Young Athletes League

The club had to compete against Kirkintilloch Olympians in a paper match this year to requalify for the SYAL. There was a lot of work involved, particularly for Donald in getting all the results and performances for young athletes from last year down on paper for this 'fixture'. The result was made available last night and we had 269 points to their 189 and so we are back in to the competition this year. We have athletes, we have athletes who are good enough and athletes with a lot of potential. What we need are (1) more athletes of all standards and across as many events as we can cover. (2) We also need more qualified coaches - we are lucky with Donald and Phil and folk like Donna and Paul should be treasured, nurtured and developed in whatever way is required! Coaches come from among the parents and the senior club members and former members. They don't come from practising athletes. (3) There is a need in all clubs for graded officials and these mainly come from the parents. The officials course costs nothing and at the first and second levels there is no examination required either. Bob Newton has shown interest - are there any more?
In the mid 1980's the Boys team had only six athletes - Donald and Mark Govan, David McAusland and Michael Dugher plus Lachie Carter and Craig McDaid. Lachie and Craig were actively sought and courted by other clubs but stayed with us and the team built up. It built up because the boys themselves brought friends and because the coaches made contact with their schools. If it was done then, it can be done now - we have many more than six athletes at this point but we need more.