Wheaton's Souza selected to World University Games staff, plays key role in USATF community outreach

January 14, 2005

By Jill Geer
USATF Director of Communications

Paul Souza, the longtime head coach of Wheaton's eight-time national champion track & field teams, has been selected as Assistant Manager for Team USA at the 2005 World University Games August 11-21 in Izmir, Turkey. The World University Games features college student-athletes from around the world and is a training ground for future Olympians.

Souza's appointment is accompanied by his participation in USA Track & Field (USATF) "Be A Champion" program centered on community outreach to middle-school students.

The men's vertical jumps development chair for USATF, Souza was selected for World University Games service by the USATF's men's track & field staff selection committee. As Assistant Manager, Souza will be responsible for team planning, travel, scheduling and other key organizational matters. It is the third Team USA staff appointment for Souza since 2001. He was men's assistant coach for jumping events at the 2004 World Indoor Championships, where long jumper Savante Stringfellow won the gold medal. Souza also traveled to England and Scotland in 2001 as assistant coach for the U.S. junior national team.

Souza's involvement in USATF has expanded to community outreach as well, serving as a host for USATF's "Be A Champion" program, a major strategic initiative begun in October in conjunction with the American College of Sports Medicine. The community outreach program involves Team USA's top Olympic athletes, who volunteer to speak to local middle schools while at USATF events. Through Be A Champion, athletes promote living with integrity, good health and diet, fair play and doing what it takes to Be A Champion in life as well as sports. Souza hosted the Be A Champion event held in December at Gregory Heights Middle School in Portland, Oregon, as part of USATF's annual meeting.

At the school, Souza spoke with more than 300 students about what it means to Be A Champion, introduced the Team USA athletes participating in the event and expedited students' questions of the athletes. Souza was joined in the program by Olympic 100M gold medalist Justin Gatlin, Olympic 4x400M relay gold medalist Sanya Richards, 1996 Olympic gold medalist and four-time world champion Allen Johnson, and Olympic 400M hurdles finalist and 2001 Harvard graduate Brenda Taylor.

Souza also will host upcoming Be A Champion events connected with USATF's 2005 Visa Championship Series, a series of nationally televised elite track & field meets. The Visa Championship Series has a heavy Boston flavor, kicking off with the 2005 Reebok Indoor Games on January 29 and concluding with the USA Indoor Track & Field Championships on February 25-27. Both meets will be held at the Reggie Lewis Center. The Visa Championship Series also includes the Millrose Games in New York City, where Wheaton has often competed, on February 4; and the Tyson Invitational on February 11 in Fayetteville, Arkansas.

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