Tuesday 22nd December 2009

The track is doubtful for tonight but the clubhouse will be open for drinks etc . 

The club will be closed tonight, Monday 21st December, due to the unsafe condition of the track. Please pass this message on to everyone.

The last training night before Christmas will be Tuesday 22nd December. The club will re-open in the New Year on Monday 4th January 2010.

The club will be closed tonight, Thursday 17th December, due to poor weather conditions.

The last training night before Christmas will be Tuesday 22nd December. The club will re-open in the New Year on Monday 4th January 2010.

Midland and National Cross Country Championships.

Midland Champs at Stafford Common on 30^th January 2010

National Champs at Roundhay Park Leeds on 27^th  February 2010.

In the past the club has paid for entries to the above championships for individual athletes but unfortunately too many athletes have requested to run and then not turned up on the day with the club considerably out of pocket.

With the present financial situation it is unfair to expect the club to pay for individual entries for Cross Country Championships when this opportunity isn’t afforded Track and Field athletes in their Championships.

I shall only therefore enter athletes for these championships who give me the entry fee before Tuesday 5^th January as I must post the entry forms on the 6^th January to arrive in time. Neither of these championships accepts late entries.

No  money, No entry

It’s important that you enter these races if you wish to improve. It’s only by racing against the best that you yourself will improve.

The entry fees for the Midlands are £4 for all athletes except seniors where it is £5.

The entry fee for the Nationals is £5 for all athletes.

***** see me if you haven’t received you entry forms for the County Champs on the 9^th January. **********************

If you wish to enter either of these championships then please see me as soon as possible with your entry fee.

Athletes must be 11 on the date of the respective Championship before they are eligible to enter!

John G

Contact tamworthac@aol.com

Coaching Courses coming up at Tamworth AC

Tamworth AC are always looking for more coaches to join the dedicated coaching team and help out on club nights and with other coaching programmes such as Sporstshall Athletics and the summer AVIVA Star:Track programme.

The club’s coaching structure includes two separate training sessions on Tuesday and Thursday, a dedicated Endurance training night on Mondays and a Sunday morning Academy for athletes aged 8 to 13,all of which run throughout the year. Tuesday and Thursday nights have early sessions on both nights, from 6pm to 7.15pm,  dedicated to the coaching of junior athletes from 8 with the second session, from 7.15pm to 8.15pm, set aside for more experienced juniors, intermediates and senior athletes.

There are three coaching courses of interest coming up in the new year.

First off is the UK Athletics Level 1 Assistant Coach Award hosted by Tamworth AC on Saturday 16th January 2010 at the Town Stadium, Marlborough Way, Tamworth. The cost is £60 and the Course Code: MC0138.
This is a one day introduction to coaching skills which qualifies and insures coaches to assist a Level Two or above athletics coach.

The minimum age for this course is 18.

This will be followed by a  Leadership in Running Fitness Course, course code MC0135, to be held on 24 January 2010 at the Shobnall Leisure Complex, Shobnall Rd, Burton-on-Trent. This is a one day Leadership Training course which qualifies and insures leaders to deliver safe and fun running sessions, suitable for Running Club Leaders and Run in England and Jog England Group Leaders and costs £90 per person.

The minimum age for this course is 18.

The third course is free and aimed at all club members, coaching assistants, coaches and prospective coaches within the South Staffs Athletic Network and will be held at Tamworth AC on Sunday 10^th January 2010.

The Strength and Conditioning workshop entitled “How well can your athlete move?” Will focus on dynamic warm-ups, movement fundamentals for efficient conditioning of young athletes, balance and stability assessment/screening and trunk conditioning and is scheduled to start at 10am and finish at 1pm.

Please apply as soon as possible as places will be snapped up very quickly!

Anyone wishing to apply should contact Catherine Pendlebury , South Staffordshire Athletics Network Coordinator
Mobile: 07800 619 841 , Email: cpendlebury@staffordbc.gov.uk

An item on the South Staffs Network appears on the England Athletics Web Site: www.englandathletics.org

http://www.englandathletics.org/news.asp?itemid=2363&itemTitle=South Staffordshire Athletics Network

Launched&section=42&sectionTitle=England Athletics News

A small group of Tamworth AC athletes made the journey to the EIS Sheffield for the Northern Athletics Indoor Open Meeting.

Athletes from all age groups showing early indoor form were mixed with
a strong field of English Schools jumpers ,throwers and runners within this
well organised meeting.

Dan Rhodes, new to the indoor competitions ,found himself
racing against athletes 5-15 years older in both the 60m and 150m. He finished 2^nd in the 60m with the England Under17 indoor qualifying time of 7.66secs and 3^rd in the 150m in 18.15secs in a good field.

In the Under 15’s competitions Samantha Lawton gained a strong win and personal best in the shot putt with 9m 15cm in her only event.

Elliot Jones gained valuable experience in his first indoor 60m ever and recorded a respectable time of 8.46 secs finishing in 5th place, also collecting another p/b in the shot putt recording a throw of 9m 56cm to finish 2nd in the this U15 boys age group.

Twins Lauren and Chloe Saunders were both given a strong mixed race against 3 Under17 and one Under 20 boy and two Under17 girls. Although the race was won by the lads in 7.63 the twins held well in the field with Lauren taking 5th in 8.40 secs with a pb into the bargain and sister Chloe finishing in 7th in 8.51secs.

Veteran athlete and coach Paul Tasker did well to compete in three races in 2hrs following recovery from a recent knee injury. He won two out of his 3 events in the V35 age group, the 60m in 8.25secs and the 600m in 1:35.5 that was run ten minutes after the 2000km where he managed an  5th overall with 3rd in the vets in a time of 6:29.5.

Meanwhile at the latest North Warwickshire Primary Schools cross country meeting held at the Polesworth School, Carys Langham running for Warton Nethersole Primary,  took an excellent winning place over a  flattish 1400m course around the sports field. In spite of the cold and wet she won convincingly.

Cross country newcomer Iona Crameri improved her position in this 2nd cross country match of the season when she finished in 61st place.

For information on training and competition for Indoor Athletics and Cross Country please contact tamworthac@aol.com

South Staffs Athletics Network Launched

The official launch of the South Staffs Athletics Network was held at the MRI Social Centre, Stafford on Tuesday 10^th November . The Network cheque was presented  to John Finney the Network Chairman by Nick Robinson England Athletic’s Club & Coach Support Officer for Shropshire , Staffordshire , Herefordshire & Worcestershire.

More than 75 people attended the launch to give their support to the Athletics Network including the Chairman of England Athletics, John Graves, Catherine Pendlebury South Staffordshire Athletics Network Coordinator, guest speaker former Chicago Marathon winner Paul Evans, representatives and supporters from each of the five clubs who form the Network along with the successful young athlete Jordan Roach ,  a highly regarded Under 17’s high jumper from Tamworth, who represented the Network’s young athletes.

The South Staffs Athletics Network is one of several Networks across the country which has obtained funding via the bidding process from England Athletics who in turn receive funds through Sport England with sponsorship from McCain.

The Network aims to improve the quality of athletics coaching, links with community groups such as schools, competition in clubs and also seek to develop the all round quality of provision by clubs in the network.

Co-ordinator, Catherine Pendlebury, has been working with the five clubs Cannock and Stafford, Burton AC, Stafford Harriers, Washland Women Runners and with the home club of Tamworth AC since July to establish what is needed by those in the sport and develop an annual plan which is well underway now.

A large group of would-be marathon and half-marathon runners and athletics coaches from the five participating South Staffs clubs attended a practical Marathon Workshop session at Stafford’s Rowley Park Stadium led by Paul Evans before Paul gave his talk following the Network Launch at the MRI Social Club where he gave advice and recounted some of his career highlights.

Paul won the Chicago Marathon in 1996 in a time of two hours and eight minutes in addition to finishing second in New York in 1995 and third at London in 1996. He was also an Olympic 10,000 metre finalist at both Barcelona and Atlanta and is the current holder of the British and European veteran half-marathon record.

South Staffordshire Athletics Network Coordinator Catherine Pendlebury said:

“The Marathon Running event and Network Launch was a huge success and fantastic evening! It was an excellent way to celebrate the setting up of the Network and (briefly) explain the plans for the next 12 months to a great audience from the clubs. Everyone, including the non runners present, were motivated and entertained by Paul’s enlightening talk about his career and with these exciting times and opportunities ahead for our Network clubs, I can't wait to continue to further develop athletics together with the partner clubs in our local area.”

Anyone who would like further information should contact Catherine Pendlebury on 07800 619 841 or email: cpendlebury@staffordbc.gov.uk.

Tamworth School Sport Partnership – Sportshall Athletics Championships

Belgrave High School

Wednesday 2^nd December 2009

Belgrave High School was the venue for the annual Tamworth Schools Sports Partnership Sportshall Athletics Final.  Approximately 120 children from Year 5 6 from six different primary schools took part in an exciting festival of Sportshall athletics, officiated by Sports Leaders from Belgrave High School.

Each primary school had won a preliminary festival held at their local secondary school.

They were Florendine Primary representing Woodhouse , Moorgate Primary representing QEMs , Dosthill Primary representing Wilnecote, St. Gabriel’s Catholic Primary representing Belgrave, Millfield Primary representing Rawlett and St. Elizabeth’s Catholic Primary representing Two Rivers.

The children took part in both track and field events including, Obstacle Relay, 1 2 lap Relay, 6 Lap Paarlauf, 4x1 Lap Relay, Chest Push, Standing Long Jump, Vertical Jump, Standing Triple Jump, Foam Javelin and one of the most popular events the Speed Bounce.

Dosthill Primary School was the overall winner and will go forward to represent Tamworth at the Staffordshire County Final at Fenton Manor, Stoke-on-Trent on Tuesday 19^th January 2010.

Tamworth AC currently run weekly Sportshall Athletics sessions for budding athletes aged 8 to 14 at the Town Stadium every Thursday evening . All newcomers first attend an Induction session at the stadium on Tuesdays or Thursdays at 7pm then training can start at the following session.

For further details contact Chris at  tamworthac@aol.com

 The results were as follows: 

OVERALL:                                   1^st – Dosthill

                                                2^nd – St. Gabriel’s

                                                3^rd – Florendine

                                                4^th – Moorgate

                                                5^th – Millfield

                                                6^th – St. Elizabeth’s

Schools Inter Counties Cross Country

November 2009

Staffordshire University, Stoke on Trent

Six of the eight Tamworth AC athletes who were selected to run in the Schools Inter Counties Cross Country match for Year 7, Junior & Intermediate age groups,  competed on the testing course at Staffordshire University, Stoke on Trent in atrocious weather conditions.

For some it was their first opportunity to represent their counties. The race was excellent preparation for the major championships that will be taking place early in the New Year.

Representing Warwickshire, Ellis Cross ran his usual steady race in the Junior Boys section over 4,410m  negotiating the slippery muddy conditions under foot to take 12th place overall and 2^nd counter for Warwickshire. The Warwickshire team took 2nd place against seven other county teams.

In spite of the heavy rain and the mud Junior Boy Louis Dawson in his first representative match for Staffordshire performed well with a 59^th place , his team taking 6^th overall. Cross and Dawson are both in the bottom age group and will compete in this section again next year.

The Staffordshire Year 7 Boys team took 4th place overall over the 2,440m course,  with Sam Perry in 14th with an exceptional run in his first representative race. He was first boy home for his county of Staffordshire.

Tamworth AC had three entries in the Intermediate Boy’s race over 6,000m.

Warwickshire athlete Anthony Parkes was the first Tamworth and 3^rd Warwickshire  athlete home in 22^nd with a very good run which bodes well for the rest of the winter.  Representing Staffordshire was Kristian Edwards in 28^th who had a good run after his return from a serious foot injury. He was followed by Scott Hudspith in 43rd who acquitted himself well in his first representative match for Warwickshire. Staffordshire  took 4^th and Warwickshire 5^th team places overall.

Although selected Tamworth’s Luke Jones and Patrick Thomas were unable to compete.

For more information on training and competition at Tamworth AC please email tamworthac@aol.com

The Strength and Conditioning Course which WAS scheduled for THIS Sunday 29th at Tamworth AC but has been rearranged for Sunday 10th January - still at Tamworth AC.

Catherine Pendlebury would appreciate your support in letting everyone know to ensure no-one has a wasted journey!

SENNELEYS Park, Birmingham - report 1

Eight Tamworth AC runners, a full team of six for the men’s team , a sole Tamworth lady and an Under 15’s runner, lined up at the start of their respective competitions at the Birmingham and District Invitation Cross Country league races at Senneley’s Park in Birmingham .

In the men’s race , that represents the start of the club’s league campaign, and with well over 600 starters from the three league divisions and the Cross Challenge, it was a packed race with the middle of the field hitting two bottle necks on the second lap.

The weather was very wet but stopped in time for the senior races where Andy Wright was the first Tamworth finisher who led the team home in 22^nd place with a time of 35:57:00 making short work of the infamous ‘water feature’ otherwise known as the good sized stream- scene of many running disasters.  

Dave Williams, the club’s new Chairman,  followed him in at 39th as the club’s second counter, clocking 37:11:00 .

Howard Bush ,as happy in a marathon as on the country, was close to Dave with 59^th and a time of 38:17:00.

Next Tamworth runner home was Simon King a junior running in the senior race and a promising athlete who has been bugged with a foot injury that has kept him out of full competition for some time. King took 69^th in 38:35:00.

Team manager Tom Orton crossed the line in 74^th with 39:02:00 and it was good to see Matt Long back in to team competition, as the final scorer for the team

Running in only her first cross country race for Tamworth and her second at Senneleys Park the last being seven years ago,   Sarah Chetwynd was the only lady representing Tamworth AC in the Women’s Cross Country event where she took 162^nd in 30:44.00 competing against 215 other ladies.

In the Boys Under 15 age group event Kristian Edwards took an excellent 7^th place over the shorter course.

SENNELEYS Park, Birmingham - report 2

Tamworth Survive at Senneleys.
 
Tamworth's men grabed 13th place out of 18 as injury, unavaliablity and injuries cost them a place in the top eight. In muddy but fairly warm conditions, Tamworth started with eight men but injury to two athletes left the team scrapping through with just six men finishing. It was Andy Wright who came home first in 22nd place. Dave Williams followed him in an impressive 39th and Howard Bush was after him in 59th place. Simon King enjoyed a return to the country coming home in 69th and he was followed home by the recovering Tom Orton in 74th place.
 
But the big hero was Matt Long who returned to duty to finish in 210th place and thus saving the mens team from instant relegation. In the ladies race Sarah Chetwynd was Tamworth's sole finisher coming home in 146th place.

Monday, 23rd November

Safeguarding and Protecting Children

7 - 9pm at Stafford BC.

I would urge you to get any club members / officials on this course for Clubmark updates and generally good practice for all coaches to attend!

This course is normally £15!!!

Email Catherine Pendlebury for details etc
Please note her office working days are Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday.

Catherine Pendlebury
South Staffordshire Athletics Network Coordinator
Mobile: 07800 619 841
Email: cpendlebury@staffordbc.gov.uk

England Athletics Web Site: www.englandathletics.org

Endurance runner Andy Wright was to selected to represent England at the British and Irish International Masters Cross Country held at Perry Barr, Birmingham on Saturday 14^th November organised by the England Athletics Masters Association .

The weather was poor with very high winds and heavy rain that affected many of the races throughout the day but thankfully the rain stopped for the main race, the M35 - M50, in which Tamworth AC’s well known athlete was competing .

As it happened on the day, due to several runners dropping out Andy was asked to step down an age group to strengthen the M35 team which Wright accepted.

Despite the weather the race set off at a fast pace, much faster than expected but Andy was determined to give it a go and went along with the strong pace from the off. The very muddy conditions were demanding though and started to take their toll into the 2nd lap which he found hard and where he lost a few places.

However, the 3rd and 4th laps were good and he managed to get himself back together and have a very competitive race at what felt like a relentless fast pace in the heavy underfoot conditions.

Wright had a strong finish too picking up a few more places during the run-in to the finish where he took an excellent 14th in M35 and (40th overall) and for which the England M35 team won bronze in the M35 team event and therefore Andy won a medal too!

“A great race, experience and hopefully I can get into the team next year for Dublin!” said Andy.

EA Midlands/South West Coaching Courses 2009/10

NOTE: Please ensure application forms are fully completed and returned with photograph and payment (payable to England Athletics) at least 2 weeks prior to the course start date.

Please return the application form and cheque to England Athletics, Education and Customer Services, Wellington House, Starley Way, Birmingham International Park, Solihull, B37 7HB

or some courses can be booked online at www.englandathletics.org