Fred Adler

 

A native of Haverstraw, New York, Fred Adler has accumulated a truly remarkable list of contributions to Track and Field and to its corps of officials over the last forty years.

 
An Emeritus Master level official for USA Track and Field, he worked as a Clerk, Starter, and Officials’ Coordinator at 14 national indoor championships, 4 of the same outdoors, the 2004 Olympic Trials, The Goodwill Games, Millrose Games, numerous New York Grand Prix meets, the USATF Cross-Country, Race Walking, and Club Championships. He also was a fixture at many college events – more than 100 contests at Army West Point, the Patriot League, the Heptagonal Games, the Northeast Conference, the Metropolitan Champs, the Armory Collegiate Invitational, the NCAA Northeast Regional Qualifiers, and the NCAA Division 1 finals.
 
Another of his vast contributions was becoming an early pioneer in officiating in the now rapidly growing realm of athletics for the disabled. He officiated at the 1996 Paralympic Games in Atlanta and at the World Special Olympics in New Haven. He also served as coordinator for the Department of Defense Wounded Warriors meet held several years ago at West Point.
 
Behind the scenes for over 30 years Fred was a tireless resource for the recruitment, training, assigning, and coordination of officials for hundreds of scholastic, collegiate, and USA Track & Field contests throughout the region. He became known as the “Track Maestro” for a good reason, pairing personalities with the correct officiating tasks, and encouraging the mentorship of younger officials by those with experience. He served as Certification Chair for the Metropolitan Association of USATF and was the Rockland County Chair of the Southern Catskill (Scholastic) Track Officials’ Association form 1996 up until his retirement from officiating several years ago.
 
His modesty does not allow him to relish the kudos he deserves. Despite that, Fred has been honored for his incredible services to the sport by being named “New York State Official of the Year” in 1999, winning the Loucks Games Outstanding Service award, The Ken Smith Distinguished Service Award from the New York State Officials’ Association, and the Charles Ruter Award from USATF. He has won the Bill Markiewicz Award for contributions to Rockland County Cross-Country and the esteemed Dick Teetsel Award for his contributions to Rockland County Track and Field.
 
He is also a member of the Rockland County Track and Field Hall of Fame and the Rockland County Sports Hall of Fame.
 
Fred lives overlooking the Hudson River in Stony Point, New York with his wife of 57 years, Giovanna. They have two children, Giulia and Timothy, and two grandchildren, Cassandra and Trevor Duitz.
 
Today Fred joins our USATF New York Officials Hall of Fame and we are most proud to bestow this richly deserved honor upon him.