The 2010 TAFWA annual awards were announced at our breakfast last Friday in Eugene.   The winners for 2010 are:

Jesse Abramson Award:  Sieg Lindstrom, Track & Field News, Los Altos, Calif.  This award is named in honor of the late Jesse Abramson of the New York Herald Tribune,  presented yearly to a TAFWA member in recognition of excellence in track and field journalism.  Over the last year as an editor at the magazine, Sieg has covered the NCAA's new, controversial regionals system it adopted, Usain Bolt's stellar achievements in Berlin, and the USATF's governance of the sport, among other stories.

Sam Skinner Award:  Dave Johnson, director of the Penn Relays, Philadelphia.  This award goes to an administrator, athlete, or anyone who has supported the sport of track & field from within an institution, by exhibiting exemplary cooperation with the media. 

The inaugural Cordner Nelson Book Award -- Christopher McDougall, the author of "Born to Run: A Hidden Tribe, Superathletes, and the Greatest Race the World Has Never Seen," published by Alfred A. Knopf. 

Adam Jacobs Memorial Award:  Paul Merca, of paulmerca.blogspot.com, Seattle, Wash.  This award was first given in 2009 for excellence in online journalism, and is meant to recognize the growing group of athletics journalists covering the sport online rather than in print. 

Rich Clarkson Award:  Cheryl Treworgy, of PrettySporty.com, Saxapahaw, N.C.  This award is dedicated to excellence in photography.

The TAFWA awards were announced by Scott Davis, awards chairman, Peter Walsh of Coogan's Restaurant in NY, and Jack Pfeifer, president of TAFWA.  Also presenting on June 11 were collegiate coaches such as Jason Vigilante, Virginia; Beth Alford-Sullivan, Penn State; John Moon, Seton Hall, and Lance Deal, assistant coach at Oregon, plus one athlete, Bridget Franek, Penn State steeplechaser, who all spoke and answered questions.

There were also presentations by Sam Seemes, president of the US Track & Field & Cross Country Coaches Association, on the Bowerman Award, and by John Capriotti, director of global marketing for Nike, on the upcoming Nike Track Nationals in Eugene July 2.  This year's TAFWA breakfast was underwritten by Nike.

Secretary Fred Baer has announced the results of the recent election of officers. The following are the TAFWA officers for 2010:

President
Jack Pfeifer
Armory Track and Field Center

Vice President
Parker Morse
Common Media

Secretary
Fred Baer
USA Today & TV Producer/Consultant

Treasurer
Ed Gordon
Free Lance Correspondent-IAAF

Past President
Ron Bellamy
Eugene Register-Guard