UAGTCA Timeline
Over 45 Years of Developing Champions…….
1976
When It All Began…
The United Age Group Track Coaches Association (UAGTCA) was conceived in the autumn of 1977 after a meeting of area track club representatives held at the Cliveden House, an auxiliary building of the Mallery Recreation Center in Philadelphia, PA. The outgrowth of that meeting was the formation of a relatively small organization, with an ambitious agenda and a goal, “To provide a quality, organized track and field program for the youth of the area.”
The UAGTCA held its first meet in the Spring of 1978 at Central High School. The numbers, in the beginning, were modest with meets averaging between 200 – 300 athletes. Subsequent meets were held at South Philadelphia High School before moving to Gratz High School’s Marcus Foster Stadium.
The UAGTCA has been a constituent member of USA Track & Field (USATF), and its predecessor The Athletics Conference (TAC), since its inception.
For over 45 years the development of youth in track and field has remained the primary focus of the UAGTCA.
1980
UAGTCA Online Entry System and Computerized Results
The UAGTCA was one of the first youth track and field organizations that used a computerized meet registration and results system, built by Ron Jackson, an Engineer and founding member, to score a major competition. The UAGTCA quickly became a recognized leader in youth meet organization.
1981
Marcus Foster Stadium
There were not many great facilities available to the group in the beginning, but the completion of Marcus Foster Stadium in 1979 allowed our athletes the opportunity to train and compete in a state of the art facility. There would be no stopping us now. The support of the Philadelphia Department of Recreation and many others, allowed the UAGTCA to flourish through the many difficult times of those early years.
1981
TFA/USA National Age Group Championship
The UAGTCA continued to enhance its reputation for staging quality competitions by hosting the 1981 TFA/USA National Age – Group Championship at University of Pennsylvania’s Franklin Field.
1988
TAC National Age Group Championship
The UAGTCA Hosted the 1982 TAC National Age Group Championship at Franklin Field.
1990 – 2000
USATF Jr. Olympics
The UAGTCA has hosted several Association / Regional USA Track & Field Jr. Olympic meets. Some were held in PA at Thomas Edison High School, Academy Park High School, and Germantown Academy. They were also held in NJ at Carl Lewis Stadium and at Rowan University.
2006
First Youth Invitational Track Meet
The UAGTCA inaugurated its first Youth Invitational track meet in 2006 at Northeast High School’s Charles Martin Stadium. The UAGTCA Youth Invitational is a three day competition that affords many athletes an opportunity to compete with other high caliber athletes at the peak of their season’s conditioning. Many athletes use it as a springboard to National Competitions. In 2007 the Youth Invitational was relocated to Widener University’s Leslie Quick Stadium. Throughout the years the Invitational has been attended by international teams from Canada, Bermuda and France.
This meet was renamed in 2018 to the Ron Jackson Youth Invitational, in memory of and to honor Ron’s vision to bring national level competition to the East Coast.
2009
Madeline R. Willette
Memorial Scholarship
This scholarship award was established in 2009 in honor of Madeline R. Willette who was a charter member and integral part of the United Age Group Track Coaches Association . Madeline’s tireless efforts on behalf of the UAGTCA, the children she coached in the Philadelphia Express Track Club, as well as those she taught in the Philadelphia Archdiocesan School system, will never be forgotten or replaced. This Award in her name reflects our continued commitment to the ideals she stood for in life.
2012
Charles Martin Stadium
Northeast High School’s Charles Martin Memorial Stadium became the UAGTCA’s preferred track and field meet venue, and has continued to be for many years.