A mile of smiles from Ollie.

Inter Counties Cross Country

Report – Paul Hawkins

British titles and selection for the World Cross Country Champs were at stake at Wollaton Park in Nottingham last Saturday.

The recent wet weather threatened to put a dampener on the event but after strong winds during the week the courses ran fast and true on firm ground, if shorter than advertised.

There were a number of Stratford upon Avon AC runners representing Warwickshire over the different races and first to race was Georgie Campbell making her debut in the Senior Women’s race held over 8,000m who was satisfied with coming 57th out of just over 250 competing. She was also second in the Warwickshire team. Also in the race was former Stratford athlete, Daisy Musk, running for her new county of Dorset and coming 5th for her team in her longest ever race. 

The next race was the Under 15 boys racing over 4000m featuring Sam Lambert in a superb 11th place out of almost 300 runners.  He was in the top 20 throughout the race and managed a very strong finish. Also in the race was Tom Fisher who has had a great breakthrough season and was a minute behind Sam in 114, but third for Warwicks. Sam and Tom crucially made up half of the county team who were 12th from 41 teams. 

The Under 17 women were next and raced over a slightly longer course. Maisie Joy Spriggs and Niamh Hillard have been neck and neck all season and this time it was Maisie Joy in 109 and Niamh in 155 and again providing half the county team in second and third places. 

Zak Lambert was the only Stratford runner in the U17 6000m men’s race and pulled out a tremendous run to finish 62nd and second in the county. Zak found it a tough race but certainly deserved the good result. 

The under 13 boys ran 3000m and included Reece Yarnold placed third in the Worcestershire team. Reece should be very happy with his run. 

The penultimate race involving Stratford runners was the Under 20 women where Onna Dowling completed her debut cross country season with a strong race to come 4th in the county and was pleased with her race, which was longer than she’s used to. Onna will now return to football before getting into the track season.

Finally, the under 15 girls raced over 4000m. Marijke Tear-Verweij seems to get stronger with each race and led the Warwickshire team home in 112 followed by Annie Silvers in 195 with the county teams coming 31st once again with half from Stratford. 

Most of the Stratford runners will move on to Pontefract Racecourse next week for the English Schools Championships to finish the cross country season. 

Athletics Meetings Cannot Take Place Without Officials

Brian Gravelsons

It is February already and the 2024 outdoor athletics season is almost upon us. However, none of the events can take place if we don’t have the volunteer officials in place. In this article I will review the 2023 season and outline why we need more help in 2024.

I have already made a point of thanking each individual that helped officiate for the club last season. I want to thank you all again as without you we just wouldn’t be able to compete in athletics events at all.

Since I created the role of Officials’ Rep for Stratford AC and have done my best to fulfil its requirements, I am delighted to say that more people in the club have come forward to help out. That is how it should be: many people doing a little bit, rather than a few people doing a lot. But I still think that we have a way to go before the former is really true. We were able to avoid having to cancel one of the Heart of England league fixtures last year due to a lack of officials in place, but it was close.

In the individual official disciplines, it is the starter’s assistant and time keeping where we particularly need more additional support.

I am delighted to announce that Alison Gravelsons has achieved a level 1 as a starter/starter’s assistant, but we do need a couple more people to be able to help as a starter’s assistant, especially when we host our own meetings and it looks like we may be hosting four different meetings in 2024!

The 13 meetings, excluding the club champs, where we needed to supply a time keeper last year were covered by just four people, with one person doing the majority of the time keeping at 10 meetings.  This is why the club could really do with your help as a time keeper. An additional two time keepers would essentially mean that each time keeper would only need to cover two meetings each across the season. And if we had a few more on top of this we get to the stage of just one meeting a year each: many people doing a little bit.

In the other official disciplines, we are more blessed. The 14 meetings, excluding the club champs, where we were required to provide at least one track judge, were covered by eight people. Yet still we had two track judges attending nine events each, but this was more due to the love of officiating rather than not having sufficient cover.  However, having more track judges is essential if we are to get to the stage were many people just do a little bit.

Following the field judge course that was put on at Stratford AC last year, we have increased our field judge cover. There were 27 people that covered the 14 events, excluding the club champs. However, those of you that are good with numbers will instantly recognise that that is just under an average of two people per meeting, where really we need to have a field team of four or five at each event! Therefore there were quite a few people covering many more events than they needed to if we had more volunteers: 12 people covered three or more events during 2023.  I am also delighted to say that Alison Gravelsons has achieved her level 2 as a field judge and so we have a bit more cover for Sandy and Tony. Though it is not possible for Alison to be a starter and a field judge at the same time! A clear example of few people doing a lot. Also it is likely that Tony will take a less active role after this year. It is an England Athletics requirement that a level 2 field judge leads the field team and so we do need more people to progress to level 2 as a field judge otherwise we run a huge risk of not being able to run a meeting and/or be banned from taking part in the leagues that we are involved with.

It is the Heart of England league where we really do need more volunteers, and no experience is needed before you volunteer! At these events last year, we struggled to get the wider support with the same people helping out time and again. So this year we will expect every parent/carer (one per athlete) to help out at least once during the year for at least one event during the meeting.  Paul Bearman will communicate who is expected to help out at each event in advance. You will then no doubt find out how enjoyable the camaraderie is, as well as being close to the action and maybe want to make the experience count. If that is the case then please let me know and the club will support you to obtain qualifications as an official from England Athletics. I imagine a day when we have over 50 field judges helping to officiate across the season and so we truly do have many people just doing a little bit.

Please do get in contact if you would like to volunteer (especially as a time keeper or starter’s assistant) or would like to know more about anything to do with officiating: 

briang.suaac@gmail.com