Introducing Elevate 2028: USA Triathlon’s 2021-2028 Strategic Plan

March 24, 2021

Emphasis on growing participation, engaging and diversifying the multisport community and leveraging the LA 2028 Olympic and Paralympic Games

COLORADO SPRINGS, Colo. — USA Triathlon today unveiled Elevate 2028, the organization’s 2021-2028 Strategic Plan, which will guide its priorities, decision-making processes and culture through the next two Olympic and Paralympic Quadrennials. The robust set of guiding principles, goals and strategies will enable USA Triathlon to grow participation, provide unmatched support to the multisport community, and reach vast new audiences culminating at the Olympic and Paralympic Games Los Angeles 2028.

Elevate 2028 is intentionally designed through 2028, to mark the moment when the Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games return to the United States — to Southern California, the birthplace of triathlon — for the first time in 32 years. The LA 2028 Games will mark the first time triathlon is contested in the Olympic and Paralympic Games on U.S. soil, providing the opportunity to build an Olympic and Paralympic triathlon legacy in the U.S. and create mainstream exposure for the sport on an unprecedented scale.

“The goals outlined within the Elevate 2028 Strategic Plan are ambitious, but the USA Triathlon Board of Directors has full faith in USA Triathlon and the entire multisport community to make them a reality,” said Joel Rosinbum, President of the USA Triathlon Board of Directors. “We look forward to working together to find solutions and maximize opportunities to grow the sport and build an even brighter future for the organization over the next eight years.”

“It takes courage to commit to goals that will culminate in eight years’ time, but the steps we take now are critical to laying the foundation for what USA Triathlon and the sport can achieve in the long term,” said Rocky Harris, USA Triathlon CEO. “We are dedicated to growing the sport and serving its participants in new and innovative ways. We are energized by the potential that lies before us — and now, the focus shifts to the hard work, energy and creative thinking that will go into bringing this plan to life every day.”

To build Elevate 2028, USA Triathlon assembled a working group representing the sport’s key constituent groups (coaches, race directors, clubs and officials), age group and elite athletes, endurance sports brands, thought leaders in sport, the USA Triathlon Board of Directors and executive staff. In addition, representatives from the U.S. Olympic & Paralympic Committee collaborated and facilitated conversations to ensure USA Triathlon’s strategic priorities are aligned with its own mission and vision.

Elevate 2028 is rooted in four guiding principles: excellence; service; diversity, equity, inclusion and access; and collaboration. These guideposts enable to organization to allocate time and resources to directly benefit the sport and its participants, help shape the culture of USA Triathlon, and inform the day-to-day work of its staff and volunteer leadership. Each guiding principle is explained in more detail in this video message from members of USA Triathlon’s executive leadership team.

To successfully advance USA Triathlon’s mission and vision through 2028, the organization will focus its time, energy and effort in five key areas. Each area of focus is bolstered by specific strategies and measurable 2028 target outcomes, which are outlined in detail within Elevate 2028. The USA Triathlon Foundation, through support from annual members and the multisport community, will play an important role in helping fund these five key areas.

• Serve and Engage Our Community: Provide exceptional service, resources and value to our constituent groups – including Race Directors and Event Production Companies, Coaches, Officials, Clubs, Volunteers, Athletes and Fans, and any other individuals or organizations that support the triathlon/multisport community.
• Grow the Sport: Increase participation and engagement by expanding and simplifying pathways for new athletes to enter the sport and develop and maximize their triathlon/multisport potential while empowering and providing meaningful value and support for USA Triathlon members.
• Elevate the Brand and the Sport: Inspire athletes of all ages to become participants, fans and lifelong members of our community by sharing and celebrating the virtues of the sport, the mission of USA Triathlon, and the personal, unique and shared qualities of our members.
• Embody Sport Leadership: Demonstrate global excellence in athlete support, sport performance and business operations.
• Ensure Financial Strength: Diversify and increase revenue streams to fund our strategic priorities.

To view Elevate 2028, USA Triathlon’s 2021-2028 Strategic Plan, in detail — including background and context, guiding principles, areas of focus, strategies and target outcomes — click here.

 About USA Triathlon

USA Triathlon is proud to serve as the National Governing Body for triathlon, as well as duathlon, aquathlon, aquabike, winter triathlon, off-road triathlon, paratriathlon, and indoor and virtual multisport events in the United States. Founded in 1982, USA Triathlon sanctions more than 4,000 events and connects with more than 400,000 members each year, making it the largest multisport organization in the world. In addition to its work at the grassroots level with athletes, coaches, and race directors — as well as the USA Triathlon Foundation — USA Triathlon provides leadership and support to elite athletes competing at international events, including World Triathlon Championships, Pan American Games and the Olympic and Paralympic Games. USA Triathlon is a proud member of World Triathlon and the United States Olympic & Paralympic Committee (USOPC).

– usatriathlon.org –