Welcome Montana Members

I have updated some of the events pages some summaries that serve as a good quick look for competition opportunities. They are separated as Youth Competition; Montana Association Championships; and Montana Association Sanctioned events. New in Connect 80 (at least in mine) is a highlighted listing of sanctioned events below your name on the main page. It is the best way to see what has been sanctioned and quick links to the event pages. It is worth checking out
 
Starting with the Youth Page, I have listed events and where possible contact information for the Indoor and Outdoor Track and Field seasons as well as a place marker for Cross Country. In the indoor season our signature event is the BTC All-comers meet in Bozeman has come and gone. For those that were there it was a very well run meet in an exciting new venue. In the second year we recognized the top Montana USATF members in the high school age in each of the contested events. We also were able to see a second indoor meet for high school at the new MSU indoor facility. Glad to see the opportunities expanding.

 For the outdoor season,  I am hosting a developmental meet for youth (8 and under through age 14. It is an open weekend for some of us soon after the Middle School season has ended. The intent is to provide a post-season opportunity and introduction to the JO style meet and age groupings. It should be posted to the events page shortly. If there are clubs that are considering hosting local developmental meets, pass along your information and I will get the meets on the schedule. Developmental meets do not need to have all the events of a standard outdoor track meet (they do not even need to be FAT timed) so don’t be afraid to sanction a meet and run something that fits your needs.The Montana Association JO Championship is in Butte this year (June 19-20) with the Region 11 JO Championship hosted in Pocatello Idaho. This Nationals JO are in Norwalk, California for those that are looking for some National Exposure. We have not yet determined the location or date for the JO Cross. 
 
We have a full slate of Championship events. We would still like to add a Mountain Ultra and Trail (MUT) championship as well as a Marathon Championship. For our Masters and Open athletes, the championships are centered on the Big Sky State Games in mid-July. The way it works is if you compete an any Track or Field events, the 5K, 10K, or ½ Marathon at the State Games and you are a USATF member you are automatically entered in the Montana Association Championship for that event. If you are the top finisher in your age group, you may just find a medal in your mailbox someday.
 
Finally, I want to extend my welcome to all of the new clubs that have been added with the assistance of our 2022 and 2024 Grow to Impact Grants. We currently have 27 sanctioned clubs (up from 13 in 2021). 
  
As always feel free to contact me at president@montana.usatf.org with any ideas, questions, or concerns. .
 
Greg Mohl
President, Montana Association USATF