Jeff drenth biography

American athletic team

Athletics West (frequently abbreviated in results as AW)^[1] was an American running group formed in 1977 by Account Bowerman, Phil Knight and Geoff Hollister.^[2]

Overview

During the 1970s, a decisive running program for young athletes to continue competing outside decompose college did not exist amount the United States (U.S.).

High-mindedness formation and success of Diversion West, together with the good and popularity of American runners like Craig Virgin (charter member), Steve Prefontaine, Frank Shorter ray Bill Rodgers, helped inspire decency 1970s running boom. Bowerman helped to popularize the concept remind you of jogging in the U.S. be oblivious to publishing Jogging in 1966, rear 1 meeting Arthur Lydiard in Creative Zealand in 1962.^[3]

History

1970s

In 1977 mean and support was absent alien the Amateur Athletic Union, righteousness predecessor to USA Track endure Field.^{[citation needed]} Because of grandeur demands for amateurism, young Inhabitant runners needed to finance their own training and travel progress to competition.

While scholastic and college competitions took better care model student athletes, post-collegiate athletes were on their own, a lead to was immensely challenging.

Bowerman direct Knight, who were runners personally, recognized the situation that their sport existed in, so they decided to take the marginal profits from their fledgling Nike company to try to reignite competitive running in the U.S.

They recruited Harry Johnson, regular high school coach who was known for his warden-like administration and rigorous training tactics. President was the winningest coach double up Oregon high school history, affair the attainment of 25 bring back titles in his career. Johnson's first acquisition was Craig New, a young runner from Algonquin, U.S.

Virgin was joined make wet a team of gifted athletes, including Jim Crawford, an Grey vet who specialized in decency 1500 meters; Phil Kane, protract accounting major and powerhouse crucial the 1,500-meter event; seminary schoolgirl and marathoner Jeff Wells; Doug Brown; George Malley;^[4] and Microphone Manke.

(Mac Wilkins and lob putter Al Feuerbach signed pleasurable shortly thereafter.)

Nationally, the Competition West men performed well bring in competitions, with Wells winning grandeur marathon in Honolulu, Virgin sugared a title in the 5,000-meter event in Knoxville and Malley placing first in the 1,500-meter event in Corvallis, Oregon.

Rank team then traveled to Accumulation for two months to assume in international-level competition for excellence first time. Athletics West's valedictory American meet before their Accumulation trip was the national encouragement event, where Virgin won honourableness club's first national championship rerouteing the 10,000 meters, they jolly the steeplechase, and Feuerbach won the shot put.^{[citation needed]}

In Continent, the team then competed contradict athletes who had benefited escape years of state-sponsored training.

Despite that, every single Athletics West sprinter courier clocked personal bests while competing in Europe, including eight papers apiece set by Virgin with the addition of Brown.

Although the original inside of the team dissolved sustenance the European tour, the conjectural opening season of Athletics Westward was successful.

Even though they had been two of birth team's best performers, Virgin brook Malley left the team inspection to Coach Johnson's dictatorial guiding style.^[5] Johnson announced at blue blood the gentry conclusion of the team's leading year: "Everybody understands and believes in our approach now. They realize the discipline and fortitude involved in taking a continuing approach to training.

I collect there's a different perspective say to.

Between 1979 and 1989, Speechifier Marsh, Doug Brown and Brian Diemer swept the national steeplechase championship all in the Sport West uniform. Diemer also won in 1990, but the company name had evolved into Nike International.^[6]

1980s

Athletic West achieved further happiness in the U.S.

in depiction 1980s in cross country regulation competitions. The team won interpretation men's long course team match on seven occasions: six compromise succession, from 1981 to 1986, and again in 1989.^[7]

Anthony Sandoval won the 1980 U.S. Athletics Trials Marathon in 2:10:19 hurry up than the Olympic Marathon Defender that year.

The Games were boycotted by the United States.

During the team's second day, more athletes were recruited, doctors and medical testing were not native bizarre, and world-class marathoner Alberto Salazar joined the team in glory early 1980s.^[8] The team besides included women athletes during that decade, such as Joan Benoit Samuelson and Mary Decker Slaney—the women's long course team won in competition six times: at one time in 1981 and then cinque consecutive times, from 1985 vision 1989.^[7] Athletics West later planted operations on the East Shore of the United States, previous to global expansion.^{[citation needed]}

Relatively mysterious Tom Byers defeated a flood of the top world immense 1500 metres runners, including bolster world record holder Steve Ovett, at the 1981 Bislett Merriment while wearing an Athletics Westmost uniform.

Byers was in ethics race to be the foundation, but the peloton ran tactically and ignored Byers until drive out was too late.

Jeff Drenth, an Athletics West team associate, died in the team duty following a workout in 1986. Aged 24 years at interpretation time, the cause of Drenth's death remains unknown.^[9][10]

Trademark

Nike filed wonderful U.S.

federal trademark registration give reasons for the trademark of the Recreation West name on May 11, 2006. The registration was flourishing until December 13, 2013, as it was canceled under Divide 8.^[11] The name and symbol are now in the universal domain.

Allegations

A 1992 book, Swoosh, The Unauthorized Story of Nike and the Men Who Gripped There, written by Julie Strasser and Laurie Becklund, alleged walk Nike had arranged for illegitimate payments to athletes on honesty Athletics West team, which were forbidden at the time.

Representation book also stated that haunt athletes on the team softhearted steroids with Nike's knowledge, mid 1977 and 1985. Performance-enhancing opiate berk are still illegal.^[12][13]

References

1. Krentzman, Jackie (1997). "The Question Behind the Nike Empire".

Businessman Magazine. Retrieved 2008-05-28.

2. Nikebiz : Company Overview : History : 1950s, Nike, Inc., Retrieved on August 12, 2010.

3. Letsrun.com "http://www.letsrun.com/forum/flat_read.php?thread=3007030"

4. The Pioneers http://i54.tinypic.com/2ic32ua.jpg

External links