Secretary’s Report for the Annual General Meeting of Kilbarchan Amateur Athletic Club Held at the David Lloyd Club, Renfrew on Wednesday 24 September 2008

Here is my secretary’s report following my third year as secretary. The report should also be read in conjunction with the published set of results on the club web site and on display at the AGM. My thanks to all the committee members and club members who have helped me throughout the year.

 

Jason Pender

 

Club Organisation and Facilities

The elected committee meet every 6 weeks approximately at Johnstone Town Hall with other sub-committees meeting less regularly as required. The elected committee members are intimated on the agenda circulated at this AGM.

 

As in previous years the club took out a block booking for Johnstone High School for changing and gym access for Mondays and Wednesdays and a block booking for Johnstone Town Hall for committee rooms. In July this year, Johnstone High closed for refurbishment and the club road runners now meet at Elderslie Swimming Baths where we have access to changing, showers and a dance studio for moderate fitness work. There is also a special arrangement for use of the pavilion building in Kilbarchan Public Park for Sunday cross country runs and the schools cross country races in September. The sprint group who used the gyms at Johnstone High have re-located to Ferguslie Park Sports Centre on Mondays from 22^nd September. The ADDs group have also arrange for high jump training inside Linwood Sports centre on Tuesdays through the winter.

 

We continue to use the track at Linwood Sports Centre as our main base for track and field and it is continuing to get busier and busier. It’s been a constant agenda item for the committee to discuss safety for track and field users.

 

The club continues to operate a website from Scotland-on-Line with the domain name www.kilbarchanaac.org.uk which has been continuing since started in 1999. I’m pleased to say John Kynaston took over the maintenance of the web site from myself and it seems to be running well.

 

At the last AGM I indicated that the club would be looking to achieve the new Club Mark status, or at least start the process. Since then Scottish Athletics have presented the requirements for Club Mark and a working group has been formed consisting of John Rodger, Jason Pender, Jim Green and Robert Hawkins. Club Mark is an accreditation that the club can achieve to demonstrate the policies and procedures we have in place to demonstrate a well organised ethical sports club. It will also open doors for other funding opportunities. The working group has only met once unfortunately and realise there is a lot of work to do and this will need a fair bit of effort to progress. No further update on this.

 

Membership

The club has a healthy membership of over 361 (377 in 2007, 321 in 2006) members broken down into the following categories:

 

Male: Total 186

Female: Total 167

5 Honorary members + 3 Second Claim = 361

 

Coaching

The club has 19 active coaches who support the club either on a daily or ad-hoc basis. The current coaching convener is Robert Hawkins who chairs the coaching sub-committee. This year a core coaching group was formed with a spokesperson representing each group of events. This comprised of chair – Robert Hawkins, coaching advisor – Derek Parker, Middle Distance – John Rodger, ADDs – Alan McMillan, sprints and hurdles – Jason Pender, jumps – Dave Webster, throws – Jim Green.

 

Results in Roads, Cross Country and Hills

There have been so many great achievements by club runners this season and the club has continued to be a strong force over the roads and cross country over the season winning 7 individual and many team medals at the various national championship events.  More notably has been the increase in athletes been called up for international selection. Some prominent athletes in the club include

 

Hayley Haining, Ranked 1 in Scotland, 3rd in UK for Marathon .. just missed Olympic selection

Kerry Lang, ranked 1 in Scotland, 5th in UK for Triathlon .. just missed Olympic selection;

Jessica Martin, Scottish and GB Junior Hill running International

Conor McNulty, Scottish u20 XC Champ (long & short course) and Scottish Uni XC Champion

Robert Quinn, Scottish and British Vets XC Champion.

Paul Arcari, various Roads successes.

Callum Hawkins, British Schools Cross Country Champion and medal winner at UK level Championships.

 

Results in Track and Field

Approximately 51 (30 in 2007,17 in 2006) medals were won by athletes at the respective national age group championships plus other noticeable performances at district, international level and the English AAA championships. We are making significant improvement in our medal tallies and athletes and coaches are to be commended for their hard work.

 

In the leagues the Young Athletes League, the girls and boys combined team finished 4^th  to miss out on going to Birmingham for the UK finals. The only sweetener was that our own David Kerr won athlete of the match for track (broke the 400m record) and Andrew Cunningham won the field event award for his shot putt performance. In the men’s league the club finished a disappointing 4^th in division 2 and in the Women’s League, Kilbarchan females join up with Whitemoss AAC, Ayr Seaforth and Giffnock to form a composite team called Team West (Kilbarchan athletes played a major role, contributing about half of the whole squad). This year Team West finished second behind the City of Edinburgh. The club also compete in age groups in the young athletes indoor league although didn’t qualify for the final. And finally, in the Central and South of Scotland League the club finished 1^st for the second time ever in the history of the club.

 

In the 2008 season 28 club records were broken (30 in 2007 and 31 in 2006) and demonstrating even though our records are getting harder to beat they are still being broken.

 

There are many athletes worthy of note here including:

Claire Gibson, ranked 3rd in Scotland, Scottish Closed 800m Champion Outdoor Champion again for second year running.

David Watson, ranked 1 in Scotland for Triple Jump

Cameron Clark, ranked 1 in Scotland u20 Triple Jump, Scottish Schools Champ, Scottish u20s Champ etc

Andrew McLaughlan, 3rd in Scotland SP and Hammer but just 1st year in age group.

Andrew Cunningham, Discus ranked 1 in Scotland, Shot 2nd

David Kerr, u15 400m ranked 1 in Scotland 7th in GB, Scottish Schools Champion.

Martin Lipton, 400mH ranked 1 in Scotland, 5th in GB u20s.

 

Over the last three years UK athletics has set performance targets at Scottish and UK level for athletes to aspire to achieve. This year they dropped the performance levels in place for top ten and top 100 UK placings. The club achieved 55 top 100 UK performances in 2008 and 8 top 10 UK performances. The 8 top 10 UK performances were

 

Haley Haining 10,000m on track (32-57.91)

Haley Haining 10km on road (32-24)

Haley Haining ½ marathon (71-03)

Haley Haining marathon (Olympic qualifying time of 2 hours 29 minutes 18 seconds)

Derek Hawkins u20 5000 metres (14-49.34)

Martin Lipton u20 400 metre hurdles (52.73s)

Calum Hawkins u17 3000 metres (4-08.52)

David Kerr u15 400 metres (52.12s)

 

Again, please refer to the results summary for all our great achievers as there are too many to mention in my report. 

 

Club Organised Events

The club organises our own cross country championships run each year in January / February over Milliken Estate, near Kilbarchan, thanks to the kind permission of Mr & Mrs McIntyre who own the estate and farm land owner Mr & Mrs Craig. This year the event was run on 20^th January and awards will be made later on this evening to the placings.

 

Other club events throughout the calendar include the Christmas series of races: (Quarrelton Road handicap race won by Calum MacLeod winning the 4 mile race, Boxing Day handicap relays (composite team fun race), Hogmanay 11 mile handicap won by Kate O’Brien); and other club races organised through the year: The Marshall Moor Cross Country Race won by Donald Petrie on 24^th December; The David Cummings 7 mile Handicap Race on 13^th April won by Gardner Mason; The Sustrans Handicap Race on won by Stuart Williams on 18^th June.

 

The club hill race championships were run during the Whangie Whizz Hill race in 23^rd April and provided the largest club turnout on record with 17 club runners competing with the men’s club trophy won again by the forever young Donald Petrie and no-one winning the ladies club trophy.

 

On the 2^nd, 4^th, 9^th and 11^th of September, the club also organised the club track and field championships at Linwood Sports Centre. This was very well except perhaps with seniors.

 

On 31^st August, the club assisted Renfrewshire Council in organising the Paisley 10km Road Race. Thanks to the hard work of club members who contributed in the “run up” to the day and during the day. 

 

On 21^st September the club organised the schools invitation cross country races in Kilbarchan Public Park. This had a great day’s weather and still proves to be an enjoyable event and continues to be a good source for recruitment and for promotion of the club to the schools.

 

On a social side, Sandra Hawkins and others organised two enjoyable evenings, a disco at Kilbarchan Bowling Club and a ceilidh at Elderslie Village Hall. Our thanks go to everyone that helped and to members and friends that made these enjoyable evenings.

 

Fund Raising and Donations: We have received a number of donations throughout the year from sponsors and other sources of funding. One activity I was involved in was in April we organised bag packing at Asda Linwood where we raised just over £900. (Hopefully details in the Treasurer’s report).

 

This Saturday 27^th the club will host the George Cummings Road Relay Race at Houston, race starting 2.30pm. Our thanks again go to our major sponsor for this event, Bell Group UK. Changing and declarations are at Houston Church Hall on Houston Main Street. If you are not already helping or running please consider doing so or bringing along some cakes or ready made freshly wrapped sandwiches for sale to the participants. Further details from committee members and the club website. Hope to see you there.

 

And finally, due to family and personal commitments I have to stand down from the role as secretary. This is the third year of this term and the second time I’ve done the secretary role (1993 last time). I’ll be around to advise the new secretary but cannot continue the role. I’d like to thanks Arthur Smith and the committee for the support they’ve given me.