The track and field season came to a successful end last in a rain soaked windy Gloucester and it was really heartening to see how well the athletes responded to the occasion, needing to win the match by at least 24 points. Winning the match by over 220 points was a great achievement in itself, but to beat Yate to the Avon League title, reversing last year’s result rounded off a fantastic season for the club. The desire to win and the team spirit really shone through on the day and the athletes rose to the challenge and demonstrated their talent and determination as well as a killer instinct to secure the points total that was needed. Some athletes competed in events they had not competed in before and some in the age group above theirs [some doing both!] . This and being asked by athletes [young and not so young] if they could do more events than those they had already done sums up to me the spirit in the team. Our points total on the day was the highest for any team for at least 3 years and the League title was well deserved.
The under 15s and under 13s had also, earlier in the season ,comfortably won their YDL lower age group League and then gone on to secure promotion to the Premier League, finishing 3rd in the playoff match against formidable opposition from across Wales and the South West . Meanwhile, the older athletes were helping Team Avon in the upper age group YDL to achieve an excellent 2nd place in their Premier League, qualifying for the regional final and narrowly missing out on a place in the national final. All this was achieved by an array of extremely talented athletes across a wide range of disciplines and ages and sometimes without some of the club’s key individuals due to injury and commitments at national and international level. This demonstrates the strength in depth at the club. There were numerous individual performances of distinction throughout the season and this, combined with the team’s character and determination , took us to a higher level this year and bodes really well for the years to come.
Athletics is a sport for individuals, but it shouldn’t be overlooked that it is also a team sport. Every individual race , jump or throw contributes to the team and this season’s was a team performance to admire. This success could not have been achieved without the contributions of each and every athlete who took part and to the coaches in the club for their expertise and dedication and of course to the commitment and support of the parents of the athletes
John Webster
Team Bath AC Track & Field Manager
