|
The United States Corporate Athletics Association is a nationwide non-profit
organization that promotes health and fitness among corporate employees by
sponsoring corporate athletic events. The National Corporate Track & Field
Championships evolved from informally organized
corporate runs. Bob Anderson of Runners' World magazine took over the event
and organized the Corporate Cup Relays from 1979 to 1984. In 1985, the USCAA
was formed and has continued to promote the spirit of corporate competition
ever since.
Numerous regional corporate track and field competitions, held throughout the
country, culminate in an annual summer National Corporate Track & Field
Championship. In addition, a National Corporate Marathon Championship is held
annually. Promoting corporate spirit, teamwork and camaraderie, USCAA events
provide an opportunity to network across your company as well as with other
companies. The USCAA also encourages teams to use the national championships
to raise funds for charities - a Charity Cup Challenge trophy is awarded each
year to the team that raises the most money per team member.
 
The two-day national championship is similar to a track and field Olympics,
with opening ceremonies, trials, and finals. The main focus of these
championships is to promote health in the workplace and competition among
corporate athletes. In both regional and national meets, events are team- or
relay-oriented to make them equally competitive for men and women of all ages.
For example, one relay requires at least one woman runner plus another runner
35 years of age or older. Some events even require runners of a particular
executive level; retired employees may also be eligible for certain events.
Individual distances in these relays range from 100 or 200 meters to 2 miles
on the track, as well as 5K and 10K road races. Team-oriented shot put,
discus, high jump and long jump round out the field events. Also included are
two non-scoring events: a 4-person relay consisting of two Special Olympic
athletes and two corporate athletes, and a Kids Race.
The competition allows both the weekend warrior and the former college track
star to participate in the same event and to contribute equally to a team's
success. For example, a 50-year-old woman who wins her age group in the 5K
scores as high as the overall winner. Each year, nationally-known runners
co-host the event and cheer participants on. Co-hosting the event in 1995 were
nationally ranked Natasha Kaiser-Brown and Kevin Little. Previous hosts
include Joan Benoit and Edwin Moses.
For a look at the structure of our National Corporate Track & Field Championships read our Rules and Regulations
The National Corporate Marathon Championship is held annually in conjunction
with a major marathon. Host marathons have included such sites as Portland, OR; Los Angeles, CA; Houston, TX; San Diego, CA; Las Vegas, NV; and Myrtle Beach, SC. Runners are scored using standard WAVA tables.
In the Corporate Track & Field Regionals and Championships, corporations are
divided into two major divisions based on their number of employees; they
compete only against other companies within their division. Division I
comprises companies with 10,000 or more employees; Division II comprises
companies with fewer than 10,000 employees. A company may form a team from one
of its groups or regions, in which case its division placement is based on the
number of employees in that group or region. Division II teams may also
combine with another team, provided the combined employee size remains within
the Division II requirements. Each major division is further divided by size
into A and AA, resulting in Divisions IA (>60,000) and IAA (10,000-60,000), and
Divisions IIA (3,000-9,999) and IIAA (<3,000).
Participants in previous USCAA Championships have included such corporations
as GE, AT&T, Lockheed Martin, Enron, HP, IBM, Principal Financial, Coca-Cola,
BoozoAllen & Hamilton, Pacific Enterprises, Pacific Telesis Group, US West and
many more of all sizes.
Previous corporate track & field championships have been held in Berkeley, CA; Palo Alto, CA; San Jose, CA; Los Angeles, CA; Boston, MA; Des Moines, IA; Boulder, CO; Santa Barbara, CA; Irvine, CA; Seattle, WA; Waterville, ME; La Jolla, CA; Los Gatos, CA; Renton, WA.
Previous corporate marathon championships have been held in Portland, OR; Los Angeles, CA; Houston, TX; San Diego, CA; Las Vegas, NV; and Myrtle Beach, SC.
The National Corporate Championships help build a strong corporate team image,
not only for the employees who participate, but also among other participating
companies, customers, and the public. Kevin Holtzclaw, Vice President at
General Electric, reports, "We find a great deal of corporate goodwill is
disseminated to the public by our participation. As the Corporate Nationals
grow in stature and exposure each year, we receive more and more favorable
comments from our customers." Jim Streeby of the John Deere Co. relates:
"There are a lot of positive spin-offs ... In our factory, participants had a
significant total weight loss, many cases of lowered blood pressure and other
behavioral modifications dealing with diet and exercise. The good feelings
also carry over into the workplace. Many of the ingredients that went into
making the Corporate Relays a success for our team help make a successful
corporation."
Personal health and fitness strengthen any business and ultimately benefits
our entire system of free enterprise. Join us in strengthening America by
promoting and encouraging corporate fitness and wellness events.
Opportunities to participate in USCAA events are plentiful. You may wish to
form a team and enter the competition, representing your corporation on the
track or on the roads. Or you may wish to sponsor USCAA events, advertise in
the publications read by each USCAA member athlete, or present your product
directly to the athletes by taking advantage of event vending opportunitites.
Whatever form your interest in the USCAA takes, we can get you on the path to
sucessful participation.
For more information about the USCAA or about participating in this year's
National Championships, please call the USCAA Headquarters.
We can give you the information you need to organize and lead a successful
team, become a sponsor, or participate in the USCAA organization itself.
Promoting corporate health and fitness has never been easier or more rewarding
- call now to find out how you too can benefit from participating in the
USCAA! See our contacts page.
Want to see our records and event results? See our Stats Page.
|
