The Tracksmith Foundation Bulletin #1

HI ,

My name is Russell Dinkins and I am the Executive Director of the Tracksmith Foundation. Beginning in earnest during the winter of 2022, The Tracksmith Foundation’s central ethos is to Save Track. We commit to this goal by working to expand participation opportunities for the sport as well as serving as national thought-leaders to keep driving impactful conversations on how to enhance the sport.

The goal of the Foundation Bulletin is to keep you up to speed on the work the Tracksmith Foundation is doing to achieve its goals by providing insight into its activities and the areas of the sport that need your help.

LOOKING FORWARD

Voices on Track

Voices on Track is a new series of written pieces and interviews designed to bring more awareness to the challenges track and field faces and the opportunities we have to expand it. We will explore a variety of topics about track and field in the US, from the state of youth track to the opportunities to improve the sport across competition level. This series will feature a wide range of voices including both high school track coaches and prominent figures in the sport, such as Olympic Gold Medalist Bianca Knight and US Olympian and distance star Carrie Tollefson. The first pieces will be published later this month and I can’t wait to share them with you all.

As a teaser for what's to come, you can read an article I wrote for Outside Run that we republished in our Journal on why track and field is crucial in the collegiate space, as well as the value of Olympic sports more broadly.

FOUNDATION TEES 

Save Track

The new round of the Save Track Tees will be available for purchase later this month near the start of the US Olympic Track & Field trials, which commence on 6/21. All proceeds from the sale of the Save Track Tee will go to the Foundation, so it’s a great way to directly support our work.

The Save Track Tee will be available to purchase online and at the Tracksmith Envoy on the ground in Eugene during the US Olympic Track & Field Trials.

I will also be in Eugene for the first weekend of the Olympic Trials from June 21 to June 24 to raise awareness around the Foundation’s work by engaging directly with our supporters via key community offerings. More details to come.

Sign-up here to be notified when the shirts go live on our site.

A CALL TO ACTION

We Need Your Help

Over the past two and a half years, we have conducted research on the needs of youth track and field, implemented programs that have impacted hundreds of high school and youth track athletes across the country, and published pieces on the nuanced challenges facing our sport and what we can do to keep it strong.

We need your help to continue growing the impact of the Foundation. This year, financial constraints have significantly reduced our endeavors, and we’ve had to curtail our programming offerings and opportunities to engage with other sports leaders as a result.

Given this, we ask you to consider donating to the Foundation. Fully funded, we will be able to expand our shoe donation program that provides technical performance gear to youth & high school athletes in need. An expanded program would serve nearly 3,000 athletes across the country.

We would also be able to support high school coaches around the country by providing direct coaching advice from the brand’s Amateur Support Program athletes, as well as by assisting with gear and equipment and various programming opportunities.

As we strive to match our capacity with our ambition, we will continue to do our part to protect this sport and the numerous opportunities it provides for our young people and beyond. Your support will help us expand our reach and strengthen our ability to make impactful change nationwide.