NEW ORLEANS, La. – For the third consecutive year, the Drake Relays will be the presenting sponsor of all technical symposiums at the USTFCCCA Convention, which will be held from December 16-19 at the Grande Lakes Resort in Orlando, Florida.
"The Drake Relays has innovated in the sport of track and field for more than eleven decades," said USTFCCCA CEO Sam Seemes. "We are proud to have the Drake Relays sponsor these education sessions as they continue to evolve the sport."
Technical symposiums are where coaches learn from their colleagues in four distinct disciplines: distances, jumps, sprints/hurdles/relays, and throws. There will be 25 technical symposiums in the Sunshine State this year, which include topics such as "Programming 101: When the Plan Doesn't Go as Planned," "Exploring Power Development & Acceleration Dynamics," and "identifying & Developing Championship Talent," among others.
Spy coaching symposiums also return to Convention for the second year in a row after a smashing debut in 2023. These special seminars are where coaches can observe how their colleagues instruct athletes in real time in their various event specialties. This year those events are the discus, long jump and sprints. All three of the spy coaching symposiums will take place on Monday, December 16, the first night of Convention.
The 115th edition of the Drake Relays returns to the Blue Oval on April 23-26, 2025, beginning on Wednesday, April 23 with the men's decathlon and women's heptathlon. The meet will continue through Saturday, April 26, with the Distance Carnival on Thursday and different morning and evening sessions on Friday before the climactic final day. Last year saw several world-leading marks and numerous Drake Relay records fall over the four days.
"The enduring nature of the Drake Relays is one of the many reasons why track and field athletes and fans flock to Des Moines every April," said Blake Boldon, Franklin P. Johnson Director of the Drake Relays. "Now, more than ever, we are proud to partner with USTFCCCA to continue to elevate the standard of coaching excellence across all levels of our sport."
Ticket renewals for the 2025 Drake Relays begin today with all session tickets available to the general public beginning Wednesday, Jan. 22, 2025, in conjunction with Drake Relays Night at the Knapp Center as the Drake men's basketball team hosts Valparaiso. All ticketholders who renew their 2025 Drake Relays tickets prior to Jan. 15 will receive two complimentary general admission tickets to the game in which Drake Relays committee members and officials will be recognized.
