Inland Northwest Association

USA Track & Field

Executive Board Meeting

Pullman, WA

January 29, 2012

UNAPPROVED MINUTES

  1. Attendance: Mike Hinz, Jill McCluskey, Jeff Schaller, Steve Kutsch, Kim Kutsch, Kurt Holland, Jonathan Hill, Jim Peterson, Dru Lopez, Henry Hodgman, David Kolva, Bessie Kolva
  2. The meeting was called to order by President Mike Hinz
  3. The minutes from the previous meeting were approved.
  4. Reports
  5. Treasurer’s Report (Mike Hinz): Mike Hinz handed out a treasurer’s report with financial statements and a budget. He reported George and Kate Matthews have moved outside our association. Shane Sorey has agreed to be the new treasurer for an interim period. We are looking for a new treasurer. Jim Peterson moved to accept the treasurer’s report and Steve Kutsch seconded. The motion passed unanimously. Steve Kutsch moved to accept the budget and Jim Peterson second. This motion also passed unanimously.
  6. Committee Chair/Convention Reports:
  7. Jim Peterson (substance abuse and long distance running (LDR)): Jim submitted a written report and discussed the following items. For LDR, Club championships were held in Spokane. He wants to resurrect the Grand Prix road race series, which provides post-collegiate opportunities. For substance abuse, Jim shared that for national/international level athletes, an athlete biological passport system will be implemented. This will include a history of tests and results and therapeutic exemptions. For coaching education, a USATF online course will be offered.
  8. Jonathan Hill shared that a Level I coaching clinic program will be offered June 2 and 3 at EWU.
  9. Kim Kutsch (Youth): Kim submitted a written report and discussed the following items. She obtained USADA cards and handbooks for 2012. She will make these available to youth competitors. She also presented the calendar.
  10. Mike Hinz (Association President): Mike submitted a written report and also discussed the following items. Mike first presented Russ Winger’s elite athlete report from the USATF convention. Russ’ report was primarily about the athlete’s ability to display sponsors’ logos on their uniforms or bodies. Mike introduced Henry Hodgeman as the communication and marketing director. He informed the group about a disabled athlete’s web page on the USATF website, which includes training for coaches. He discussed that the Grievance and Arbitration Committee Pool is looking for additional members. This pool will cover the entire region.
  11. Steve Kutsch (Vice President): Steve submitted a written report and discussed his activities at the annual convention. He attended a youth presentation. He attended the rules committee and the officials committee. There were no major rules changes, but he offered a list of changes. In the officials committee, they emphasized the need for young officials. He also discussed that they might move to an apprentice system for officials with an initial certification at an Apprentice level and subsequent certifications at the Association, National, and Master levels. On risk management, he discussed insurance that comes with USATF membership.
  12. Jeff Schaller (Masters): Jeff submitted a written report and discussed the championship bids and other masters business, including the masters calendar.
  13. Henry Hodgeman (Communications and Marketing): Henry introduced himself and discussed how he is learning the programs for both email and web management. For marketing, Henry proposed for our association to use interns, like the USATF does.
  14. Dru Lopez (Sports Medicine): Dru discussed possible newsletter topics to post on our association website.
  15. Old Business: Mike Hinz discussed the association championships, which do not yet have a location. The date will be June 16, possibly at EWU or Pullman High School. June 9 will possibly be an all-comers meet in Cheney in honor of the Van Kurens.
  16. New business (Mike Hinz):
  17. Shane Sorey has requested help with bookkeeping. Kim Kutsch volunteered to help him find someone. Henry Hodgeman will send out an email to the membership alerting them about an opening as a bookkeeper for pro bono or a nominal stipend. Bessie Kolva suggested parents of former athletes.
  18. There will be an official certification clinic on March 4 at the University of Idaho. Participants will include Shane Sorey, Mike Hinz and Julie Taylor.
  19. The association is looking for a new treasurer and sanctions chair.
  20. Jonathan Hill will be the chairperson for coaches education
  21. David Kolva will be the chairperson for racewalk.
  22. The association is discontinuing a chair in cultural exchange.
  23. Bill Roe requested that the regional open cross country meet be delayed in its return to Spokane. Instead of the agreed upon rotation, Roe proposed that the meet be held in Seattle every other year with alternating years in Oregon or the Inland NW. Mike is delaying his response until he can elicit opinions on this matter from the impacted Spokane clubs. Kim Kutsch will contact the clubs.
  24. Next meeting is June 16 after the Association Championship T&F meet.

Jim Peterson moved to adjourn, and Steve Kutsch seconded. The vote was unanimous.

Meeting adjourned at 4 p.m.