The Awards Subcommittee shall select award winners following the direction of MTF. The Awards Subcommittee presents awards to outstanding masters athletes each year based on performances during the calendar year. Awards are presented at the Athletes Awards Dinner held during the Outdoor Championships each year. Nominations are accepted at the close of the outdoor season. Criteria listed below are used to evaluate nominees.
The athlete must be a member of USATF and at least thirty years old and meet the criteria below:
To be eligible for an award, an athlete must compete in two major Masters championships during the competition year. This can be any combination of Indoor Nationals, Outdoor Nationals, WMA World Championships, NCCMA Regionals, and USATF Association or Regional Championships. Performance factors that will be considered in the selection process: Age Grading, National Championship medals, World/NCCMA Championship medals, American Records, and World Records. Selection of the Racewalk, Throws, and Combined Events Athletes of the Year are done by those Subcommittees.
This award is given annually to an individual who has given exceptional service to USATF Masters Track and Field. Individuals are nominated by anyone within the sport and reviewed/voted on by the USATF Masters Awards Subcommittee. Beginning in 2010 the David Pain Award is a Lifetime Award that can only be given to an individual one time; prior to that date it was known as the Administrator of the Year Award. Click here to see all previous award winners.
If one is to be given during any given year, it is given to an athlete that is 100+ years old.
The inaugural award was in 2017. The nominees for the award are chosen by the combined event committee, and they are voted on by the same committee to select the winners. The 2017 winners were Jeferson Souza and Vicki Fox. Information was compiled on the athlete’s body of combined event work for the year and narrowed down to the winners. Click here to see all previous award winners.
The Throwing Events Subcommittee has four annual awards, two of them for lifetime achievements/contributions and two for excellence in the given year. The awards selection is done by the Subcommittee and they are presented at the Awards Banquet during the Throws Championships each year.
The Lad Pataki Award is presented annually in honor of Ladislav Pataki (1946-2007). Lad was an outstanding masters thrower with numerous world and American records and championships to his credit. It is presented each year to an outstanding American masters thrower who exhibits consistent excellence in performance (world and American records and championships), not just in the year in which the award is presented but over time; consistently encourages and assists fellow competitors; sets a standard both in throwing and in sportsmanship that others seek to emulate. Click here to see all previous award winners.
The Ken Weinbel Award is awarded annually in honor of Ken Weinbel (1928-2012). Ken served the masters community for many years as an athlete, meet director and administrator. He established the USA Masters Weight & Superweight Championships and promoted the Ultra Weight Pentathlon. He was meet director of those events in Seattle from their inception until 2008. He served as Chair of the USATF Masters Committee from 1996 to 2000. It is presented each year to an American masters thrower who has made exemplary contributions to the masters throwing community over a period of years and has a strong record of accomplishment both as a thrower and as a meet organizer and administrator (1928-2012). Ken served the masters community for many years as an athlete, meet director and administrator. He established the USA Masters Weight & Superweight Championships and promoted the Ultra Weight Pentathlon. He was meet director of those events in Seattle from their inception until 2008. He served as Chair of the USATF Masters Committee from 1996 to 2000. It is presented each year to an American masters thrower who has made exemplary contributions to the masters throwing community over a period of years and has a strong record of accomplishment both as a thrower and as a meet organizer and administrator. Click here to see all previous award winners.
The Tom Gage Award is presented annually in honor of Tom Gage (1943-2010). Tom was an Olympian in the hammer throw who never stopped competing. He held numerous American and World masters age group records in the hammer, weight and super weight throws and was a frequent national champion or medalist also in the discus throw and shot put. It is presented annually to the male master’s thrower with outstanding achievements in a given year. Prior to 2017 the Gage Award was for the masters thrower of the year; in 2017 the Vanessa Hilliard Award was created to honor the female masters thrower of the year. Click here to see all previous award winners.
The Vanessa Hilliard Award is presented annually in honor of Vanessa Hilliard (1941-2011). Vanessa was a pioneer among female masters throwers. She held numerous American and World masters age group records in the hammer, weight and super weight throws and was a frequent national champion or medalist also in the discus throw and shot put. It is presented annually to the female master’s thrower of the year, the thrower with the outstanding achievements in a given year. Click here to see all previous award winners.
The Chair of the Awards Committee is Rachel Guest and consists of an additional fourteen individuals who represent a cross-section of different ages, geographical regions, and event expertise.