The American Sports Builders Association (ASBA) announced the winners of its industry awards of recognition. Presentation of awards took place at the close of ASBA’s Technical Meeting, which was held in Palm Desert, Calif.
The Distinguished Service Award, presented by the association to recognize notable work benefitting the ASBA, was given to Duffy Mahoney, chief of sport performance at USA Track & Field. Mahoney, who announced his plans to retire from his full-time position with USA T&F this year, has been a fixture at ASBA meetings and a longtime contributor to publications and articles.
Mahoney’s career with USA Track & Field spans more than 30 years (he entered the organization as its national teams manager in 1989). Prior to that, he worked as a teacher and a track and field coach (as well as a coach of football and lacrosse) at Long Beach High School in New York. From there, he moved on to coaching the Saudi Arabia national track and field team and was the head coach of track and field at St. John’s University in New York.
Reflecting on his work, Mahoney noted that he is looking forward to retirement – in part so that he is able to travel to the bucket list of countries he has accumulated after a career spent visiting 54 others – and to restart his consulting business that will focus on athletic facility design. And in the meantime, he adds, USA Track & Field is in good hands.
“I have hired so many really good people who are well equipped and ready to roll,” he said.
In honoring Mahoney, Paul Nagle, CTB, ASBA’s current Track Division president, called all those who had served as Track Division presidents to the stage, noting that all had benefitted from Mahoney’s expertise during their time on the board of directors.