The U.S. Athletic Trust moves forward with top-level personnel changes and a fresh perspective.
Founder and President August Wolf announced his resignation from the U.S. Athletic Trust. Succeeding him as President is Amory Rowe, a 1995 Princeton graduate and professional triathlete living and training in Boulder, CO, where the US Athletic Trust has recently re-located its headquarters. Wolf explains, “The U.S. Athletic Trust is now poised to enter the next chapter of its life. Part of this process necessitates the transition of leadership at the top level; we need some ‘young blood’ at the helm to address the challenges that will have to be tackled for our success. As such, I am resigning as President and handing over the reins to Amory Rowe. Amory has the passion, skill set, and energy to take U.S. Athletic Trust to greater heights.” Other staff changes include the addition of Courtney Bennigson as Triathlon Sport chair and Karen Smyers and Eric Heiden as Advisory Board members. Bennigson, a 2001 graduate of Williams College, was 2004 U.S. Pro Triathlon National Champion and an Olympic Trials competitor, and also resides in Boulder, CO. Smyers is a 1983 Princeton graduate, a 3-time triathlon World Champion and the only athlete ever to capture the short and long course triathlon World titles in the same year. Heiden won five gold medals in speed skating in the 1980 Olympics and competed in the Tour de France in 1986.
Other individuals serving on the U.S. Athletic Trust’s board and advisory board include Olympians Adam Nelson (shot put), Al Oerter (discus), Jimmy Pedro (judo), Anne Marden (rowing) and Fred Samara (decathlon) and sporting experts Dr. James Stray- Gundersen (American and Norwegian Olympic Team Physician) and Craig Masback (CEO of USATF).
The U.S. Athletic Trust is a nonprofit organization that provides support, both financial and otherwise, to Olympic- aspiring American athletes in the post-collegiate phase of their careers. In 2004, the U.S. Athletic Trust sponsored 29 athletes, 15 made the U.S. Olympic Team and three won medals. Over the past five years the Trust has provided close to $200,000 of direct financial support to over 50 athletes.
Aspiring to create new model of sport philanthropy, by athletes, for athletes, The U.S. Athletic Trust was founded in 2000 by August Wolf, a Princeton graduate and 1984 Olympian in the shot put. Wolf’s original mission was two-fold: to address the lack of financial and logistical support for college graduates with Olympic aspirations and to advocate on behalf of American athletes, ultimately creating a new paradigm for athlete funding in the United States. Although he saw many other countries supporting their Olympians through lottery funding, sports foundations and national and Olympic committees, Wolf knew of no such system in the U.S.. The Trust became the first, and continues to be the only, American sport non-governmental organization (NGO) delivering critical support to our Olympians.
The Trust accepts tax-deductible donations and athlete applications from future and present Olympians on its website. Appointed committees set selection criteria (including need, income, and likelihood to qualify for an Olympic final) and program guidelines, select recipients, and monitor athlete progress. Once accepted, athletes receive stipends intended to cover monthly living and training expenses. Athletes may also receive assistance with transportation to events, part-time employment, athletic and post-athletic career mentoring, publicity and media advice, health and life insurance and community-service opportunities.
The latter half of the U.S. Athletic Trust’s mission is to create a sustainable model of reform for Olympic funding. The U.S. Athletic Trust is committed to raising awareness, via their website and publicity efforts, of the issues facing the organizations that are supposed to be representing our athletes’ best interests. Upon exploring the finances of the USOC and its NGB’s, the Trust’s researchers determined that from 1999-2002, only three percent of these organizations’ expenditures of +$1.3 billion went directly to the athletes. In 2003, the USOC alone had revenues of $134,988,288. Of that sum, less than six percent went directly to pay the living and training expenses of the athletes whose effort and dedication make the Games possible. “Six percent is not a solution,” says Wolf, “not when it can cost an athlete $30,000 a year or more to pay for training, equipment, travel, and living expenses.
As the U.S. Athletic Trust moves forward, its sights are set on further expansion. “Currently, the U.S. Athletic Trust is supporting more than thirty athletes, with plans to support as many as 1,000 each year,” says Wolf. “Our goal is to influence and eventually transform public policy to overcome the financially uneven playing field on which American Olympic athletes compete.” Part of the Trust’s plan for the future is to recruit currently or recently competitive athletes to join the staff in a fundraising capacity as Sport Chairs, in exchange for a percentage of the funds they raise. “The Sport Chair position is the Trust’s unique and effective way of offering competitive athletes a way to supplement their income with a flexible, part-time job, but one that provides an extraordinary service to fellow athletes, “explains Rowe, “Fundamentally, the U.S. Athletic Trust is run by athletes, for athletes and it’s an amazing organization of which to be a part.”
The U.S. Athletic Trust is an independent 501(c)(3) corporation that is neither endorsed, nor sponsored by, nor affiliated with the United States Olympic Committee(R).
