RIP: Teddy McCook, 73

[gh]

One of my favorite people in the sport, although his name not known to most Americans. Jamaican federation figure, long a presence in the IAAF. He'll be missed.

[MJR]

Had the opportunity to work w/ him at 2 meets and a few meetings. Very nice man. He will be missed.

[Halfmiler2]

I met him at several USATF annual meetings. A gentleman who will be missed. R.I.P.

[gh]

more than just a "gentleman" (not that there's anything wrong with that description): a dude who made you smile, which to me is the highest praise i can give.

[Halfmiler2]

Quite true. Almost always a smile on his face.

[shivfan]

Someone I knew personally, so I'm deeply saddened....

http://www.iaaf.org/news/iaaf-news/athl ... neville-t1

"It was with the deepest sadness that the IAAF received the news that IAAF Council Member and NACAC President Neville McCook, OJ, JP passed away on Monday 11 February, at the University Hospital, Mona, Kingston, Jamaica. The Honourable Neville ‘Teddy’ McCook (DOB 27 April 1939), an IAAF Council Member since 1999, President of Jamaica Amateur Athletics Association from 1984-1996 and President of NACAC (North American, Central American and Caribbean AA) from 2007 to the time of his death, had fought a long term battle with prostate cancer and diverticulitis. A retired marketing consultant, McCook was the Secretary General of the Jamaica Olympic Association, a Board Member of Jamaica Special Olympics, and after stepping down as President of the Jamaica Amateur Athletics Association in 1996 had continued as an Executive Administrator of the national IAAF Member Federation. McCook was one of the founders of the Gibson Relays which were named in honour of Bishop Percival Gibson, founder of his alma mater, Kingston College. Now in their fourth decade the relays act as an important national fixture leading into the annual Boys and Girls Athletics Championships."

[batonless relay]

RIP's used to be in the not track and field so it took me a while to catch up to this

one of the other ways in which McCook will be missed is that Jamaica now has no
representation on the IAAF. No committees, no commissions, no council, nothing. (Dr. Herb Elliott used to be on the Medical commission but he's no longer; GBR has no less than 11 representatives littered throughout the various commissions, committees and council) McCook was on the Council through being the NACAC area representative -which isn't a position elected by the IAAF congress- and was on a few of the commissions but ... there are no other Jamaicans within the IAAF; one of the key countries in terms of athletes and marketing for the last few Worlds and Olympics - and the sport overall (Bolt, Blake, Powell, Fraser-Pryce, Campbell-Brown, etc) is unrepresented in the administration of the sport, even though it is the only other country besides USA and CAN to host one of IAAF's signature global events. This shouldn't be. (ETH also does not have representation within the IAAF; even on the Cross country committee where cross country strongholds like AUS, ITA, CAN, and VEN have members)

In a private conversation with McCook a few years back he lamented that many of the people within the international administration of the sport didn't understand that DEVELOPMENT, a commission upon which he served, is in his words: "the lifeblood of the sport". Some actually argued to cut funding in those areas.

For a man that had a demonstrable stammer/stutter, he knew how to get his point across. The quote goes: the graveyards are full of men indispensible men and on balance that can't be debated so I will only say that I will miss him.

RIP Neville "Teddy" McCook

[gh]

do an "advanced search" in Things Not Track for RIP and I believe you'll find not a single RIP for track people. They've always gone here.