Amateur Athletic Union

The Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) is an amateur sports organization based in the United States.[1] A multi-sport organization, the AAU is dedicated exclusively to the promotion and development of amateur sports and physical fitness programs.[2] It has more than 700,000 members nationwide, including more than 100,000 volunteers.[3]

Amateur Athletic Union
AbbreviationAAU
Motto"Sports for all, forever."
FormationJanuary 21, 1888 (1888-01-21)
FounderJames E. Sullivan
Founded atNew York Athletic Club
TypeAmateur Sports Organization
HeadquartersLake Buena Vista, Florida, US
Membership
700,000 athletes and coaches nationwide
President/CEO
Dr. Roger J. Goudy
Websiteaausports.org

The AAU was founded on January 21, 1888, by James E. Sullivan with the goal of creating common standards in amateur sport.[4] Since then, most national championships for youth athletes in the United States have taken place under AAU leadership. From its founding as a publicly supported organization, the AAU has represented U.S. sports within the various international sports federations.

The AAU formerly worked closely with the United States Olympic Committee to prepare U.S. athletes for the Olympic Games. As part of this, the AAU Junior Olympic Games were introduced in 1949, with athletes aged 8 to 16 years, or older in certain sports, being able to participate. Many future World and Olympic champions have appeared in these events, which are still held every year.

In the 1970s, the AAU received growing criticism. Many claimed that its regulatory framework was outdated. Women were banned from participating in certain competitions and some runners were locked out. There were also problems with sporting goods that did not meet the standards of the AAU. During this time, the Olympic Sports Act of 1978 organized the United States Olympic Committee and saw the re-establishment of independent associations for the Olympic sports, referred to as national governing bodies. The rise of professionalism in all sports in the latter half of the 20th century also hurt the AAU's viability. As a result, the AAU lost its influence and importance in international sports, and focused on the support and promotion of predominantly youthful athletes, as well as on the organization of national sports events.

History

The AAU was founded in 1888 by William Buckingham Curtis to establish standards and uniformity in amateur sports.[4] During its early years the AAU served as a leader in international sport representing the United States in the international sports federations. The AAU worked closely with the Olympic movement to prepare athletes for the Olympic Games.

After the Amateur Sports Act of 1978 broke up the AAU's responsibility as the national Olympic sports governing body, the AAU focused on providing sports programs for all participants of all ages beginning at the local and regional levels.

The philosophy of the AAU is "Sports for All, Forever." In 1923 the AAU sponsored the First American Track & Field championships for women. The AAU is divided into 56 distinct district associations, which annually sanction 34 sports programs, 250 national championships, and over 30,000 age division events. The AAU events have over 500,000 participants and over 50,000 volunteers.

Women barred

Starting in 1914, the Amateur Athletic Union barred women athletes from competing in events that it sponsored.[5] In 1914 they changed their rules and allowed women to compete in a limited number of swimming events.[6] Just two years later in 1916, AAU was considering discontinuing their experiment in allowing women at swimming events.[7]

In 1922, the Metropolitan AAU in New York City approved a larger program of sanctioned events for women but still barred them from running events over one-half mile because they were considered too strenuous.[8] The reason given for barring women was that if a woman was allowed to run more than a half-mile they would put their reproductive health at risk.[9][10] But by 1923 the AAU allowed women to compete in most sports, including basketball.[11] The AAU held women's basketball tournaments from 1926 through 1970.[12]

In 1961, the Amateur Athletic Union still prohibited women from competing in road running events and even if organizers broke the rule and allowed a woman to participate, her results would not be counted in the official race results.[10] In 1970 the first New York City Marathon ignored the AAU rules and allowed women in the event even if it meant that their scores would not be official. For the second New York City Marathon in 1971 the AAU allowed women to participate if they started the race 10 minutes before, or 10 minutes after the men, or if they ran a separate but equal course.[9] By 1974 women were becoming more vocal about their restrictions.[13]

Ice hockey breaks away

Prior to 1936, ice hockey in North America was governed by the AAU and the Amateur Athletic Union of Canada. After the Canadian Amateur Hockey Association (CAHA) split ways with its national union, the AAU terminated its working agreement with the CAHA which had allowed for transferring of players and exhibition games between the two countries.[14] The AAU then issued an ultimatum to the Eastern Amateur Hockey League (EAHL) in August 1937, not to have any Canadian-born players in its league. EAHL president Tommy Lockhart chose to break away from the AAU and reached an agreement with the CAHA,[15] then founded the Amateur Hockey Association of the United States (AHAUS) to govern ice hockey.[16] The AHAUS and the CAHA joined to form the International Ice Hockey Association,[17] which merged into the Ligue Internationale de Hockey sur Glace to become the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) in 1947.[18] With the merger, the IIHF chose to recognize the AHAUS as the governing body of hockey in the United States, instead of the AAU.[18]

Despite the decision by the IIHF, the AAU sent its own team to compete in ice hockey at the 1948 Winter Olympics. The AAU was supported by the United States Olympic Committee led by Avery Brundage, who threatened a United States boycott the Olympics if an AHAUS team was recognized instead of an AAU team.[19] The status of ice hockey at the 1948 Winter Olympics was not resolved until the night before the Olympics began, after bitter negotiations. The International Olympic Committee allowed the AHAUS team to participate, but were ineligible to win an Olympic medal.[20]

Break-up

The Amateur Sports Act of 1978 was precipitated by grumblings of the inefficiency of the AAU to manage the multitude of sports at the Olympic level. USA Gymnastics was formed initially as a feeder program in 1963 as a response to perceived poor performance by the American performers in the Olympics and at World Championships. The USWF was formed in 1968 as an effort to take wrestling as an independent governing body. Their position was supported when FILA the world governing body refused to accept membership of "umbrella" sports organizations like the AAU.[21] After years of grumbling by athletes, the International Track Association was formed immediately after the 1972 Olympics to provide track and field athletes an opportunity to make money from their sporting efforts.

Presidents

The following people served as President of the Amateur Athletic Union.

Name Term Notes and references
Harry McMillan1888–1890
Howard Perry1891–1893
William Curtis1894
Harry McMillan1895–1897
Bartow Weeks1898–1899
Edward Babb1900–1901
Walter Liginger1902–1903
Joseph Maccabe1904–1905
James Edward Sullivan1906–1908[22]
Everett Brown1909–1910
Gustavus Town Kirby1911–1912[23][24]
Alfred John Lill, Jr.1913–1914[23][25]
George J. Turner1915–1916He was the treasurer of the South Atlantic Association and then the president of the Amateur Athletic Union from 1915 to 1916.[26]
Charles Dean1917
Samuel Dallas1918–1919
Robert Weaver1920
William Prout1921–1923
Murray Hulbert1924–1927
Avery Brundage1928–1933, 1935He was also the fifth president of the International Olympic Committee, serving from 1952 to 1972.
Jeremiah T. Mahoney1934 and 1936
Samuel Hoyt1937–1938
Lawrence Benedetto1939–1943
Willard Greim1944–1946
James Rhodes1947–1948
Albert Wheltle1949–1950
Douglas Roby1951–1952
Louis Wilke1953–1954
Carl Hansen1955–1956
Kellum Johnson1957–1958
Nick Barack1959–1960
Louis J. Fisher1961–1962
Jay Mahoney1963
Clifford Black1964–1965
David A. Matlin1966–1967He was the first Jewish president of the Amateur Athletic Union.[27]
Jesse Pardue1968–1969
John Kelly Jr.1970–1971
David Rivens1972–1973
Joseph Scalzo1974–1975
Joel Farrell1976–1977
Robert Hellmick1978–1979
Josiah Henson1980–1983
Richard Harkins1984–1987
Gussie Crawford1988–1992She has been the only female president of the AAU.
Robert Dodd1992–2011
Louis Stout2011–2012
Henry Forrest2012–2014
Roger Goudy2014–present[28]

Programs

Programs offered by the AAU include: AAU Sports Program, AAU Junior Olympic Games, AAU James E. Sullivan Memorial Award and the AAU Complete Athlete Program. In addition, the President's Challenge program is administered on behalf of the President's Council on Physical Fitness and Sports. The AAU has 33 national committees to organize its activities in particular sports.[29]

In 1994, the AAU joined forces with the Walt Disney World Resort, signing a 30-year agreement. As part of that agreement, many of AAU's national championships in many sports are played at the Wide World of Sports Complex in Lake Buena Vista.[30] In 1996, the AAU relocated its national headquarters to Walt Disney World in Lake Buena Vista, Florida.[31][32] More than 40 AAU national events are conducted at the resort's ESPN Wide World of Sports. The ESPN Wide World of Sports features a double-deck 7,500—seat baseball stadium and baseball quadraplex, a fieldhouse that accommodates up to six hardwood courts, a softball quadraplex, two youth baseball fields, a track and field complex, and four multi-purpose performance fields sized for soccer tournaments.

AAU operates under a 501(c)(3) tax-exemption letter granted by the federal government in 1996.

Sports offered

The Amateur Athletic Union offers participants sport programming in individual and team sports in their local community that they can join and compete with other athletes their own age. There are teams in most sports ranging from 9U to 18U, allowing youth athletes to play for championships in sports against other athletes similar in age and athletic development.

The AAU offers sport programming for individuals and teams in the following sports:[33]

AAU Cares

The AAU Cares program was established in 2016 as the AAU's way of giving back to the community. The first event was held in conjunction with the 86th AAU James E. Sullivan Award. With the assistance of New York State Senator Kevin Parker, bicycles were assembled by the AAU Board of Directors and presented to under-served New York City area youth.[34] Other AAU Cares events were held in conjunction with the AAU Girls'Junior National Volleyball Championships in 2016 and 2017 respectively where the AAU teamed up with Feeding Children Everywhere to pack a total of 120,000 meals in total for hungry children.[35]

United Hockey Union

The United Hockey Union (UHU) is a group of junior ice hockey leagues and the NCHA college club league based in North America. The UHU is overseen and insured by the Amateur Athletic Union and was founded in 2012. Neither body is recognized by USA Hockey, Hockey Canada, or the International Ice Hockey Federation.

AAU Hockey sponsors national tournaments[36] for minor hockey levels. A North American Championship for Squirt/Atom and PeeWee levels as well as Midget and Bantam[37] levels is set for debut in 2015 in cooperation with the Canadian Independent Hockey Federation (CIHF).

Criticism

In the early 1970s, the AAU became the subject of criticism, notably by outspoken track star Steve Prefontaine, over the living conditions for amateur athletes under the AAU, as well as rules that were perceived to be arbitrary.[9] Congress adopted the Amateur Sports Act of 1978 in response to such criticisms, effectively removing the organization from any governance role. The AAU now continues as a voluntary organization largely promoting youth sports.

In 2008, The AAU also found itself under scrutiny over the privacy of information of athletes. A local news station near the AAU Headquarters found boxes of personal information thrown out in dumpsters, raising questions about the organization's handling of private data.[38]

In 2015, Kobe Bryant strongly criticized the AAU, describing it as "Horrible, terrible AAU basketball. It's stupid. It doesn't teach our kids how to play the game at all so you wind up having players that are big and they bring it up and they do all this fancy crap and they don't know how to post. They don't know the fundamentals of the game. It's stupid".[39] Bryant, who moved to Italy at age 6 because of his father playing basketball there, stated that the AAU has been "treating (amateur basketball players) like cash cows for everyone to profit off of".[39] Steve Kerr has also spoken out against the AAU, stating that the AAU's structure devalues winning, with many teams playing about as many as four times a day and some players changing teams as early as from one morning to an afternoon the same day. Kerr also states that "The process of growing as a team basketball player — learning how to become part of a whole, how to fit into something bigger than oneself — becomes completely lost within the AAU fabric".[40]

In the wake of sexual scandals that hit two U.S. universities, Penn State and Syracuse, involving acts of sexual abuse with children, charges have also reached the AAU in Memphis, Tennessee, through the alleged misconduct of then President Robert W. "Bobby" Dodd.[41] In 2016, the AAU was sued for allowing Rick Butler, a youth volleyball coach accused of sexually abusing his players in the past, coach an under-18 team in the AAU Girls' Junior National Volleyball Championships.[42]

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References
  1. "Amateur Athletic Union (AAU) | Gold Coast Gymnastics". www.gcgym.com. Retrieved June 4, 2018.
  2. "Amateur Athletic Union of the United States | American sports organization". Encyclopedia Britannica. Retrieved June 4, 2018.
  3. "AAU - Amateur Athletic Union Jobs at Work In Sports". www.workinsports.com. Retrieved June 4, 2018.
  4. William Buckingham "Father Bill" Curtis: Founder of the U.S. Olympic Committee, by Lowell M. Seida (1998)
  5. "A.A.U. Ban on Women. Female Athletes Barred from Competitions Sanctioned by Union" (PDF). The New York Times. January 18, 1914. Retrieved January 6, 2014. As a result of the recent agitation to permit enrollment of women athletes in the ranks of the Amateur Athletic Union a mail vote has been taken on the subject with the result that the Union has decided by an overwhelming vote to refuse registration to women athletes in all sports and competitions controlled by the A.A.U. ...
  6. "Women Swimmers and A.A.U" (PDF). The New York Times. November 22, 1914. Retrieved January 6, 2014. While the unexpected action of the Amateur Athletic Union in permitting women swimmers to register hereafter and to compete at sanctioned meets ...
  7. "A.A.U. May Discard Women's Swimming. After Two Years' Trial Question Will Come Before Annual Convention" (PDF). The New York Times. October 31, 1916. Retrieved January 6, 2014. The question whether the Amateur Athletic Union shall continue to recognize and control women swimmers will be one of the principal issues at the annual convention of that body, to be held in this city on Nov. 20. ...
  8. "Women's Program Is Ready For Vote. Met. A. A. U. to Pass on Rulings for Athletic Competition at Friday Meeting" (PDF). The New York Times. December 13, 1922. Retrieved January 6, 2014. A standard programme for women's athletic competition in the local district will be adopted Friday night at a meeting of the Metropolitan A. A. U.'s Committee on Women's Athletics, to be held in the Park Avenue Hotel. ...
  9. Charles Butler (October 19, 2012). "40 Years Ago, Six Women Changed Racing Forever". Runner's World. Archived from the original on December 3, 2013. Retrieved January 6, 2014. Lebow and his fellow organizers had openly courted women when the first New York City Marathon was held in 1970, even going so far as to ignore rules put in place by the Amateur Athletic Union that barred women from marathon racecourses. ...
  10. Jeré Longman (October 25, 2011). "A Leading Pioneer". The New York Times. Retrieved January 6, 2014. In 1961, the Amateur Athletic Union prohibited American women from competing officially in road races. When sympathetic race organizers allowed them entry, their results did not count. ...
  11. Ikard, Robert W. (2005). Just For Fun: The Story of AAU Women's Basketball. Fayetteville, Arkansas: University of Arkansas Press. p. 14. OCLC 645941637. Early diverging from the prevalent philosophy of physical educators, the AAU in 1914 deemed swimming an acceptable competitive sport for women. After World War I, the union endorsed elite female competition in track and field (1922), then all generally recognized sports (1923), including basketball. In doing so, it turned 180 degrees from the attitude expressed by its president, James E. Sullivan, in 1910. Invoking an increasingly dated outlook, Sullivan had said his organization would not "register a female competitor and its registration committee refuses sanction for...a set of games where an event for women is scheduled."
  12. Ikard 2005, p. 13.
  13. "Women Rebelling In Track. Trackwomen Rebelling Against A.A.U. Policies". The New York Times. February 27, 1974. Retrieved January 6, 2014. Growing discontent with the policies and practices of the Amateur Athletic Union is causing a rebellion in women's track and field. At a time when the sport has made significant strides in gaining recognition in this country, a series of events last week indicated a deterioration between national officials and individual coaches and athletes. ...
  14. "No Concern Felt Here Over Trouble In Eastern Loop". Winnipeg Tribune. Winnipeg, Manitoba. March 2, 1937. p. 13.
  15. "Eastern U.S. Puck Loops Quits A.A.U." Winnipeg Tribune. Winnipeg, Manitoba. August 31, 1937. p. 36.
  16. "Lockhart, Thomas -- Honoured Builder". Legends of Hockey. Hockey Hall of Fame. Retrieved January 1, 2020.
  17. Clarke, Robert (April 16, 1940). "New Controlling Body Formed At C.A.H.A. Meet". Winnipeg Free Press. Winnipeg, Manitoba. p. 15.
  18. "C.A.H.A. Gains Few Points At Prague Hockey Confab". Winnipeg Tribune. Winnipeg, Manitoba. March 22, 1947. p. 33.
  19. "Yank Puck Bodies Are Feudin' And Fightin'". Winnipeg Free Press. Winnipeg, Manitoba. November 8, 1947. p. 22.
  20. Sullivan, Jack (February 23, 1960). "'Squawk' Valley Hassles 'Duck Soup'". Brandon Sun. Brandon, Manitoba. p. 7.
  21. "THE END OF THE AAU". Vault. Retrieved June 4, 2018.
  22. "J.E. Sullivan Dies After an Operation. America's. Foremost Leader in Athletics and Recreation Work III Few Days. Did Much to Revive Classic Olympic Games and Was Strong. Factor In Public School Athletics". The New York Times. September 17, 1914. Retrieved November 23, 2009.
  23. "Lill New President Of Athletic Union. Boston Man Elected as Head of Amateur Body to Succeed Kirby" (PDF). The New York Times. November 18, 1913. Retrieved December 24, 2013. Alfred J. Lill, Jr., of Boston was elected President of the Amateur Athletic Union yesterday at the twenty-sixth annual convention of the national governing athletic ...
  24. "G.T. Kirby Elected President Of A.A.U. Columbia University Man Defeats George W. [sic] Pawling for Athletic Office". The New York Times. November 11, 1912. Retrieved December 24, 2013. Gustavus Town Kirby of this city was elected President of the Amateur Athletic Union yesterday at the twenty-fourth annual meeting of the delegates of the various sectional associations who assembled at the Waldorf-Astoria from nearly every State in the Union. There was one other contender for this highest honor in the giving of the governing body in track, field, and many other amateur sports, he being George W. Pawling of Philadelphia. ...
  25. "Amateur Athletic Union". Mind and Body. 1914. Retrieved December 24, 2013. At the annual meeting of the Amateur Athletic Union Nov. 16 Alfred J. Lill, Jr., of Boston was unanimously re-elected President for the ensuing year. ...
  26. "Baltimore Man For A.A.U. Head. George J. Turner Leads for Job of Directing America's Amateur Sports". The New York Times. October 17, 1915. Retrieved January 2, 2015.
  27. "Amateur Athletic Union Elects Jew As President for First Time". Jewish Telegraphic Agency. December 28, 1966. Retrieved February 3, 2016.
  28. "AAU Announces New President at 124th National Convention". Archived from the original on October 27, 2014. Retrieved October 27, 2014.
  29. "AAU Official website". Retrieved May 22, 2008.
  30. "The History of AAU Basketball". Archived from the original on September 12, 2012. Retrieved May 24, 2010.
  31. Lee, Mike. "The Walt Disney World Preview Center". Widen Your World. Retrieved April 21, 2019.
  32. "About the Amateur Athletic Union". Amateur Athletic Union. Retrieved April 21, 2019.
  33. "AAU website".
  34. "AAU Cares Initiative Kicks Off with Donation of Bicycles to Youth in New York City".
  35. "AAU CARES 2017: PACKING MEALS AND CANCER AWARENESS".
  36. "Inaugural Mite-Squirt Nationals - good to go" (PDF). AAUicehockey.org. March 1, 2014. Archived from the original (PDF) on February 1, 2015.
  37. "SRHL to Host AAU North American Championships". Grand River Generals. June 24, 2014. Archived from the original on December 23, 2014.
  38. "Dumpster Full Of Amateur Athletes' Records Found At Storage Complex". Archived from the original on May 17, 2008. Retrieved May 28, 2008.
  39. Markazi, Arash. "Kobe: Europe's players more skillful". espn.go.com. ESPN. Retrieved January 3, 2015.
  40. Kerr, Steve (May 8, 2012). "The Case for the 20-Year-Old Age Limit in the NBA". Grantland.
  41. "Amateur Athletic Union probes abuse charges against ex leader". Reuters. Retrieved December 10, 2011.
  42. Assael, Shaun (June 24, 2016). "AAU sued for allowing Rick Butler to coach in under-18 tournament". ESPN.
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