What's Missing?

The results at the County Championships were good and very encouraging from a club point of view. They were in fact the best for quite a long time and long may the improvement continue. But something was missing. What was missing was the number of teams in the younger age groups. When only three are required for a team, the club should have teams out in every age group. If we don't then we should have plans to increase the numbers. It means that we do not have good enough links with local schools or that there is no general recruitment policy in the club. Both can be tackled given a bit of determination by the committee and the desire to increase the numbers.
Some suggestions:
1. A ploy used in the past to double numbers among the young members is to ask all members to bring along one friend. The friends need not be good athletes, we can tackle that, but every new member adds to the atmosphere at a club. I know when I joined the club I was often the only Clydesdale at road races: when there were another couple there it was easier for me to do my running. So how about every club member bringing one friend along?
2. A designated club member should offer to go into local schools to help them prepare for the Scottish Schools. This should be a retired person with time to go into the schools, the way should be prepared by a letter from the club secretary offering this service. It needn't take much out of the person's time - one hour once a week has worked in the past.
3. Organise a training day free of charge in one of the local schools, open to all. It could be on a Saturday from about 11:00 am to 3:00 pm. Even hire the track at St Peter's for the occasion.
4. Run a time trial a few weeks before the Schools Championships and offer the first few runners free membership for a year.
5. Organise a local schools league - not difficult if you have the man-power. Many clubs do this and the best local example is the Kirkie Olympians Primary Schools League in Kirkintilloch and Bishopbriggs which is a conveyor belt of youn talent for them.
So, Committee, get your thinking caps on and see how we can recruit more members. The fifth is maybe the best option for winter and training days for the summer season.