News
Last updated 17th May 2012
Vote 'Option 7' to retain an athletics track in Horsham area
Following Horsham District Council's intention to sell off the Broadbridge Heath Leisure Centre site, including the athletics track, Horsham based athletics clubs and other users are asking for support to include provision of a new track to serve the Horsham area. A public consultation period has been reached, during which members of the public have the chance to vote for one of four options. Two of these options include an athletics track and two do not. Option 7 is the preferred option of the four available.
An online questionnaire is available on the Horsham District Council website www.horsham.gov.uk Access the voting section via the ‘Leisure Options’ link on the home page. Please note that voting is not restricted to one vote per household - each person can vote.
Responses from the questionnaire will be analysed and a report outlining the proposed preferred option will be presented to the full Council for a final decision on 27th June.
Please complete the questionnaire and vote for Option 7 and submit before 5th June.
Network Newsletter - Spring 2012
A Spring 2012 edition of the Network Newsletter has been produced. It marks the end of the first three years of the Sussex Athletics Network, and contains an introduction from Network Chairman, Peter Masters, reflecting on the progress made in the three years. It also has details of the Network Workforce and current Network Projects, and contains sections on Road Running, Sussex Run England Activator, Club, Coach and Officials Development and Other News.
Copies have been sent to all Sussex affiliated clubs. The newsletter can be viewed by clicking here.
Take Part 2012
Running from 23rd June to 8th July, the TakePart festival of sport in Brighton and Hove gives people of all ages the opportunity to try out a range of sports for free in a fun and non-competitive setting. The aim is to help people to find a sport that they like. They can have a go at anything from Nordic Walking to Petanque.
The wide programme of events and taster sessions shows people what sport can offer them, highlighting the vast range of opportunities across the many sports clubs and facilities in Brighton & Hove. Many activities are things that families can do together. Most events are free and designed to be fun.
It is organised by Brighton & Hove Council, NHS Brighton & Hove and Dorothy Stringer School. TakePart is supported by many businesses and organisations.
For more information visit www.takepartbrightonandhove.com .
Town of Runners
Jerry Rothwell has made a film called 'Town of Runners', which follows two young Ethiopian girls as they pursue their dream of becoming athletes. A number of events have been organised with Lewes AC, Brighton Marathon and Chelsea School of Sport around the launch in UK cinemas, which started at Brighton Duke of Yorks on Sunday 15th April.
The film will also be screened at the Picture House, Uckfield on 8th and 9th May.
There's more about the film on website www.townofrunners.com, where you can find a trailer and further screening times.
Park Runs in Sussex
The Brighton and Hove Park Run is a well established weekly timed 5k run and continues to attract several hundred runners every Saturday. Now runners further east along the county can take part in another Park Run at Shinewater Park, Eastbourne which follows the same format. It is already getting around a hundred runners each week, and is keen to expand on this. Park Runs are free but it is necessary to register in advance via the ParkRun website, where more details can be found.
Brighton & Hove ParkRun - venue : Hove Park, every Saturday 9:00am, web link : www.parkrun.org.uk/brighton
Eastbourne ParkRun - venue : Shinewater Park, every Saturday 9:00am, web link : www.parkrun.org.uk/eastbourne
Coming soon - a new Park Run is being planned for Tilgate Park in Crawley. A promotional trial run is due to take place on Saturday 28th April and the organisers are hoping to recruit more volunteers to support the initiative. For more information and details of how to get involved as a runner or volunteer see the webpage : www.crawley.westsussexwellbeing.org.uk/topics/being-active/parkrun-project
Coach & Athlete Development Day - 11th March
The last of the pre-season Development Days went ahead as planned on Sunday 11th March at Broadbridge Heath.
The event-specific training sessions were attended by about 60 athletes and some of their coaches, and it is hoped that these sessions have given everyone involved the opportunity to learn something new and keep the momentum going through the winter months. We will be listening to feedback to decide what format to use in the future. If you attended any of the Development Days in 2011/12 and have anything to say, please email Dawn at dpiechoczek@gmail.com .
Our thanks go to all the event coaches for leading their sessions, and our best wishes for a successful 2012 season go to all the athletes and their coaches.
Coach Education Course Schedule
England Athletics have updated the Coach Education Course Schedule for courses in the South East Area for 2012.
The schedule can be viewed by clicking here. Bookings must be made via the England Athletics website. www.englandathletics.org/courses
Photo Finish course
UKA are inviting interest from officials in Kent, Surrey and Sussex with a view to putting on a Photo Finish course somewhere in our corner of the country later in the year.
There are no proposed dates yet but first of all they need to know if there is sufficient interest in the area to make a course viable. Clearly this is of interest mainly to timekeepers and track judges but anyone else interested in following this particular discipline can do so.
Anyone interested please let John Gill know as soon as possible so that he can report back to UKA while the iron is still hot. E-mail to puffins70@talktalk.net
Tutor shortage
There is a shortage of officials here in Sussex, not helped by the fact that we have only one tutor in the county. It would make providing courses much easier if we had more qualified tutors available to present courses. A Level 1 tutor would normally present a general short course covering the whole of lower level officiating. Moving up from there, ideally we would have at least one tutor for each of the four basic disciplines of starter/marksman, timekeeper, track judge and field judge who would be able to present courses at Level 2.
Sussex Officials Secretary, John Gill, needs to know whether anyone in the county is interested in becoming a tutor. A tutor course would probably have to take place after the main season has finished, and at this point he could try and get UKA to arrange one in Sussex if there is sufficient demand. Please contact John on puffins70@talktalk.net if interested.
Facebook
Join the Sussex Athletics Facebook Group as an alternative way of finding out the latest athletics news and getting updates on planned athletics developments in Sussex.
Click here to find us on Facebook.
England Athletics Inclusion Policy
England Athletics has produced an Inclusion Policy and a document giving Guidance to Inclusive Practice for Race Organisers.
The Inclusion Policy has been produced as part of England Athletics' commitment to ensure that athletes of all abilities are able to participate equitably within athletics.
The Guidance document is intended to provide guidance for Race Organisers to ensure they are working under the guidance of the England Athletics Inclusion Policy and within the requirements of the Equality Act 2010.
To see these documents and more information, please visit www.englandathletics.org/disabilityathletics .
