This interview was conducted by Ken Stone in November 2004:

1. USATF Masters track is perpetually underfunded, and yet a majority of dues-paying USA Track & Field members are masters age. How can Masters T&F better tap the various USATF revenue streams for the older athletes it represents?

We need to make obtaining a sponsor for our Championships a high priority. We also need to do our homework and present a strong case to the National office that the maintenance funding that they are giving us now is not funding us for success. We need to pursue this aggressively but tactfully.

2. One measure of our program’s health is the turnout at national masters championships. But the number of participants in recent years has remained flat, or even decreased. How would you grow the number of entrants at nationals?

We need to grow the numbers in all of our meets from the Association and Regional level as well as the National level. We need to establish a network of outreach programs that will raise the public awareness level and more people will become involved. We need to establish a working relationship with the Senior Games organization; they have far greater numbers than we do, and their members could very well become our members if a focused effort is made.

3. Despite the existence of its own section of www.usatf.org, USATF Masters has done little to leverage the potential of our Web site. How would you improve this online home to USATF Masters? How would you use the Internet to improve communications with master’s members of USATF?

The current USATF Web site is difficult to navigate and is missing many features that are important to masters athletes. The structure is very confusing. You click on Athlete Bios, for example, when you’re on the Masters Web page and you get bios of Open athletes. We most definitely need to improve the current status of our Web page. This should be an A priority.

4. Most masters’ athletes have never attended the annual meeting of USATF. What would you do to better involve the rank and file in USATF Masters decision-making? Would you consider a secure Web site by which USATF Masters could vote on issues?

Absolutely. I believe the first step is to establish a means of surveying the general membership. It’s a little crazy to think we make rule changes and change policies without first getting feedback from the event group that will be affected by the change.

5. What’s your philosophy on picking host cities for masters nationals? Do you like to "spread it around" – at the risk of low turnouts in certain areas or climates? Or do you prefer to see the "best bidder" win the meet – at the risk of cities like Boston (indoors) and Eugene (outdoors) monopolizing the championships?

I believe in spreading it around when you can. If you look at our Indoor Championships, though, we just don’t get enough quality bidders. I think that’s our fault — we need to be actively pursuing bidders instead of waiting for them to come to us. There are plenty of fine facilities in the United States that need to be contacted.

6. Would you support a rule change to allow timed finals for running events over 400 meters at masters national championships?

I support a rule change for timed finals for 1500m and up, but I will admit I am still not sure about the 800m. I need to hear more compelling arguments at the convention before I decide.

7. The Masters T&F chair is also a member of USATF’s governing Board of Directors, one of whose roles is evaluating the chief executive director, currently Craig Masback. Do you think Masback has done all he can to advance the interests of masters track?

Not really. Although Masback has shown some support and I believe he respects the Masters program, he has been too busy dealing with the drug scandals the last two years to be very concerned with our program. By the way, Masback has admitted that they should do more for the Masters. I’m not sure the rest of the National office feels the same, however.

8. The masters chair also represents the United States at the World Masters Athletics General Assembly every two years. How would you use your role as chief U.S. delegate to advance USATF Masters’ interests? What would you do to help return the World Masters Athletic Championships to continental U.S. soil for the first time since 1995?

We will have some fence-mending to do before we get the World Championships back on U.S. soil, I think. Currently there is a $150,000 rights fee, which is one obstacle. The other is that the European community is not very fond of U.S. at this time. At the last General Assembly the U.S. took part in some politics that impacted several countries' voting privileges. As I understand it, we had grounds, but you certainly don’t make any friends and build alliances in this manner. I would see my role as goodwill ambassador.

9. As a candidate four years ago, George Mathews identified three top goals for his tenure in a November 2000 interview. (See Question 12.) Has he made satisfactory progress on these goals?

We can do much better.

10. Aside from what you can do for USATF Masters, what do you personally get out of being involved in USATF Masters leadership?

I have been involved with our wonderful sport since I was in middle school. I have also coached Youth, High School, College and Club. I have competed in the last 15 Masters Outdoor Championships in a row — but my most gratifying experience comes from impacting our sport in a positive way.