Active Stirling Run, Jump Throw Clubs

We are supporting the Run, Jump and Throw clubs being run by Active Stirling and we would prefer that anyone under the age of 12, particularly if they have had limited experience of athletics, attend one of their training blocks before coming to the club. We will be working with the Active Stirling to assess when athletes in the R, J, T club are ready to move up to Central.

For more details of the R,J,T clubs please contact Ben O’Connell, Active Stirling, 3rd Floor Wolfcraig, 1 Dumbarton Road, Stirling, FK8 2LQ. 01786 432323.

As part of the partnership to support the first stages of youngsters taking up athletics as a sport, Central AC is pleased to be able to offer places in a number of events. These should be suitable for young athletes getting their first taste of competition.

For the internal events below that Central AC are running for its own members, Run, Jump, Throw club members are welcome to come along and join in, together with young members of Central AC. Special efforts will be made to brief youngsters and parents and ensure that the youngsters are ready for the event. This is the main criteria – are you capable of enjoying and get fulfilment from taking part. Our aim is to help the decision of whether to continue with the sport and when to formally join Central AC training sessions – we want these earlier days in the sport to be a positive experience.

For external events, it is a mandatory requirement that all competing either pay £2 per event, or register with Scottish athletics, the Scottish governing body. There is no charge in the first year, and unless we hear otherwise we will register the young athletes concerned. At the start of Year 2, scottishathletics will post out a renewal notice, which will need to be completed for those continuing with athletics as a sport.

Events;

27^th January, Airthrey Castle (near the sport changing room area, past the castle), Stirling University Campus. 11am. And again at 11am on March 4th at King’s Park, Stirling (next to the changing pavilion areas)These are internal sessions for Central’s own young members – a low key ‘come and try’. A warm up session and then a race of around 1 mile will take place, with the support of a number of club coaches. Again we ask that all should be 9 years old and capable of running (at any speed) for one mile. Just turn up for 11 am sharp and speak to the adults organisers, who will brief and look after you.

7^th February, Indoor track league at Kelvin Hall. Central AC has teams for under 11, and under 13 and guest places in this meeting with sprints, middle distance and field events. Already some 10 R,J,T members have taken part in the first two matches as a follow up the end of session Festival run at Dunblane Sports Centre in December. These events are more challenging and are most suited to youngsters with higher levels of physical ability and keen to compete. R,J,T coaches are best placed to suggest youngsters who are ready for this challenge.

Central AC club Championship at Queen Victoria School on Sunday, February 18th More details will appear of the Central Forum under forthcoming events 2-3 weeks beforehand. There will be races for a wide range of abilities for under 11, under 13 etc as above. There will be a small fee but all finishers will receive medals. Just turn up on the day and go the registration desk.

April 1^st – Pre-season meeting at Grangemouth Stadium. This will be a full athletics meeting with races and field events for under 11, under 13 and then upwards. Members of R,J,T clubs will be grouped together in races/events together to provide a chance to try ‘real’ track and field athletics. There will be a small fee which allows youngsters to do up to three different events over the course of the day. Every effort will made to brief first timers from both R,J,T and many new athletes from the club itself. More details will be provided on the Central Forum at least 2-3 weeks before the event. Pre-entry is required – there will be a form on the web.

The full track season starts in mid April onwards with events in league teams for under 11 and under 13 athletes and opportunities will be provided for young athletes in the R,J,T clubs to participate as part of their transition to taking up the sport more seriously.

The aim is to provide positive competitive opportunities for youngsters whilst they continue in the first ‘ Fun in Athletics stage’ in the Run, Jump, Throw clubs, before moving on the ‘Learning to train’ second stage through a transition group on Central AC training nights.