Kathy McLymond of Williamson, NY, a member of USA Track & Field, Niagara Association covering Western New York, recently attended the 2023 Annual USATF National Convention held in Orlando, FL.  At the awards ceremony, Kathy was inducted into the USATF Official’s Hall of Fame and was only 1 of 3 individuals chosen this year from 22 nominees selected from over 4,300 nationally certified USATF officials.  This award is presented to “outstanding individuals for service throughout a career of dedication to the sport of track and field.”  Kathy is the only USATF, Niagara Association recipient ever presented this award and inducted in the USATF Official’s National Hall of Fame.

This is the third and most prestigious award she has earned recently.  In 2017, at that years’ National Convention, she was chosen from 10 nominees from the United States and presented the “Horace Crow Award” as the “Outstanding Field Event Official” in the United States.  In 2022, she earned the “Andy Bakjian Award” which is “Given to an Official that has given outstanding service throughout a career of dedication to the managing of athletic sports and helping to take officiating to a higher level”.

Kathy’s start in officiating was at the high school level in 1991 at local high school competitions and she continues today at all levels.  Her participation as a certified official is year-round with assignments for fall cross country, winter indoor track, spring outdoor track at the high school, college and USATF levels.  Thus, her extensive resume continues to grow each year.

Kathy is the only track and field official from the USATF Niagara Association to officiate at the Olympic Trials five consecutive Olympiads in the years 2008, 2012, 2016, 2021 and soon at the 2024 Trials in June 2024.  Over the last few years, she has officiated NCAA Division I, II and III college track competitions and championships across the country, international competitions, Special Olympics, and multiple cross country running events and IAAF NCCWMA Masters events.  

In addition to her many contributions on the field, off the field she has served as both the President and Vice President of the Wayne-Finger Lakes Track and Field Officials.  Currently, she serves as the Executive Director for the group and continues as the meet assignor for the group’s 35 officials across 26 schools as she has since 2001.  In 2012, she was elected Certification Chair for the Niagara Association of USATF and continues in that office today with the responsibility for ensuring that the 45 officials in the association are properly certified and trained. 

Kathy McLymond of Williamson, NY certainly is a nationally recognized individual, well respected, and has a stellar career that shows no signs of ending anytime soon!