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Women’s Commission 101 is a podcast series dedicated to advancing professional opportunities for women in USATF. This series serves as a critical platform to fulfill the strategic goal of promoting professional growth and leadership among women in USATF. Through engaging interviews, insightful discussions, and expert-led segments, the podcast aligns with our mission to collaborate with key partners to deliver leadership seminars and training tailored to women in the area of Officials, Coaching, and Mentors.
LaVonna: Welcome, everyone,
to Women's Commission 101.
This is a new project that works to
fulfill strategic goal number three,
which is professional opportunities.
This aligns with collaborating
with key partners to deliver
women's leadership seminars.
Our goal is to focus on three areas
of providing resources to our members.
This includes officials,
mentoring, and coaching.
And so today is the first of many of
our episodes that's going to focus on
the work of officials within USATF.
We are thrilled to have as a co moderator
coach legend coach Terry Crawford who
just received that a legends award
and our committee chair appointee on
the women's commission Terry Tutte
and we have Tiffany Banks, official
extraordinaire as well joining us.
So ladies, ladies, thank you so much
for being a part of our initial podcast.
So Terry, take it away
with an introduction.
Terry: Well, thank you, Lavonna.
It's a, it's a pleasure to be here
and be a part of this conversation
today because I certainly respect and
have great accolades for the two women
that are on on the conversation today.
Because both have climbed the
ladder in, in our officials
organization in USA Track and Fill.
And they both, I know, have great
stories to give our public a little
bit about how they went about it, which
also will explain how other young women
need to start to aspire to climbing the
ranks and, and fulfilling some really
worthy accomplishments in the area of
officiating in USA track and field.
And before we start to ask these women
to give us their stories, you know,
I would just like to point out that,
you know, when you go to attract me.
It's almost like going to a
great theatrical production.
You know, there's things going
on everywhere on that track.
And critical, of course, are the
people that are on the front stage.
You know, the stars, the actors.
And in Jack and Phil's
case, it's the athletes.
You know, they are the showcase.
They are the stars.
You know, they, they, they
perform for the audience.
Bye.
Those athletes couldn't be successful
if it wasn't for the officials who
are really the backstage hands.
You know, the people that are behind
the screen doing all the necessary
things that make that production
happen in a first class way that
accommodates and supports the athletes.
So officials are oftentimes the silent,
invisible, group that really make
that theatrical production go, whether
it's the Olympic trials or the world
championships, or here we are watching
every day and night, the 2024 Olympics.
So the ladies we have today who
are officiating in our organization
at very high positions really
understand that and they definitely
put in their work to get there.
So let me just start with Terry Tutte.
Who is now the head clerk at some of our
most important meets in the US, including
the Olympic trials that she's head clerk
at several in the, in the past years.
Also, she was the head clerk at
our recent world championships
that was in Eugene, Oregon.
And I'm sure that's not
where she got to start.
And so to let our young women
that might aspire to be officials.
But yet want to really see what
they can accomplish in that,
that area of USA Track and Field.
Terry, tell us a little bit about how
you got started that quickly got you
to this head clerk position, which
is certainly a position of notoriety.
Terri: Okay, thank you.
In 2005, I was a high school official
in Ohio and I volunteered for the
Big Ten Outdoor Championships when
it was at Ohio State University.
And all of a sudden, Lynn Kersak,
our officials chair in Ohio,
also on the national board.
He swoops down on me and said, here,
here, give me your information.
And so that was my start.
The good thing about that meet was I got
to work with some excellent officials,
some who had worked the 96 trials.
And so I was very
enthusiastic to get started.
Terry: Very good, very good.
Well, I know we're gonna go more
in depth in terms of the process
and what individuals have to go
through to become certified officials
and then move up in the ranks.
Tiffany, I know you've got
an interesting story as well.
Give us a little bit
about how you got started.
It sounds like this may be one of those
areas that Volunteer is where you start.
Tiffany: It definitely was I was a
summer track coach and if you've been
in summer track, it's all hands on deck.
So given the areas that, you
know, in order to try to keep us.
To time or get everything accomplished.
The coaches have to, have to help as well.
I was a combined event athlete
in college, so I was able to
help out in multiple areas.
Along the way, I had someone named Joe
Susina who thought I'd make a good starter
and he literally put a gun in my hand.
We followed that up with, I had the great
pleasure of working with John Drola.
Who pretty much took the reins from there.
And he, he put me in every
imaginable position to be successful.
He mentored me.
He, when I moved to California,
introduced me to Joe Harper and
who had worked the 96 Olympics.
I met pod at 10 San Luis Obispo,
where I met you, coach Terry.
And just, everybody was so.
forthcoming with information and to
kind of took me under their wings to
show me and, and teach me along the
way that I was determined to be that
coachable person to learn this craft.
Well, I
Terry: know again, just like with,
with Terry, Tiffany, you've gone
to the top of your trade now.
Not only are you being the
starter at, at major college
meets around the nation, but you.
have served at Olympic trials.
You were a starter recently at
the world championships at well.
And again, both of these head positions.
are not oftentimes assigned to females.
So Terry, I want to call
on you besides the story.
And it sounds like mentoring, finding
someone who is going to sort of take
you under your wings is critical,
but also Terry, give us a brief just
a explanation of what it, what it
involves to become a certified official,
and then obviously start to get that
experience and lean on some mentors.
Terri: And just just to go along with
what you said in 2016, I was the only
head official at the Olympic trials and
that was pointed out to me by females.
And so, you know, then it
kind of became a mission.
Well, I received the test that
comes You know, the online test
or it was a paper test back then.
I got a paper test from my officials
chair and I found some different
rule books, some of them online.
And I actually had officials say,
if you have any questions on like
throws or jumps, you know, let
me know and I'll try to help you.
So I sent that into my officials chair
to become an association level official.
I started out with a lot
of meats just in Ohio.
Terry: Okay.
And so So anyone who wants to become an
official, obviously they're going to get
opportunities, as Tiffany was saying, to
volunteer, whether it's at a local high
school meet and maybe not be official.
But, but so anyone should, should
go down the path of joining their
association and then going through
their association officials chair.
That's how they get started
to be certified, correct?
That's right.
That's good.
If you want to add anything to that
Tiffany in terms of specializing I
know you may have done a lot of other
things, but you know, you really
you're specially now as a starter
Which is really a critical task
when you think about track meets.
Tiffany: Yes it is kind of it can be
pressure filling but I think what has
helped with When you start to specialize,
that's where that mentorship does come in.
So whether it's association level
or when you have the opportunity
to start traveling paying attention
to those who are in the area
that you want to specialize in.
I mean, they call it being a student
of your craft and it doesn't matter
what area that is, you have to pay
attention to what, how to get better.
Like you said earlier with the
athletes, they're the stars of the show.
And so many of them, as you rise
in ranks, even, and really it's not
rising in ranks, even at that high
school level, they have something
that they're trying to accomplish.
And as officials, the better we are at our
craft, the better we are for them as well.
Terry: Well, that makes
total sense to me as a coach.
And and I know how much
coaches depend on officials.
to make sure every athlete is getting a
fair opportunity to perform at their best.
And and I know the sport has also changed
over the years in terms of and how have
Each of you guys sort of approach that has
there been a real learning factor And all
now so many of the parts of officiating
are electronically driven Terry like in in
clerking as your main, officials position.
Have you guys, started to use a lot
more digital, Mechanisms and and
techniques in terms even clerking and
tell tell a little bit what clerks do
Terri: All right.
It's our role to check in the
athletes for the day's competition.
That would be field
events and running events.
We hand out bibs and we give them
report back times, look at shoes,
spikes, make sure they're correct.
And then we escort them to the track
where they're hipped and let out to
Tiffany turned over to the starter.
We've I've seen a great increase in
the amount of digital with a computer
and a printer in the call room.
Okay.
And we even had a laptop at
this year's Olympic trials.
Actually, it was an iPad
that we had the app for world
athletic shoes and shoe checks.
And so any athlete that needed
to, you know, take a look at what
their shoe was before signing in.
They could do that.
So, yes, it's going pretty digital.
Terry: Okay.
And that's pretty interesting
for people to know how specific.
Rules and regulation are in events
of, in competitions of our sport
and the same I know for you, Tiffany
that now start starting being
such a controversial position.
Yeah, tell us a little bit how
our starters operate today.
Tiffany: So a few years back
our international starters panel
helped delineate rulings or
ways that we go about things.
And one of those, as far as technology
is concerned, we utilize what's called
a start information sent system at those
upper level meets NCAA now implements
it at those qualifying meets as well.
That device is an assist.
So it's still very much important
that we're able to communicate
with our team that we are able to
interact with our team on what we see.
Because there are different waveforms,
different views that are produced
by that technology that we have to
interpret and we utilize not only
the technology, but also good old
human responses and communication
to put forth the very best and fair
Delineation of that information on
that's the best way I know how to put it.
Terry: Well, I think I think it is
interesting because obviously in
both areas, the rules and sort of
procedures continue to evolve and
change and for the general public.
sitting in the stands, I can only
imagine the confusion that is created
for a lot of those folks as they watch
what's going on at the start line and
what's going on between the officials
and the athletes that in terms of
a false start that may put them out
of a race, which is really critical.
But even in Terry's position, how she
talked about they have the authority.
to turn an athlete away from being in
the meet if they don't meet the required
regulations stated by our governing body.
Is that right, Terry?
Terri: Well, we usually say,
go change your spikes or
put on legal ones or, right.
You'll get a different, some people will
bring two pairs of shoes, you know, to
decide which ones are World Athletics
approved and they'll pick from that.
Terry: Okay, so again, just another
aspect of realizing how technical the
work of officials and how important
the work of officials is to pulling
off an outstanding meet for both
the athletes, but also for the fans.
You know, it's, it's all about making
sure every little dot and every T
is crossed in terms of making this
meat be at its best for all involved.
So I know, is there a particular
experience I know, Terry, going back
to you, you, you've, particularly are
working within the officials committee
right now to lead a task force that
was created to help address various
issues that may come up that can be
helpful to women officials and just I
don't know exactly all those issues.
So tell us about those because again
we all know as as you've mentioned,
as, as Tiffany has mentioned women
have not always been the first to be
picked when it comes to officiating.
Terri: Okay, I will I'd want to say
first that it's my goal for this task
force I lead to get more officials, more
officials applying that are females,
and since our clientele is 50 percent
female, 50 percent male I would love
to see 50 percent of the officials
being female when we, you know, as we
progress on, we're making some progress.
So the, the survey we created through
USATF showed that women become an
official at the average age of 42.
5.
And that's much older, you know, than men.
And you know why it's childcare.
It's working your job.
I became one at 42 years.
So You know, I fit that role.
So some of our responses were obstacles
of child care, elder care not being
seen as a potential head being
talked down to by the male officials.
So those are some of the
things we have identified
Terry: and obviously it's sort of all
about staying together and coming up
with solutions to, to those issues.
And it sounds like having
this task force created.
There are other officials, male
officials in, in the organization are
not content to see women help back
that they want to see opportunities.
Now, Tiffany, I know had a wonderful
mentor and a close friend of
mine, John Drola many time head
official at Olympic trials, national
championships Olympic games.
And He really took you under his wing.
And, and again, I think it's a 50, 50 in
terms of women have to realize they have
to prove themselves in those positions.
So Tiffany, tell me a little bit and,
and talking about mentors, how you
recommend that young, young officials
go about finding a mentor and definitely
the benefits of having a mentor.
Tiffany: Well with mentorship, if you're
in an area, I mean, obviously we all kind
of start doing a little bit of everything.
You're going to find that one that
you just fall into that niche.
There's going to be an older official
and not necessarily age wise.
Okay.
Because as mentioned, women
come in a little bit later.
That doesn't mean that they don't
have the experience in the sport, but.
Connect yourself with someone
who you can talk to, who you
can have the conversations with.
The majority of what we learn
is through kind of conversating.
There's no way that any official is going
to encounter every possible scenario.
that can happen in their event.
And that's when it's important
to have those conversations.
How would you do this?
Or, or have you ever
had this happen to you?
Or have you encountered this situation
and get that feedback where you can
start to develop your own, kind of create
your own Not bag of tricks, but your own
but where you make it your own, okay?
Yes, we have rules.
Yes, we have things that, that, ways
that we approach and apply those rules,
but it's not so rigid that something
else can happen, kind of like what you
mentioned earlier at the start line.
You can see three people move And
it's not the outcome that you think
should happen because there are
other constraints that have taken
place during that start process.
Same thing happens in other events.
There are other constraints
that can happen.
Talking to a mentor, talking to a
seasoned or more seasoned official helps
you discern those things and helps you
understand what you're kind of looking
for that you might miss out if you're
just looking at it through One lens,
Terri: I wanted to say too that when
you first start out, you need a mentor
that will help guide your pathway.
What meet should you be working?
What meet should you be
applying, applying for?
You got to get out of your state.
And one of the great places
to start for a new official is
the national master's meets.
You got a national meet on your
resume and yeah, those, those are
also important to find a mentor
Tiffany: for those reasons.
Let's expand on that.
Go ahead, Tiffany.
Tiffany.
I was going to say, while I
kind of agree with that, we're
still, we still need to remember.
We've got those people who maybe
they're staying closer to home
because they are doing child rearing.
They are, they do have other
family responsibilities.
So that's where those
communications also come in.
Yes, the meats are, are important
and being able to work all levels
of meats, but sometimes they're not
able to leave the state just yet.
Terri: There are about 2000 officials
in Ohio, or sorry, in the United
States that are female 2000.
There's not that many
going to national meets.
Right?
Tiffany.
Tiffany: Yeah, yeah.
Terry: Okay.
Well, okay.
Okay.
So that's very interesting point.
You make because it sounds like.
Very similar to other professions whether
you're you know in marketing or whether
you're Hoping to climb the corporate
ladder and whatever your chosen profession
is It sounds like that's similar to what
you need to realize if you choose to and
and this is an area That that you enjoy
and you're getting great satisfaction
And and reward from it that you choose
to build your resume You And, and just
like any other professional person.
Am I right about that?
Yes.
Terri: You're right.
And we're just like the athletes.
We have goals too.
Once you get going.
I have a goal to work the Olympics in L.
A.
in 28.
You know, and we work at our craft.
Just like the athletes are practicing.
Terry: Perfect.
And thanks for bringing that up.
Talk a little bit about Your personal
goals and how long you have, I think
you mentioned at the beginning, Terry,
exactly how long have you both been
officiating that you can say, yes, I
became a certified official in this year.
And and so, yeah, because
longevity is another sign of,
of experience and commitment.
Terri, tell, tell us what your goals are.
Terri: Okay, well, you know, when
I became an official, I really
didn't have those goals out there.
I just really liked the USATF people
and, and the meets, but over the
course of time then, That's terrific.
Within just a few years, I was
just praying that we would get
the Olympics in the United States.
So, you know, you're saying,
okay, maybe 24 and maybe 28.
So, yeah, I think that's pretty much
what I've, what I've been working for.
Tiffany: Okay.
And how about you, Tiffany?
Mine has also, it, it has evolved.
I can honestly tell you, I did
not think that I'd be where I am.
Yeah.
The Olympics are definitely
on, on my, on my list of hoping
that I get selected to do that.
But in addition to, I would really like to
serve on the international starters panel.
I'm on the air international area
starters panel for NACAC but I'd
really like to, that's my next.
My next step.
Terry: Okay, great.
We're we are really walking through the
whole path here and I love this Because
here we are we have two young ladies
that started out as local Officially
officials at their high school.
So for all those young women out there
that are volunteering at high schools
or youth meets Whatever there's a
real path here that that if they so
choose and dedicate themselves to it.
Here we are.
Tiffany, I assume then that you
are, have, have passed your ATO.
That's an area technical official's
test in the area of starting.
And I don't know, Terry, I would assume
if you're aspiring to the Olympics, you
have to become at least an ATO, and then
I know the highest officials that are
chosen for the Olympic Games must pass
the international technical official test.
And talk to us a little bit about
that as sort of like perhaps the PhD
of a college pathway or a doctor, you
know, graduating from med school and
going on to do a residency and then
he's out in the world or a lawyer.
These are really great professions
that women can pursue and,
and really accomplish a lot.
So, so Terry, talk to us
a little bit about that.
What you're going to have to
do in that technical area of
certifications and and so forth.
Terri: There are people
looking out for me.
I got an email today that
I will be testing for the
referee, bronze level referee.
And I think this is just
the for World Athletics.
It's just helping pave my
pathway for 2028 in LA.
So I've got that on my plate.
I'm going to have a study guide
and, you know, it's gonna work.
Rely on some of my friends again,
to kind of keep pulling me through.
Terry: Okay.
And how about for our starters,
what a prestigious position to
be chosen, an Olympic starter.
Tiffany: Oh.
I'm very hopeful for that.
For sure.
As far as.
It's the, like our international or
international area starters panel.
We've gone through coursework
at the NACAC level.
It started back in 2011, Tom
McTaggart did that course.
And then we came back two years later for
a refresher in 2018, Alan Bell and Lisa
Ferdinand came in and did another panel
course where it was fully established.
So there's the ongoing training and
retraining And testing to make sure that
we're up to date with the rules and the
application or execution of those rules.
And I also got an email.
So I will also be testing
for the bronze level.
Terry: Congratulations.
Yeah, Well talk to us a little bit,
like as and as LaVonna mentioned,
as we opened this conversation.
Yes, as the Women's Commission, we
want to support young officials,
encourage more women to, to move
into the ranks of officiating.
And so Talk to us a little bit about
things you would recommend other
people, other maybe officials who
can be good mentors, or just how the
Women's Commission can continue to
find and seek out young people to, to
start down the path of officiating.
Tiffany: I think a lot of times
how I've come across individuals
because I have a lot of young ladies
like it meets who are like, I'm
really glad that we're represented.
I, you know, I'm really interested.
A lot of times they will, if they're not
already in officiating, they're going to
say, They're going to have that interest
and that desire to be a part of it.
We try to grab them early and say,
Oh, you really should look into this.
And then you kind of don't
let them go necessarily.
As long as they're, they continue to be
coachable and they have that desire to and
if they don't understand that it is about
the athlete, then we continue with that
if they're already officials, observe what
they're doing, give them that constructive
feedback, let them know, okay, well, you
know what, that was a good way to do it.
Maybe what if you tried this?
Or what if you try that?
So being An immediate advocate for
their success, because once they know
that someone is there to support them,
even, even the smallest thing that you
can say might pique their interest.
And they're like, Oh, I,
I can be good at this.
I'm yes.
I really like do this, but be there.
LaVonna: Yeah, it goes back to
that mentoring aspect of the both
of you guys were talking about.
Terri: I want to give a
shout out to my mentors.
Karen Kersack, Linda Melzer, both
Ohio officials and Dan Reynolds.
He's from Arizona now.
He was a great mentor who
started recommending me.
To be a head down the road.
So in USATF, there is a grant for new
officials, young officials under 40
and it's a monetary amount to help them
financially get to these national meets.
And then we found out that in the
women, You know, you're 42 before you
even become an official, and the Young
Officials Grant is for under 40, so we
proposed to the NOC, National Officials
Committee, that we have something for
females that are also young officials,
but they're new, in their 40s, and
so they're working on that right now.
So that should be maybe announced
at this year's annual meeting, a
stipend for any female in their first
five years where they can have some
money and get to come and get at that
national level and get a taste for that.
Terry: Would that be something I know
in the, in the coaches committee we
to just sort of encourage coaches to
start to learn, learn the ranks of major
championship meets that we have a grant.
that allows them to come in and
shadow a national recognized coach.
And they just sort of hang out and, and
tag along on the shoulder of some coaches
they go through every day of their meet.
And does the officials
committee do anything like that?
Is that what the grant will be for?
Because I think again, personal experience
and, and observing others that have
already accomplished that where they hope
to go is really a valuable experience.
Terri: Well, there,
there, there is a little
Terry: bit more about, okay,
Terri: there is another part of
it where we've asked for a female
official to come to a national meet
and shadow or mentor with a head.
There aren't very many of us.
I think there were 4 at this
year's Olympic trials, but it's
a start, you know, to come in
and just be with a female head.
So that's still in the works.
I haven't heard much from Mike Armstrong
on that, but Tiffany, there are also
other things for like referees where
you can shadow a referee program.
Tiffany: I have seen that.
We've been at meets before.
I know I'm going to date it probably 20.
I know in 2014 and some other some
other national championships they had,
they did have that where a group of
officials came and they shadowed the
referees and they were able to kind
of ask questions if, if so desired.
Some took.
Full advantage of it.
And they asked a numerous
question, numerous questions,
and we still see them today.
Not, and they don't always,
they don't always pan out.
Yes.
You know, you still
have to have the desire.
You still have to, again,
goes back to being a student.
You still have to want to be successful.
You want to be better for.
What we're doing, and that is be
there for the for the athletes.
I
LaVonna: have a question.
So I am I was an elite level athlete,
which means that I came in contact
with officials from when I started
age group track and field made my
way through the ranks of all the way
up to the Olympics, Olympic trials.
I'm a child, the daughter
of two officials.
Both my parents lefty and Brenda
Martin were in the Ohio Association.
I had no idea of how much from
what you guys have been explaining.
I had no idea how much was required
for them to be at the level that they
were in, in our state and, and beyond.
But I, I want to ask like a
practical question as someone
who is the daughter of officials.
I'm curious to how does a young person
that's going to get involved or a woman
that is in her 40s finished with, how
do you balance being an official with
the everydayness of your life as well?
Terri: Well, I feel like
there really is no balance.
You're at a meet, you're
100 percent in at that meet.
You are living track and field.
And then you go home, and
you know, that part's over.
And then you go back to
your job or your parenting.
That's why it's so difficult.
Tiffany: Got it.
Agreed.
I, I know for a fact I wouldn't have
been able to get where I am without
the support Of those who are at home,
Terri: right?
Tiffany: Because when I had the
opportunities when John put me up for
the starters exchange in the UK in
2006, my youngest was born in 2005.
So that support at home saying, yes,
it's okay for you to be successful.
Yes.
You know, we we've got this,
that part means so much.
And even when working, when you have
colleagues who you can plan it out and
you can say, okay, I'm going to be gone
for this meet, I have this opportunity,
and they're willing to help, you know,
it's easier, I think, in education
where you have departments that can help
cover for you or to, you know, cover
your class or check in on your classes.
That part's helpful.
It also helps when your principal is
a former Olympian, I'm just saying.
When I was in California, my
principal was Andre Phillips.
So, I have a little bit of support.
Terry: But that
Tiffany: at home support is very helpful.
Terry: Well, thank you
for mentioning that.
And yes, I feel the same you know,
most of the people in USA Track
and Fill I feel the same way.
Start out as volunteers.
You know, this is a mm-Hmm.
, a volunteer organization, a nonprofit.
Mm-Hmm.
falls into that category across the USA
and and really, so it is a position of
sort of passion and, and, and experience
that gives you that gratification.
For a job well done and and sometimes
that's really all you get and and
so I think whether you're a coach,
whether you're an official, I think
this is a wonderful opportunity to
to just explain to the public and as
LaVonna pointed out, our athletes.
really the commitment and the passion
it takes, just like the passion
they have for the sport they do.
I think officials carry that same
kind of passion and maybe that's a
passion that's that grows over time.
You're not quite sure, and athletes
are like this too, when they start
out at that local high school meet.
What this is going to be for them,
you know you don't predict that.
Well, I could be an Olympic starter
or an Olympic clerk one day.
But I think it's the involvement
and the experience you gain and
talking about here you are two great
role models for young officials.
And.
Where we are still working to increase
the number of officials, I know there
are some great women officials that have
gone through the ranks, have had 30,
40 years of experience that have really
set out to accomplish the same kind of
things you, you two are aspiring to.
And in some cases have made it.
I know we have talked to us a little
bit about some of your sort of heroes
that, that you know, some of our
women that have had this long career,
and we hope to interview them in the
future as well, and recognize the long
service they've given to our sport.
Well, I know Terry, you started, I
know you mentioned Karen Kersey, long
time, uh, Ohio Association official,
but national official who's given
so much of her time to the sport.
Terri: Well, I want to say that I started
out as a long and triple jump official
and we don't always know where we're
going to settle and my first national
selection wasn't as long and triple
and it was about a year later that
Linda Melzer and We were at an Ohio
association youth meet and they said,
Terry, we think you might be a clerk.
I'm like, okay.
So then they just started
telling me a little bit about it.
It is a great fit for me.
I like the big picture.
Anyway, you know, I'm one of those people
that I want to know everything in advance.
Which, thank you for the questions,
you know, that's helpful.
And yeah, those are people
that I totally respect.
And those are both females from Ohio.
But I also mentioned Dan Reynolds.
Very calm, very patient,
good sense of humor.
Pretty much modeled for me
how you talk to the athletes.
You know, the clerks, we talk to them.
Tiffany doesn't have that opportunity.
And when she has to, she probably
doesn't want to, you know, it
depends on what she's telling them.
But you know, we try to, I just want
the athletes to be at ease and I want
them to feel like I'm athlete first,
no disqualifications, you know, no DQs,
just I'm doing my very best from the
junior high level all the way up to, you
know, the world athletics to make sure
our athletes have the best experience.
And those were modeled for
me by those three people.
LaVonna: That's good.
That's good information.
How
Terry: about you?
I, you know, I think of people like
Carol Quorum who has been in the
officiating ranks at the highest rank.
She's a He does have her ITO officiating.
Lori Boehmer have gone all over
the world to officiate and they're
well known down in the Caribbean.
So we really have some accomplished women.
Barbara Palm has given over 50
years of her life to officiating.
And so this is part of the
importance of what we're doing
with this project is to recognize.
Those outstanding people Tiffany,
do you have, I know you obviously
have some great male mentors along
the way, but who are some of your
women mentors that you look up to?
Tiffany: And it's interesting that as
we're in this forum, It, it becomes
prevalent how few female starters
there have been along the way, or they
preceded me to where I didn't necessarily
have an opportunity to work with them.
So I look not necessarily in
the discipline of just starting.
But like, like you say, Carol and
Lori, I mean, being able to have
those conversations and, and have
their background stories of what
they had gone through along the
way and what they had overcome.
And then even just seeing how the
different disciplines, because
we are in that, that performance,
that orchestra where everybody's.
Coming together for the same purpose
and that is those athletes that how
their perspective and what they see
in their areas, how that affects what
I need to bring in, in my discipline.
So yes, those ladies,
I mean, you're right.
I had many, many males Shelby Sharp
was the first one to tell me I
can learn anything from anybody.
So I listened to everybody, Doc Beavers,
who is another clerk coming out.
Early on, he was essentially
like my voice coach.
He would go stand on the opposite side
of the straightaway and he would let
me know if I needed to talk louder
or how I needed to adjust so that
I'm not screaming at the athletes and
that I maintain that assertiveness.
But it's still fair.
It's still even I'm not putting them
on edge and it just, all of them along
the way I'm very thankful for that
they have thought enough to share their
background so that we can get better.
So that we can then pass
that on to the next females
Terry: who
Tiffany: are ready.
They want to know more, they want to
get better and we can be there for them.
Terry: Well, when you think about your
long careers now, and and certainly we
wish you all the best and going forward
and looking ahead to 2028 What kind of
tips would you give that young athlete
that's starting to, to, you know, have
that, that passion and, and sort of the
track and field bug has bitten them?
And this is something they, they really
wanted to devote serious time to.
When they look at how they
balance their, their life goals.
Do you have some particular tips you
would say, say to our young women?
Or they may not be young like you,
Terri, when you started, but just
people that show an interest and and
just like you, you were pulled aside by
some really fantastic female mentors.
So I guess age is not the
factor here, but I think.
There's got to be some tips
of maybe do's and don'ts that
you've learned along the way.
Terri: Well, I feel like everyone
should be looking for that mentor.
I know we've already talked about that.
It's just very important.
I love to mentor people.
I'm always looking for people that I feel
like fit that model role of a USATF clerk.
And I just try to tell them, you
know, give them tips and ideas of
what to do or what meets to work.
It's just a great time to
become an official or to be a
female and become an official.
This is it.
We're heading into 28.
So, you know, There's room for all of us.
I
Tiffany: agree.
I concur with that.
There's definitely room for all of us.
Stay the course.
Especially if, if that bug has bitten you.
If they were a former athlete, they bring
a skill set to officiating that maybe
somebody brand new who just enjoys track
and field or athletics that they may not
have in that they've been a part of it.
And Be coachable.
Yes, there's always so much to learn.
There's always another way to do things,
but be coachable so that you can grow.
That's You know, the main thing.
LaVonna: Fantastic.
Fantastic.
Terry: Well, LaVonna, are you ready
to let these ladies sort of offer
their last comments or maybe a last
LaVonna: question from you?
Absolutely.
Absolutely.
First of all, I just want
to say thank you so much.
This is exactly what we were looking
for is to get two experts to give us
information to try and draw in young women
and other women within our organization.
I guess my the last question I would
like to pose to you is what Legacy,
would you like to leave in the sport?
In, in the, in the area of, of your
expertise with being an official.
Terri: I wanna say that Tiffany,
every young female starter in the
U-S-A-T-F wants to be Tiffany Banks.
You know, you are, you wrote no pressure.
But yes, we just need more women
starters and everyone looks to you.
So glad to be a friend
out there on the track.
, I think that, I think that my, legacy
is not in awards or things that I
earned that way or, you know, but I
just want people to think that I saw
the big picture, you know, I was there
for everyone especially worked for the
athlete and that I was a good mentor.
Tiffany: Tiffany.
Concur.
Yeah, no pressure.
Terri: Sorry.
Tiffany: But, no, and that's, and
that's okay but there is, it's that
mentorship, it's, it's being able to
be that person who's willing to share
the knowledge, who's willing to help
develop the next person, to show that
whatever you aspire to, you can attain.
Grab that mentor, stay
close to that mentor.
Those, those meets that don't necessarily
go well, or from a starter standpoint,
you know, Oh my gosh, I had to DQ
somebody for the first time, talk to
somebody, try to figure out, okay,
well, what all transpired because
there's a myriad of things, but.
Legacy wise being open, being willing
to communicate, being willing to share,
share the knowledge that came before us.
LaVonna: Fantastic ladies.
Thank you so much, Terry and Tiffany.
Thank you for joining us, Terry Crawford.
Thank you so much for being
a wonderful moderator.
If there's anybody that's interested
in finding out the information,
you can check our resource page,
terry, can you tell us specifically,
since you are our committee chair,
specifically, Spaces that people
can go to to find information.
Terri: Oh boy.
Put me on the spot.
I would go to your association web
page and find your certification
chair and send them an email.
Send me an email You know, I
will be glad to point people
Tiffany: Fantastic stop an official at
a meet and say how do I do what you do?
Excellent, right?
LaVonna: Thank
Tiffany: you
LaVonna: so much,
Tiffany: ladies.
Terri: As I say, we're
all in this together.
Yes.
And I just think all female officials
need to work together, build
each other up and let us all move
forward towards 2028 as a team.
Okay, Tiffany, you had
something you wanted to add.
Yeah, I missed 1 person as far as people.
Dr.
Dennis, Dr.
Dennis, I felt like she was so
instrumental early on in being
able to start opening some of
those doors that have allowed.
More females to, enter into our
sport and be in these positions
that, , were normally, male dominated.
Absolutely.
Thank you, Tiffany, for adding Evie
Dennis, one of our great, female role
models in USA Track and Field, who went
on to make an impact worldwide at the
IOC, at World Athletics, that, People,
when they thought of USA track and field
around the world, they thought of Dr.
Eddie Dennis, uh, about to
turn a hundred years old.
Wow.
Yes.
We have some amazing women just like
yourselves, and I look forward to
seeing more over, over the next four
years as we get ready for Los Angeles.
LaVonna: Fantastic.
That's a great way to end.
Thank you, ladies.
Thank you.