Information on Current and Future Team USA Staffs

2027 Team Staff Selection – Application coming soon.

Team Staff Member qualifications and selection criteria:

Head Coach: This individual shall have recent and significant experience coaching race walkers in any of the following divisions: U20, U23, or Open. Preference will be given to those individuals who have coached members of the USA National Team in the last five (5) years. This individual must be a USATF registered coach and certified through the USATF Coaches Education program.

Head Manager: This individual shall be an active member of the National Race Walk Committee for the last five (5) years. Preference will be given to those who also possess considerable local athletic administrative experience.

Assistant Coach/Manager: When appropriate, an individual may be selected to fill this position. This individual should have similar qualification as the Head Coach and/or Head Manager. This shall be awarded in a manner that expands the future pool of applicants for the Head Coach and Head Manager positions.

All staff members must be USATF members in good standing with valid background check and SafeSport training. All staff members must also be a part of the USATF coaches registry, having fulfilled the education standard to be a current member of the registry.

All staff members must be available the entirety of the competition, including additional days for travel and/or team camps and training ahead of the competition.

All staff members must be able to withstand the physical rigors demanded by travel and working with the team.  

Race Walk Team Staff Position Duties and Responsibilities

Head Manager

• Communicate with other staff members including head coach, assistant coach, national office staff, and medical staff
  • Coordinate pre-travel logistics in conjunction with National Office Staff.

• Aware of individual athlete travel arrangements including departure and arrival flights, times, and shuttles to and from the airport/meet hotel.

• Communicate information provided by the LOC to the athletes and entire staff
  • Accommodations
  • Training facilities
  • Meal arrangements
  • Pertinent Local Information-weather, language, currency, electrical outlets, etc.

• Obtain athlete specific needs (must be prior to US departure)
  • Roommate preference
  • Dietary restrictions/nutritional requirements
  • Miscellaneous (discuss with Head Coach/Medical where appropriate)

• Fulfill athlete specific requests
  • Obtain and provide water, ice, bananas and other reasonable nutritional requests (athletes are responsible for communicating their needs/wishes in ADVANCE, and must understand that aside from water and ice all other requests cannot be guaranteed)

• Athlete room assignments
  • Based on senior preferences
  • Time of race
  • Time of arrival into meet hotel
  • Attend technical meeting (when appropriate Head Coach may also attend)
    • Double check athlete entries and info that the LOC has

Head Coach

• Communicate with the Team Manager
  • Oversee responsibilities of the assistant coach

• Communicate with athlete prior to departure from US to determine racing and training special requests

• Obtain Athlete racing plan and provide when requested
  • Splits
  • Race Position
  • Personal Aid (if applicable)
    • Athlete must submit personal aid sheet minimum 1 week prior to departure
  • Coaching advice
  • Technique Feedback

• Provide Athlete Mid-Race Aid (unless athletes specifically requests another staff member) (senior athletes only)
  • Facilitate Athlete Training Requirements
    • Locate suitable training options (in conjunction with manager/ LOC)
      • Road/Bike path/Track
        • Measured/unmeasured
    • Assist athletes during training sessions as requested by athletes

• Attend Technical Team Meeting (if more than one staff member is allowed)

• Schedule Team Meeting(s)
  • When possible have this determined prior to arrival in meet country
  • Avoid scheduling during meals, the night before racing
  • Take into consideration the athlete’s racing, training, and recovery time

• Coordinate who is accompanying each group of athletes departing from meet hotel to race course day of race
  • Each group of racers MUST have a team staff member (includes Race Walk Selected Team Staff, National Office Team Staff, and Medical Team Staff)

Assistant Coach

• Assist Head Coach and/or Manager as needed
  • Head Coach/Manager can relegate tasks as deemed helpful situation to situation

• Attend athlete training sessions
  • help facilitate training as requested by the individual athletes
    • watch athlete belongings
    • provide splits if asked
    • assist with refreshments if requested

All Staff

It is requested that staff members are present at the qualifying meet for the competition, which they were selected for:

• Marathon Selection Race
• Half Marathon/ U20 Selection Race

It is requested that each staff member will complete a staff evaluation reflecting on his/her individual performance, strengths, weaknesses, challenges and suggestions as well as an evaluation of his/her fellow staff members. It is recommended that staff attend the USATF Annual Meeting to attend coaching, mentoring and/or managerial seminars. Additionally, Annual Meeting attendance enables staff to share their experiences with the National Office and provide direct and meaningful feedback. If one cannot attend they may submit a report the Race Walk Committee and ask that it be presented on their behalf