USADTF President

The USA Deaf Track & Field organization (USADTF) has established a national Deaflympics track & field team and a development team based on its rigorous criteria (its qualifying standards can be viewed in the USADTF website - www.usadtf.org) to showcase their talents on the international platform when they travel to Taipei, Taiwan on July 12 – 26, 2024 to compete in the 2024 World Deaf Athletics and Youth Championships. The event, the Summer Deaflympics, the world's 2nd oldest international competition next to the Olympics, is among the world's fastest-growing sporting events.  The Games are built over nearly 100 years of tradition. 

Organized since 1924 by the Comite International des Sports des Sourds (The International Committee of Sports for the Deaf), the first Summer Deaflympics was held in Paris, France. The International Olympic Committee (IOC) sanctions the Summer Deaflympics.  The USA Deaflympics track & field team looks promising, with 35-40 athletes expected to compete in the 2025 Summer Deaflympics. 

Those athletes cannot do much without your financial contributions, which are the key to the success that they are expected to achieve. Without such contributions, some of the athletes will have to stay behind. USADTF certainly does not want to see it happen.

In order for those athletes to showcase their God-given talents, each athlete needs to raise $6000 to cover expenses for uniforms, international airfare, meals, and lodging, to name a few.  USADTF does not receive financial assistance from the U.S. Olympic Committee or the U.S. government.  Similarly, unlike the hearing athletes, the deaf and hard of hearing athletes do not receive any financial assistance from the government or sponsorships from large multi-national corporations.  Many hearing athletes receive monetary rewards while the deaf and hard of hearing athletes receive none, but hearty hugs and pats on their back. Those who compete in the Deaflympics do it out of love and passion for the sport.

The athletes have trained hard and made sacrifices to get where they are now, preparing for the 2025 Summer Deaflympics in Tokyo, Japan, to represent their beloved country. USADTF knows your donation will make a difference in the lives of these athletes. 

As a former athlete myself back in 1993 (ran third leg and won GOLD in 4x100!) and also coached USA teams twice back in 2005 and 2009, I want to see others have the same oppportunity as I had by participating in Deaflympics and representing us as well.  My job, as the current USADTF President, is to ensure that we raise enough funds to help achieve every athlete's dream!

We hope that you will consider supporting them financially.As USADTF is a 501(c)(3) organization, your donation may be used for a tax write-off.Go USA Go!