about six months, Acuff and Powell-Roos hope to begin interviewing coaching candidates. Acuff said they have several strong leads, but she wouldn't name any candidates.

"We're hoping to have a broader scope of interest than just track and field, though that will be a big part of what we are," Powell-Roos said. "The biggest source of inspiration to continue with this project is the local community is so supportive."

[vaultmd]

That's an excellent and accurate summary of what's going on out here.

[ADTF Academy]

Pfaff is an excellent coach and a mentor of mine. He will be very hard to replace. With that being said....

This could be a good thing for Stockton Athletic Club. They now are not starting 100k in the hole each year. Even if they hire a coach for half that it will allow this training site to operate. Plus with Pfaff's new title I am sure the elites should still be able to continue their work with him on the USATF's bill.

You would be amazed how many post collegiate athletes out there are just hoping and looking for a place to train. This is a fully functional training site from what I have seen and heard. From a coach training to survive as well I hope they survive and can continue to offer opportunities for non sponsored athletes.

In the end this could be a good thing for Stockton Athletic Club. I hope they can find a quality coach that can help run a full operational facility. The challenge is finding the coach that can work with the elites as well as with the youth.

There are a lot of people across the country with no real knowledge and experience racking it up offer programs that are gimmick based. It is sad that programs who try to offer real scientific based programs people shy from. Go figure!!!!

I wish them the best of luck.