AAU Masters & Open Meet Series coming to AAU Track and Field in 2021
02/05/2021
AAU Track and Field is expanding its championship meets to including a new series for masters and open athletes to compete with the nation’s largest volunteer youth sports organization.
ORLANDO, Fla. - The Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) Track and Field adds a new AAU Masters & Open Meet Series to its lineup of 2021 events. AAU, the nation-wide leader in youth sports since 1888, is creating more participation opportunities for track athletes around the nation to take part in, focusing on those Masters & Open athletes (ages 19 years and up) who may not have the opportunity to compete elsewhere this year.
“The AAU is excited to continue to provide participation opportunities to America’s amateur athletes,” said AAU President & CEO Jennings “Rusty” Buchanan. “Our goal is to always create quality events like the new Masters & Open track series that are conducted in safe environments while still offering the very best event experience for athletes, coaches, and their families.”
This new meet series for adults will include three events - an indoor championship in the winter season, an outdoor championship in the summer, and a cross country championship in the fall season. These will be the first events in AAU Track and Field history to focus on our older athletes, allowing competitors to run during or after their college years.
“AAU Track and Field works hard to provide premier events for all track and field athletes,” said Charles “Coach O” Oliver, AAU Track and Field National Chair. “We are excited about these additional meet opportunities for our college-aged athletes who might not otherwise have had the chance to compete as we continue to grow the AAU Track & Field brand across the country.”
The series kicks off with an indoor meet on March 7, 2021. The AAU Masters & Open Indoor Championships will be held at the Virginia Beach Sports Center, in Virginia Beach, Virginia. The state-of-the-art facility opened in the fall of 2020 as the East Coast’s largest indoor sports complex. The facility is within walking distance of local shops, restaurants, and attractions, including the beautiful boardwalk and beaches of the Virginia Beach Oceanfront. The Center offers 285,000 square feet of space, including 12 basketball courts, 24 volleyball courts, a 200 meter, hydraulically banked track and seating for 5,000 spectators. An additional 195,000 square feet of programmable space is also available, which can accommodate a variety of events using court space along with ability to lay the track flat.
“We are thrilled to have been given the opportunity to host this prestigious event and look forward to a successful meet. This is the first time we’ve hosted this event, and we are excited about this partnership,” said Dani Timm, Interim Director of Sports Marketing for Virginia Beach Sports Center.
The AAU Track and Field outdoor season will add an AAU Masters & Open Outdoor Championship on July 3-4, 2021 at the Ansin Sports Complex in Miramar, Florida. The 24-acre state of the art sports complex that features an FTX Mondo running track identical to the 2008 Olympic track in Beijing, along with a 9,000 square foot community center and 5,000 square foot covered children’s boundless playground.
The International Associated of Athletics Federation (IAAF) certified running track is equipped with hurdles, high jump pads and standards, pole vault pads and standards, three long jump pits, one discus and shot cage, a 200-meter practice track area.
“We are very interested and very excited to host another AAU event down in South Florida. Here at Ansin, we are a state-of-the-art facility for track and field that can host all these national championship type events,” said Clarence “Reggie” Williams, Athletic Program Manager with The City of Miramar, Florida. “We are welcoming the AAU with open arms. We would like to thank the AAU Track and Field executive committee in entrusting the Ansin Sports Complex to provide this service to their members. We are looking forward to bringing kids back out on the track and why not do it with brand new events that the AAU Track and Field members can attend.”
Later in 2021, the AAU Masters & Open Cross Country Championships will kick-off in Charlotte, North Carolina. The location is still to be determined, but the tentative date for the event will be December 4, 2021.
2021 AAU Masters & Open Indoor Championship
Virginia Beach Sports Center, Virginia Beach, VA
March 7, 2021
2021 AAU Masters & Open Outdoor Championship
Ansin Sports Complex, Miramar, Florida
July 3-4, 2021
2021 AAU Masters & Open Cross Country Championship
Charlotte, NC
December 4, 2021
For more information on AAU Track and Field, visit aautrackandfield.org
For more information on Virginia Beach Sports Center, visit vbsportscenter.com
For more information on Ansin Sports Complex, visit miramarfl.gov/1663/Track-and-Field
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ABOUT THE AAU:
The Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) is one of the largest- non-profit volunteer sports organizations in the country. As a multi-sport organization, the AAU is dedicated exclusively to the promotion and development of amateur sports programs. Founded in 1888 to establish standards and uniformity in sports, the AAU philosophy of “Sports For All, Forever” is now shared by nearly 700,000 members and 150,000 volunteers across 45 sports programs and 55 U.S. districts.
ABOUT MIRAMAR PARKS AND RECREATION:
Our Mission is to provide a wide variety of services, recreational activities and special events for youths, adults and senior residents to enhance the quality of life for Miramar residents. To continue to provide a safe and nurturing environment to play, learn and grow for people of walks of life. We pride ourselves on being able to offer activities, programs and services including; after school programs, athletic leagues, and camps throughout the year.
“The AAU is excited to continue to provide participation opportunities to America’s amateur athletes,” said AAU President & CEO Jennings “Rusty” Buchanan. “Our goal is to always create quality events like the new Masters & Open track series that are conducted in safe environments while still offering the very best event experience for athletes, coaches, and their families.”
This new meet series for adults will include three events - an indoor championship in the winter season, an outdoor championship in the summer, and a cross country championship in the fall season. These will be the first events in AAU Track and Field history to focus on our older athletes, allowing competitors to run during or after their college years.
“AAU Track and Field works hard to provide premier events for all track and field athletes,” said Charles “Coach O” Oliver, AAU Track and Field National Chair. “We are excited about these additional meet opportunities for our college-aged athletes who might not otherwise have had the chance to compete as we continue to grow the AAU Track & Field brand across the country.”
The series kicks off with an indoor meet on March 7, 2021. The AAU Masters & Open Indoor Championships will be held at the Virginia Beach Sports Center, in Virginia Beach, Virginia. The state-of-the-art facility opened in the fall of 2020 as the East Coast’s largest indoor sports complex. The facility is within walking distance of local shops, restaurants, and attractions, including the beautiful boardwalk and beaches of the Virginia Beach Oceanfront. The Center offers 285,000 square feet of space, including 12 basketball courts, 24 volleyball courts, a 200 meter, hydraulically banked track and seating for 5,000 spectators. An additional 195,000 square feet of programmable space is also available, which can accommodate a variety of events using court space along with ability to lay the track flat.
“We are thrilled to have been given the opportunity to host this prestigious event and look forward to a successful meet. This is the first time we’ve hosted this event, and we are excited about this partnership,” said Dani Timm, Interim Director of Sports Marketing for Virginia Beach Sports Center.
The AAU Track and Field outdoor season will add an AAU Masters & Open Outdoor Championship on July 3-4, 2021 at the Ansin Sports Complex in Miramar, Florida. The 24-acre state of the art sports complex that features an FTX Mondo running track identical to the 2008 Olympic track in Beijing, along with a 9,000 square foot community center and 5,000 square foot covered children’s boundless playground.
The International Associated of Athletics Federation (IAAF) certified running track is equipped with hurdles, high jump pads and standards, pole vault pads and standards, three long jump pits, one discus and shot cage, a 200-meter practice track area.
“We are very interested and very excited to host another AAU event down in South Florida. Here at Ansin, we are a state-of-the-art facility for track and field that can host all these national championship type events,” said Clarence “Reggie” Williams, Athletic Program Manager with The City of Miramar, Florida. “We are welcoming the AAU with open arms. We would like to thank the AAU Track and Field executive committee in entrusting the Ansin Sports Complex to provide this service to their members. We are looking forward to bringing kids back out on the track and why not do it with brand new events that the AAU Track and Field members can attend.”
Later in 2021, the AAU Masters & Open Cross Country Championships will kick-off in Charlotte, North Carolina. The location is still to be determined, but the tentative date for the event will be December 4, 2021.
2021 AAU Masters & Open Indoor Championship
Virginia Beach Sports Center, Virginia Beach, VA
March 7, 2021
2021 AAU Masters & Open Outdoor Championship
Ansin Sports Complex, Miramar, Florida
July 3-4, 2021
2021 AAU Masters & Open Cross Country Championship
Charlotte, NC
December 4, 2021
For more information on AAU Track and Field, visit aautrackandfield.org
For more information on Virginia Beach Sports Center, visit vbsportscenter.com
For more information on Ansin Sports Complex, visit miramarfl.gov/1663/Track-and-Field
###
ABOUT THE AAU:
The Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) is one of the largest- non-profit volunteer sports organizations in the country. As a multi-sport organization, the AAU is dedicated exclusively to the promotion and development of amateur sports programs. Founded in 1888 to establish standards and uniformity in sports, the AAU philosophy of “Sports For All, Forever” is now shared by nearly 700,000 members and 150,000 volunteers across 45 sports programs and 55 U.S. districts.
ABOUT MIRAMAR PARKS AND RECREATION:
Our Mission is to provide a wide variety of services, recreational activities and special events for youths, adults and senior residents to enhance the quality of life for Miramar residents. To continue to provide a safe and nurturing environment to play, learn and grow for people of walks of life. We pride ourselves on being able to offer activities, programs and services including; after school programs, athletic leagues, and camps throughout the year.
