Club Focus March
2013
Sedgefield Harriers came about in September 2005 when local
runner Ean Parsons put an ad in Sedgefield News for anyone
interested in starting a running group.
Seven runners turned up at the gates of Sedgefield Cricket Club and
at the end of the month on 28th September the club was formed at a
first meeting in the Nags
Head at which eleven people attended.
In the Autumn of 2005 the newly-formed committee discussed what
colours the club vest should be and the suggestion by Rosie Warnett
(nee Sims) of a blue hoop on a white background was adopted.
The club sought affiliation with UK Athletics and this
was confirmed in April 2006.
In spring 2006 coach Scott Hydon started a junior section of the
club and by the end of that year there were 24 juniors and 40
seniors and Ean Parsons qualified as a coach to help out with the
juniors. Scott was recognised as Coach of the Year by County
Durham Sport.
After a few weeks of meeting at the gates of Sedgefield Cricket
Club the club decided to base itself at Sedgefield Community
College because the College is a specialist sports college with
facilities available.
The club grew year on year and the senior numbers grew steadily
but the junior numbers grew dramatically, largely because of
coaching in local schools by newly qualified - and now award
winning - junior coach Marie Walker.
The growth of the club was so dramatic that by 2008 Ean
Parsons, now Chair, realised that more help was needed even though
the coaching staff had also grown. A ground-breaking
volunteer recruitment initiative brought more volunteers and
coaches to the club and enabled the growth to continue.
From the start the club was keen to host events and a programme
of races began including The Sedgefield Serpentine Trail Race, The
Neptune Relays and the Gerry Kearsley Winter and Summer
Handicaps.
By 2011 there were 70 seniors and over 100 juniors and the
development work of the club was being recognised by England
Athletics.
The main club night has always been Wednesday when there are
comprehensive coached sessions for seniors and juniors. In
addition there are coach led sessions on Mondays and Fridays and a
group meeting to run on Sunday mornings. In 2011 strength and
onditioning sessions for seniors and juniors were introduced on
Monday evenings.
Socially the club hosts a summer BBQ and an annual dinner in the
autumn when club awards are presented. Recent speakers at the
annual dinner have included Commonwealth Ultra Marathon Gold
Medalist Sharon Gayter, European Indoor 3000m Gold medalist John
Mayock and Olympic Marathon Bronze medalist and London Marathon
winner Charlie Spedding.
In September 2011 the club was recognised as England Athletics
North East Development Club of the Year and Marie Walker was
recognised as NE Development Coach of the Year. At the
England Athletics Hall of Fame Dinner in Birmingham in Octber 2011
the Club was awarded England Athletics National Development Club of
the Year and then went on to represent England at the UK Athletics
awards. Unbelievably, only six years after forming Sedgefield
Harriers became UK Athletics Club of the Year.
In 2012 the club 'kicked on' in terms of development, setting
performance as its goal. Senior sessions were reorganised to
introduce a new challenging framework including strength and
conditioning and the junior section was reorganised to enable the
coaches to focus more on performance. This junior
reorganisation saw the introduction of a track and field group led
by coach Tim Dredge and a mini-Harriers section for 4-7 year olds
led by Jane Spink. The club was recognised by England
Athletics as a leading club for development support in the North
East.
The project for a track in Sedgefield continued to gather
pace.
A number of club members were able to attend the London 2012
Olympics and Scott Hydon was chosen to carry the Olympic Torch in
the national Olympic Torch Relay. Meanwhile in Sedgefield the
club took the lead in organising a highly successful local Village
Games in recognition of the 2012 London Olympics with the aim of
inspiring young people and giving a lasting memory of the
Games.
[to be continued]