2015 Race Walk Development Annual Report -Maryanne Daniel/ Tim Seaman

USATF Development in an effort to have funding be more performance based, has talked about phasing out Tier 4 athletes. The argument is that they spend a good deal of money on athletes in this Tier and they rarely, if ever, medal in an Olympics or World Championships. Thankfully they did not cut down the stipend by much and our Tier 4 athletes received $2500

Our Tier 4 athletes for 2015 are based on top two performances at the Outdoor Nationals in 2014 and achievement of the World Championship standard .Maria Michta and with a 1:30:49 and 1:33:10 respectively were both are under the 1:36 WC standard. winning the 50K Nationals last year under the 4:06 put him in the Tier 4 group. None of our 20K men met the standard.

We had put forth Nick Christie, Erin Gray, Alex Chavez, Katie Burnett and Patrick Stroupe to be “Development “ tagged and possibly eligible for some funds and services. They accepted Christie and Erin Gray. The rest were said to be on watch, along with Michael Manozzi, Natos Corvera and Cody Risch.

USATF will continue a program launched in 2010 which provided direct financial assistance to a limited number of athletes, to assist them with the cost of travel, housing and training while competing internationally.

For 2015, this program was structured to provide athletes with funds for international meets Athletes meeting certain criteria were able to submit an application for consideration for funding up to listed amounts: Tier 1 Athletes – $2,500 Tier 2 Athletes – $2,000 Tier 3 Athletes – $1,500 Tier 4 Athletes – $1,000

Miranda Melville had submitted an application for travel to Japan and received $750.

Additionally reimbursement for travel domestically have been submitted and are awaiting approval.

The exciting news for our athletes is the funding that will be connected in making the World Championship and Olympic Teams. USATF and its Athletes Advisory Committee (AAC) have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) for a USATF Revenue Distribution Plan that will deliver an additional $9 million in cash to athletes over the next five years.

USATF CEO Max Siegel and AAC Chairman signed the MOU, which memorializes the structure of the plan announced in September. Beginning in 2016, roughly $1.8 million per year in additional, cash funds will be distributed to athletes over and above current funds available through USATF Tier funding, development funding and other programs. Roughly 75 percent of the funds will be evenly distributed among athletes who qualify for and compete on that year's U.S. Team at the IAAF World Outdoor Championships or . The model will provide roughly $10,000 annually for each athlete who makes and competes on the World Championships or Olympic Teams.

The remaining 25 percent will be distributed as medal bonus money for individuals medaling at that year's World Outdoor Championships or Olympic Games, with $25,000 for gold, $15,000 for silver and $10,000 for bronze. For relays, the number of athletes who run at least one round on that medal-winning team will share equally in the amount of the bonus for that medal.

Services for sports psychology was applied for and received. Miranda Melville has had several sessions at the OTC in Chula Vista.