Saturday, July 13, 2013
Athletics again.
Another day of sitting in the sunshine.
I could get used to this!
Today we were back in our seats at the Crawley track for the final match of the summer in The Youth Development League.
This league is a new venture and one of the better ideas that has come from the athletics hierarchy.
The top brass keep coming up with new things - each man determined to make his mark; many of the new ideas take little account of the needs of smaller clubs.
But this league is all inclusive. It is split into 2 sections. Today we were with the girls and boys of the Under 13 and Under 15 ages. There is also a league for Under 17s and Under 20s.
It is good for athletics and good for social and club bonding.
Our opponents today were Ashford (Kent), Brighton, Bracknell, Camberley and Cambridge Harriers (south east London).
Ashford were leading the league until today.Today Crawley took over.....whoops you youngsters, you might be winning too easily!
The situation was, as I understand it, that if Crawley won the match by 35 points they would be promoted.
It sounds daft - but nobody wanted that.
Partly this is for the benefit of the young athletes who enjoy winning matches and winning their events and a higher league might see them struggle. And also promotion would mean longer (and more expensive) distances to travel to. The expense issue is an important one for small clubs.
But the athletes didn't comply.
They streaked ahead of Ashford, winning by about 60 points.
My team of timekeepers were excellent - 5 men from each of the other clubs and 3 of us from Crawley.
The sun was good.
The athletics was good.
Once again it was a joy to share in the exploits of good kids.
I could get used to this!
Today we were back in our seats at the Crawley track for the final match of the summer in The Youth Development League.
This league is a new venture and one of the better ideas that has come from the athletics hierarchy.
The top brass keep coming up with new things - each man determined to make his mark; many of the new ideas take little account of the needs of smaller clubs.
But this league is all inclusive. It is split into 2 sections. Today we were with the girls and boys of the Under 13 and Under 15 ages. There is also a league for Under 17s and Under 20s.
It is good for athletics and good for social and club bonding.
Our opponents today were Ashford (Kent), Brighton, Bracknell, Camberley and Cambridge Harriers (south east London).
Ashford were leading the league until today.Today Crawley took over.....whoops you youngsters, you might be winning too easily!
The situation was, as I understand it, that if Crawley won the match by 35 points they would be promoted.
It sounds daft - but nobody wanted that.
Partly this is for the benefit of the young athletes who enjoy winning matches and winning their events and a higher league might see them struggle. And also promotion would mean longer (and more expensive) distances to travel to. The expense issue is an important one for small clubs.
But the athletes didn't comply.
They streaked ahead of Ashford, winning by about 60 points.
My team of timekeepers were excellent - 5 men from each of the other clubs and 3 of us from Crawley.
The sun was good.
The athletics was good.
Once again it was a joy to share in the exploits of good kids.
