Courtesy: USAT

In October, U.S. Olympic Committee President Sandra Baldwin sent a letter to USA Triathlon President Mike Highfield that read in part:

"The United Nations proclaimed 2001 'The Year of the Volunteer', with the objective of increasing recognition of volunteerism internationally.

"Because the Olympic movement is the largest volunteer enterprise in the world, the United States Olympic Committee is pleased to celebrate the International Year of the Volunteer by recognizing outstanding volunteers in sport. To accomplish this, we need the assistance of the National Governing Bodies by providing us with a list of up to 20 of your most noteworthy volunteers...

"There are two very broad criteria by which we would like you to judge candidates for this honor:

* Nominees should be long-serving volunteers of your organization from all social strata and from throughout the country.
* Nominees should represent a number of different volunteer experiences and must have volunteered on a number of levels."

The selections as made by USA Triathlon included (in alphabetical order):

David Backer: An attorney, Becker has been a member of the USAT Legal Committee since its inception and has been on the USAT Anti- Doping Committee since the early 90s. He served on the USAT Board of Directors for four years, serving as president for half his tenure. He is the leading USAT guru on bylaws and still assists the organization with issues of compliance with the USOC and U.S. Anti-Doping Agency. He has also represented USAT on some USOC committees.

Celeste Callahan: A Team USA member and USAT Certified Coach, Callahan has coached hundreds of women tackling the sport for the first time through the Danskin Triathlon Series. She helped start the Judy Flannery Fund, which raises money to pay travel expenses for aspiring triathletes and duathletes, and the USAT Women's Commission. She helped start one of the oldest multi-sport clubs in Colorado and has served as its president.

Dr. Pamela Douglas: A triathlete and cardiologist, Douglas serves as chairwoman of the USA Triathlon Anti-Doping Committee after serving on the committee for the past 11 years. She has been involved in various areas of triathlon research.

Sue Falsey: Falsey is a semi-retired computer expert and competing triathlete. Married to Brad Leonard, Falsey is one half of a duo whose service to USAT dates back into the 80s. Falsey has served as co- chair of the Age Group Commission and the Athlete of the Year Committee. She and Leonard were instrumental in helping USAT take control of its web site. She and Leonard were also the architects of the age group national team web site, which they continue to manage.

Mike Highfield: An attorney and triathlete, Highfield was the founding chairperson of the USAT Age Group Committee. He also started the Mideast Regional Federation and served as its initial president for three years. Highfield has served on the USAT Board of Directors for four years and served as treasurer for one year and president for three. As president, Highfield was involved in numerous significant endeavors involving the Olympic Games (triathlon's first in Sydney 2000), the creation of the USAT National Training Center in Clermont, Fla. and the development of USAT's regional governmental structure. He also created the Michigan Grand Prix Race Series, which is entering its ninth season.

Brad Leonard: Leonard is retired and is a competing triathlete. Married to Sue Falsey, Leonard's service to USA Triathlon dates back into the 80s, when he served on several committees. He has recently served as co-chair of the Age Group Commission and the Athlete of the Year Committee. He and Falsey helped USAT take control of its web site. They also constructed the age group national team web site and database system, which they continue to manage for USAT. Leonard's experience and background put him at the core of every think-tank operation USAT conducts.

Markham Leventhal: A triathlete and attorney, Leventhal has served as chair of USA Triathlon's Legal Committee for the past 12 years. He has provided ongoing pro bono legal service to USA Triathlon, including serving as USAT's defense on several hotly contested positive drug cases. Leventhal created the legal documents signed by USA Triathlon and the newly created USA Triathlon National Training Center (Orlando Regional Healthcare System/South Lake Hospital).

Bernard Lyles: An amateur triathlete, Lyles is the creator of the Tri Masters club in Chicago. Tri Masters is a multi-sport club oriented toward inner-city kids. Well over 5,000 kids, principally African-Americans, Hispanics and Asians, have participated in the club.

Rick Margiotta: A part-time race director and full-time builder, Margiotta is a longtime member of the South Midwest Region's board and has served in every position within the executive committee. He served as a USAT board member for four years and was president for three. During his time as president, he served on many International Triathlon Union committees. He was part of the staff for USAT's first Olympic Trials. Margiotta continues to support multi-sport efforts in Texas and surrounding states.

Dr. T.K. Miller: An orthopedic surgeon and triathlete, Miller has been director of USAT's Medical Committee since its inception. He created the medical directory for the organization and is the manager of all medical services for its support staffs that attend world championships. He is an expert presenter on sports injury and rehab and has given aid to many elite athletes who have suffered career-threatening injuries. He has also been involved with research studies within the sport including a wetsuit study that resulted in a change in the rules regarding their use in sanctioned events.

Verne Scott: Scott was on the first board of directors for the organization in 1982 when it was known at U.S. Triathlon Association and served as USAT's second salaried executive director when it was known as Triathlon Federation USA in 1984. Scott assisted in the development of every USAT program in the mid 80s, including the first set of rules, officially recognized distances, annual memberships, insurance and sanctioning programs, sponsorships and myriad other things. He has since served on various USAT committees, most recently as a member of the Age Group Commission.

Karen Smyers: A two-time elite world triathlon champion and Ironman world triathlon champion, Smyers has been active over the past six years with the governance of USAT at the elite level. She chairs the USA Triathlon Athlete Advisory Committee, has served as the USOC athlete advisory council representative for triathlon and continues to be involved on a regional level with the elite issues for high profile events. She is one of the most popular speakers in the sport of triathlon.

Perry Toles: An attorney and part-time race director, Toles started the Junior Olympic triathlon program in 1990. That was the precursor to USAT's junior development program. He has served on the USOC Athletes Advisory Council as well as many other committees supporting programs for athletes. Toles has served as camp director for various junior camps, was a member of the first world age group triathlon team and has directed some new events in New Mexico, including some with new race formats. He has also been a sounding board for new program ideas.

Robert Vigorito: A triathlete and race director, Vigorito has been involved in the sport for a long time. He has directed hundreds of races and raised money for the non-profit Columbia Triathlon Association. The association has donated thousands of dollars to many local Columbia, Md./Washington D.C. charities. He is active in a local running and multi-sport club in Howard County and volunteers his time helping young race directors and civic groups produce events as fundraisers. He continues to be an inspiration to many athletes and attracts many new folks into multi-sport.

Jack Weiss: A triathlete and race director, Weiss is a charter member in the creation of USA Triathlon's first regional federation, the "South Midwest." He has conducted races pro bono to benefit the regional federation. Weiss has served on the USA Triathlon Board of Directors for the past five years, where he currently serves as treasurer. He has helped at many events throughout the country.