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| March 09 |
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MARCH 09NEWSLETTER
What a dreadful month both weather and economy wise. Despite the weather the club’s committee has been very active. Only one training session was cancelled and a few hardy athletes appeared and trained well. Not only that but some of our members actually competed in these difficult condtions. Congratulations to:
Note there is one more Downs League Cross-Country race for Boys and Girls U11, U13 & U15 at Tattenham Corner (Derby Race Course) on Sunday 8th March – email Arnold Rady at arnold.rady@btinternet.com for more details. ACTIVITIES FOR THE COMING SEASON
The club’s committee has met to plan our activities for the coming season. These will include: Fund-raising activities. We have recently received grants to the tune of £1,500 but we need significantly more than this to relay the long jump runway and make it safe. We will arrange a date to run a marathon around the track – watch out for further details. No you will not all have to run 26.2 miles. There will be a barbecue arranged on the day. If you have other ideas for raising money let us know. Maybe if you are running the London Marathon you could raise money for the club. Feather banner. As some of you will have noticed when you run at cross-country races clubs have a large banner so that their runners can easily meet. We will be purchasing one of these. Equipment. We will be purchasing more shots, discuses, javelins and aids to help the sprinters. We have entered more track & field leagues – see details and dates later in the newsletter. Our main focus will be the NYAL (National Youth Athletes' League), which we will compete in under our own name, and the Southern Men's League. In the other leagues we are competing as a combined team with DMV AC (Dorking & Mole Valley). We are aiming that most if not all of our athletes from age 9 upwards will compete for us this season. Also we will have a noticeboard at the entrance to the track which will highlight future events so there are no excuses! Also our excellent website http://www.hollandsportsac.org.uk not only gives details of future events but the results as well with photos! After the T&F season ends and before Cross-Country starts we are arranging a Prize-giving Event/Disco in the Club House – probable date 26th September. Coaches meeting. Last year a number of people qualified as coaches. We intend to hold regular meetings so we can plan the sessions. We always need more coaches – do not be afraid to volunteer. The club contributes to the £50 cost and the Level 1 course is currently 1 day and does not involve exams. Helpers. A number of children as part of their Duke of Edinburgh Award are assisting the coaches. I have to say that they are all very responsible and of great help. DATES OF LEAGUES
(with age groups etc) NATIONAL YOUNG ATHLETES' LEAGUE (NYAL) [UPDATED 14 MARCH]
SOUTHERN MEN'S LEAGUE
LILY B LEAGUE
EBBISHAM LEAGUE
SOUTHERN WOMEN'S LEAGUE
SURREY CHAMPIONSHIPS
OPEN EVENTS
For entry forms for Crawley AC Open Meets go to their website http://www.crawleyac.org.uk and click on Entry Forms. MEMBERSHIP FEES
These are due in April and they are going up. The new rates will be mailed out shortly. The reasons for the increase are as follows – we have to register all competing athletes with England Athletics which costs £5 per individual. With Seniors an additional £5 goes to the Holland Sports & Social Association which enables you to use their facilities. We are considerably cheaper than other clubs – for instance Crawley charge £36 pa for each Junior plus £1.80 for every track session, and £46 pa for each Senior and £3.00 for every track session. We hope that you agree that it is value for money. HISTORY OF THE CLUB
Derek Martin the son of the founder Alf Martin who sadly passed away recently, has kindly searched the recesses of his memory to write the following. This brief history of the Holland Sports Athletic Club is carried out from memory. The dates are as accurate as I can remember without delving into Surrey Mirror archives and Club history. So here goes!!!!!!! All started in 1981/82 when Alf Martin started up the Holland Boys Club, which was run twice a week in the old pavilion at Holland Rovers FC (now Holland Sports). Local lads turned up to play darts, pool, table tennis and generally socialise. As time went on and numbers grew, fitness sessions were introduced and were overseen by Alf and Jock Grant. Some time in 1981/82, Alf and Jock formed the Holland Boys Boxing Club, with training sessions in the club on Sunday mornings. With Jock now running the Club, Alf started up Holland Sports AC. This was in 1982. We used to train Mondays and Wednesdays. The track was literally running around the football club's First Team pitch (in football boots, the boys that is), which was along the tree line by the tennis courts. This later progressed to using cones for the bends (there’s progress for you). We were lucky to have three former national athletes living in the area. Jan Martin (no relation) coached the sprinters, while two ladies used to coach the hurdles - Sharon Smyth was one (a local dentist) but I cannot remember the other person's name. I believe Sharon had a son at the club at the time (he later competed for us in the men’s league). Another lady joined a little later who competed at a high standard in the high jump, so now we had a high jump coach as well. In 1983 the club sent four people on the Assistant Club Coach course at Crystal Palace. We now had the foundation to progress the club. By now we were regular visitors to the indoor season at Crystal Palace and going to the occasional Open meets. About 1984, we put in the long jump pit by the tarmac area and marked out a grass track where the old 2nd team pitch was (skate-board ramp is now). Another four people completed their Assistant Club Coach award and we now had our first Club Coach. Over the next year or two, despite the limited facilities, the club started to produce some athletes with real potential. Here are some of them: Nicky Forster (county champion, 100/200m), later went on to be a professional footballer; Becky Coomber (100/200m), who undoubtedly would have been an outstanding 400/800m runner; Sue Barrett (hurdles); Del Kavanagh (800m); Steve Forehead (javelin); Steve Robson (100/200m); a superb colts relay team in Jonathan and Andy Williams, Simon Clark and Nicky Forster, who were ranked in the top 10 in the UK in the 4x100; and a little later Amanda Hart (100/200m and long jump – ranked 2nd in 100 and 1st in long jump in UK) and of course Ellie Bongers (middle distance Surrey Champion cross-country and 10th in the National). If I have forgotten some I apologise to them. Still in 1984, numbers were increasing and the athletes and the club deserved a better track. This is where Alf Martin once again rose to the challenge. After numerous meetings with the council, the football club and other organisations, it was agreed to grant permission for a cinder track for Holland Sports AC. However, we were told to raise half the money ourselves (approx £20,000, doesn’t seem much these days does it?). Unperturbed, the club, with Alf and his committee driving everyone on, set out to raise the money - sponsored walks from Tonbridge to the club, a sponsored run over the same distance by two club members, donations from local organisations, discos etc, etc. Finally the money was raised and the work on the track could begin. During this time, we were in consultation with Surrey Beagles to amalgamate and pool resources as neither club had a track. They chose to go to Redhill AC as they had a track already. In recent years they have almost folded, and I wonder if they ever regretted the decision. Work began and finished in 1985/86. Throughout this time we had annual presentation evenings. Shireen Bailey (international champion middle distance runner), John Regis (100/200/400m Champion) and Tony Jarrett (110m Hurdles) presented awards, all of whom represented GB in the Olympics and World Championships. POSTSCRIPTLindsay Philip, our current Chairman and Level 3 Coach, was involved with the club from its early days and I (Nigel Bongers) joined with my daughter, then aged 8, in 1984. Alf with his persuasive powers convinced me after 6 months to become a coach. Amazingly I work in Burgess Hill at a small firm where the father of Steve Robson referred to above also works!
STAR FOCUS - NATALIE DEAN
Full Name
Natalie Kean
Date of Birth
23rd May 1993
Personal Bests
300m Hurdles : 54.9s
300m: 49.5s
400m: 69.2s
High Jump: 1m35
1500m: 5mins 55
Most pleasing performance
My 400m in the under 21s for school last year, I had never run this before and managed to win!
What I enjoy most about training
I enjoy the running, but the people make it so much better!
What I like least about training
The cold! And the effort needed!
Aims
Club record in 300m hurdles, all As and A* in my GCSEs this year (not sure if that is aiming to high...!)
Hobbies
Horse riding, running, photography
Favourite Food
Chinese
Favourite TV Programme
Grey's Anatomy
Favourite Music
Most things!
SPRINTING TIPS
If you are buying sprint spike shoes and can afford it buy two pairs – one for training with a heel and the other for racing without a heel. If you can only afford one pair then buy a pair with a heel, as in training between your sprinting they do not give your Achilles and calf enough support. Also, if you bring spikes to training do not immediately put them on. You should be wearing a good pair of trainers which you should do the warm-up in and you should wait until your sprints coach tells you to put your spikes on. Finally, when you are buying running shoes of any type go to a specialist running shop as you will receive the best advice. BANSTEAD WOOD TIME TRIALS
All middle distance athletes of all ages, once a week you should go on a long run of approx 3 miles. Banstead Wood Time Trials enables you to do this as it is run every Saturday off road at 9.00am and is free of charge. Go to their website http://www.parkrun.com and click on Banstead Woods for more details. NATIONAL RECORDS
I am not sure if these still apply but they are what you should try and achieve. If you achieve National Grade 1 you will probably be in the top 10 of the country. Finally apologies recently that I have not been able to make every coaching session but unfortunately because of the state of the economy I now have to travel a lot more around the country visiting customers and often do not arrive home until late in the evening. Luckily we have enough coaches to cope but we need more! Finally finally letters and articles for this newsletter gratefully received!
Nigel Bongers
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