Club coach, City of York AC

What is your athletics background?

As a teenager my parents encouraged my brother and I to join a sports club. Adrian wanted to go to Athletics, and I wanted to try gymnastics because my friend was there. The Gym club was full, so I went along to the Rowntree Athletics club which, is now City of York AC.

Back then we were training on a grass field or in a school gym. It was fun and we did a mixture of Run Jump and Throw. My passion was in the speed as it didn’t hurt as much as cross country! I enjoyed competing and travelling on a bus with my friends to competition. I was winning events and by aged 15, Dad was driving me 40 miles so I could train on a track once every two weeks. This paid off and as an under 17 I won the 100m at English Schools AA (ESAA) and 100 and 200m at Schools International Athletics Board (SIAB). I’m still a record holder for North Yorkshire schools and a couple of others. I held a Yorkshire 200m record for 33 years!

At 18 I moved to Leeds to train to be a nurse. The shift patterns hampered my training, and I had a few stagnant years but I’m proud to say that my resilience and perseverance paid off and I got a call and an England vest and a PB in the 100m of 11.6. My return was hampered by an Achilles injury, so I stepped back from competing, but with my passion still in the sport I got into coaching.

How did you get into coaching?

My dad got into coaching and officiating as parents often do. As many parents did, he took us to the club and had nothing to do, so he was asked to rake the long jump pit and the rest is history because, aged 86, he is still coaching and doing the occasional time keeping at local events. So, inspired by Dad and my passion for the sport I qualified as a coach and my coaching career began.

My coaching really took off in 2000 when a friend, Sue, and I were approached by the local secondary school and community to set up a local club in our small market town of Pickering. Our sporty children were at the school and were our first members. Richard started his athletics career training on the school field in Pickering being coached by Sue and me. Like me, he enjoyed his sport and was often winning races. In his mid-teens he started to train on the running track in York some 35 miles away and my Dad took over his coaching.

Richard went on to win ESAA, SIAB, and gained numerous England and GB vests, competing in Worlds, Europeans, and the Olympics. His younger brother James also competed in the 400m and broke the 50 second barrier several times. Many athletes from Pickering went on to compete at ESAA and SIAB or went into teaching and coaching. Sue and I were very proud of our club. We have both since left Pickering and the club evolved into Scarborough AC.

What is your coaching role?

I’ve been involved in coaching for over 25 years but when I moved to York in 2010, I became more involved with City of York where I coach twice a week. I was invited to be part of the old National Coaching Development Programme for Speed and Youth Development. I am regularly in contact with coaches and enjoy sharing good practice and supporting each other.

In 2014, I attended the British Athletics FCLP (Female Coach Legacy programme).  The programme was varied, interesting and insightful and opened up avenues of self-discovery as well as us working together sharing good practice, and again we are still in contact supporting each other.

At the Club the group consists of speed and horizontal jump athletes. The athletes and I have grown and developed together, some have left for university but keep in touch, returning in the holidays while others have moved to York universities to stay with the group. Many started as under 15s and are now u20 to seniors. The club is based at the University of York, and the group has recently seen international students join our group which is very beneficial as we are learning about coaching /training expectations, training plans etc from overseas.

I also coach at Queen Ethelburgas School. Here I work with teenagers across multi events. I value working at both development and performance as it keeps me open minded. Covid was an opportunity for us to learn how to engage and work in different ways. The experience from working online has, I believe, helped continue to check and challenge me as a coach.

What is your coaching philosophy?

I am a firm believer of sharing knowledge, be that from me to others, but also from others to me…learning never stops. Athletes are my priority, my aim is for them to have a meaningful positive experience, gaining skills, knowledge, confidence and latterly they have a sense of accomplishment. My love of coaching got me into coach education where I work as a coach educator – delivering coach education for England Athletics.

What motivates you as a coach?

I’m motivated by seeing athletes happy, confident and achieving their agreed set of goals. The pandemic challenged me to find ways to maintain contact and work with the group. Although Covid was very negative in many ways, it allowed me the opportunity to explore my learning, challenge my philosophy and to create a new set of training plans based within the restrictions at the time. I think it made me realise that I enjoy challenges and I realise that I am constantly striving to be the best I can be to help the group achieve their goals.

What is your most memorable moment(s) as a coach?

There have been several. My own children’s achievements in the sport. Richard achieving his dream of being a GB athlete and competing at the Commonwealths, Europeans, Worlds and Olympics. James breaking 50 seconds for 400m as an u17.

A young Femke Bol coming to train with us whilst on a short time in York, the group have enjoyed following her sporting career since.

Generally seeing athletes happy when they achieve their set season goal, be it competing for their school, their county or at national level.

What are your coaching ambitions going forward?

My ambition is to stay motivated and continue to enjoy our ever-evolving sport.  Covid saw many new challenges, both in training and competition.

The new UKA Coaching Strategy for Athletes is just the goal I need to keep me motivated, enthused, and focussed. I’m excited to continue to volunteer to develop, nurture, and help retain our athletes.

Having experienced being part of team management at the School Games and team coach for England at the Loughborough International and indoor Welsh Games, I realise that this would be something I would like to explore and develop further.