Hey, Brits! Question on clubs

[Guest]

To any UK readers (or anyone else in the know):

What UK clubs has been the most successful as far as longevity and mass participation? In other words, please give me some club names who have been around a while and have the solid organizational infrastructure that attracts and keeps members through the years, child to world class.

This is for a research project. Thanks.

[Guest]

Re: Hey, Brits! Question on clubs

You can find a list of all UK clubs on www.ukathletics.net

I've been in the US too long to know who the top ones are now. Used to be Haringay, Borough of Enfield, Sale Harriers. Mine was Hillingdon AC who have been around for ages but aren't exactly a top one although we've had a load of internationals and Olympians (incl. David Hemery).

I'd ask the same question on www.iaaf.org forums as there are loads of Brits that participate everyday there.

I've been in Jamaica for two weeks...have I missed any excitement here in the interim? OJ was in my resort presumably following up on a lead regarding Nicole & Ron's murderer!

[Jon]

Re: Hey, Brits! Question on clubs

Hi Brian.

Well, I'm a member of Birchfield Harriers and we are proudly one of the best (if not THE best) UK clubs. Some of our stars include:

Denise Lewis (2000 Olympic Gold Heptathlon)
Katharine Merry (2000 Olympic Bronze 400m)
Du'aine Ladejo (former Euro 400m champ)
Daniel Caines (World indoors gold and silvers from 2001 and 2003)
Mark Lewis-Francis (enough said!)
Derek Redmond (1991 4x4 gold medallist)
Geoff Capes (former UK SP record holder)
Ashia Hansen (World Indoor champ, Commonwealth games champ, Euro Champ, world indoor record holder)
Judy Simpson (former UK record holder)
Bob Wier (former Commonwealth Hammer and Discus champ)
Jonathan Moore (UK Junior record holder in LJ with 8.03m)
Nathan Morgan (Commonwealth LJ champ)
Helen Karagounis (Euro U23 400m Champ)
Helen Frost (UK 4x4 relay regular)
Adam Nelson (US Shot putter)
Aston Moore (Former UK triple jumper, Ashia Hansen's coach)
Karl Keska (UK's leading 10,000m guy, 8th in Sydney OG)

And we have many in the pipelines, too...



Other strong UK teams include:
Belgrave Harriers (Dwain Chambers, Darren Campbell, etc)
Blackheath Harriers (Julian Golding)
Woodford Green with Essex Ladies
Sale Harriers
Enfield & Haringey
Shaftesbury Barnett Harriers
Cardiff AAC (Christian Malcolm, Jamie Baulch)
Windsr, Slough & Eton

And, of course, there's Loughborough University. where many of the UK's sporting stars have studied (Seb Coe and Chris Rawlinson to name but a couple).

It may be worth you looking here:
http://www.runtrackdir.co.uk/ukclubs/




Hope this helps!

[6 5.5hjsteve]

Re: Hey, Brits! Question on clubs

maybe he and Michael Jackson and Scott Peterson could get together.

[Guest]

Re: Hey, Brits! Question on clubs

>>Other strong UK teams
>include:
Belgrave Harriers (Dwain Chambers>

Silly me, I was sure his club was Thick As A Brixton

[Jon]

Re: Hey, Brits! Question on clubs

One could be forgiven for thinking his club is Windy, Slow and Eating.....

[Guest]

Re: Hey, Brits! Question on clubs

Did you go to Loughborough? I went to Borough Road, we kicked their ass every year I was there, plus I beat Seb in a heading a pint competition in your bar afterwards! (And, if it's still sung, I don't need to hear the "Loughborough rejects" comments...LOL!)


And, of course, there's
>Loughborough University. where many of the UK's
>sporting stars have studied (Seb Coe and Chris
>Rawlinson to name but a couple).

It may be
>worth you looking
>here:
http://www.runtrackdir.co.uk/ukclubs/



>n
Hope this helps!

[Jon]

Re: Hey, Brits! Question on clubs

>Did you go to Loughborough? I went to Borough
>Road, we kicked their ass every year I was there,
>plus I beat Seb in a heading a pint competition
>in your bar afterwards! (And, if it's still sung,
>I don't need to hear the "Loughborough rejects"
>comments...LOL!)



Lol! Sorry to disappoint, Mark, but I go to Wolverhampton!

[Robert E. Lee]

I always thought the club system was the best

too, but a teacher friend of mine said that...the club system in Europe leaves out a lot of kids who like to run but don't have the money for a club...

Unlike the public school system in the states..That didn't make a lot of sense to me..Is it easy to join a club for distance runners in the UK......

[Guest]

Re: I always thought the club system was the best

>too, but a teacher friend of mine said that...the
>club system in Europe leaves out a lot of kids
>who like to run but don't have the money for a
>club...

Unlike the public school system in the
>states..That didn't make a lot of sense to me..Is
>it easy to join a club for distance runners in
>the UK......


The school system is essentially the same (or was, in my day) in that during the summer term schools compete against each other and there are area and national championships. There are literally hundreds of T&F clubs in the UK. When athletes are finished with school they can compete through the club system. There are dozens of leagues and area championships and you can compete basically all the way through to the masters events. I've always thought it was a shame that the US doesn't have such a system as once athletes are through college that is basically it unless you are of international class. It's not that expensive, my clubs fees are: Family $100; senior $70; under 20 $30; under 13 $7 per annum.

[Guest]

Re: Hey, Brits! Question on clubs

There are a lot, check out www.ukathletics.net - there is a link to clubs there. The top clubs in the premier division for track this year were Belgrave, Sale Manchester, Windsor Slough & Eton, Shaftesbury Barnet, Woodford Green and Essex Ladies. Good Scottish clubs are Edinburgh Woolen Mill and City of Glasgow.

[Guest]

Re: Hey, Brits! Question on clubs

Wow! 24 hours and a ton of responses!!

Thank you all.

If the grant money comes through, I may be off to the UK to follow up on the nuts and bolts of some of these long-running (excuse pun) clubs. And pubs. Can't forget those.

Then on to the World CC.

[Guest]

Re: Hey, Brits! Question on clubs

Hey Brits...what happened to Haringay AC? On the ukathletics site they're list as Haringay Jogging Club. I used to train at New River with Mike McFarlane et al in the 70's. Masback also used to train there sometimes. Do they still exist as a T&F club?

Watching the Rugby tonight, it's on from 1-3am here. Guess you guys can watch over breakfast! I'm assuming we'll cock it up completely as usual!

[Jon]

Re: Hey, Brits! Question on clubs

They've merged with Enfield and now go by the name of 'Enfield and Haringey AC'.

As with all of the "merged" clubs, they're doing much better than before (Sale Manchester, Windsor Slough & Eton, Woodford Green with Essex Ladies, etc...). Club-merging is beginning to become a bit of a trend in the UK:A leagues... :-(

[Jon]

Re: Hey, Brits! Question on clubs

BTW, here's their addy:

http://www.enfield-haringeyac.co.uk/