The U.S. Elite International Track and Field, Inc. is a USA based non-profit organization, which was the brainchild of current President Tresha Thorpe and her sister, Vice president Keisha Thorpe. The program has been in existence since October 2005, earning its nonprofit status in 2009. Both administrators are Jamaican born athletes, living in the USA, and who have plied their trades in the elite arena of track and field for the U.S. Elite International Track and Field Club.
The organization came about with the objective and quest to assist young track and field athletes, locally and internationally, with obtaining a debt free college/ tertiary education in the United States. The programs foster scholarship, leadership, sportsmanship and ambassadors of physical fitness.
The progamme which brands itself as a“ guardian angel” , aims at mentoring, managing and fostering a smooth and easy transition for aspiring track and field stars, who wish to complete higher studies with full financial backing, and at the same time providing room for growth and promotes the physical well being and welfare of individual athletes.
The program has sought to extend its reach and offering to more Jamaicans and Caribbean student athletes and as such will be hosting the first USA/Jamaica international convention and college fair, scheduled for October 31, 2015 at the Jamaica Conference Centre, Kingston.
The liaison officer for the international program Keisha Thorpe, told Yardie Sports at the launch of the event, that the program and its offerings is accessible to all existing student athletes and those post high school studies in Jamaica. She told the gathering that the focus is first on education and sensitizing athletes about the various educational opportunities at available outside of Jamaica, with track and field is really secondary.
As it regard the selection of athletes, she made it known that her team has brought coaches with them to Jamaica, who will undertake the recruiting process, as the various athletes market their skills on the track.
She noted that two most recent beneficiaries, former Wolmers Girls athletes , Anna-kay Edwards and Alicia Edwards, are amongst some of the persons who have been spreading the message and recommending athletes to the program and as such they have sought to increase awareness through the upcoming convention.
They are working with a 300 athletes quota, not limited to Kingston based schools, hence all who is interesting is advice to register early, at least two years before completing high school is the ideal. However athletes post high school is still eligible and able to apply. Maintaining a good/ decent academic standing, this is key to meeting the admission requirements for the various Universities via the listing available on their online website.
Being branded as a program with a vision of massive growth and expansion in the feature, they will be partnering with former athlete Inez Turner, who will play host of the convention. They have also garnered the blessings of the nation’s athletic administration, JAAA, on this venture. To get the event to becoming a reality, the organizers are beckoning to sponsors who want to come on board, with main sponsor Spanish Court Hotel, in helping them meet their proposed target for the convention.
All is looking optimistic for the convention; hence athletes are encouraged to register early via the online application forms on their website US.elite.org. The early registrants will receive free running spikes and sneakers.
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