About Our Juniors

 

Clydesdale Harriers prides itself on the quality of coaching it provides to our junior athletes. We cater for young athletes from 9 years to 17 years. The club offers tailored sessions for specific events from track and field to road running and cross country.  Our aim is to allow young athletes to experience the range of athletic events, hopefully leading to them specialising in one area. Wherever appropriate we will encourage athletes to compete in age-appropriate competitions. These could be on road, cross country, trail, and track. The ultimate expression of athletics training is to compete, but we recognise that for some youngsters simply feeling fit and healthy is just as important as competition. We strive to cater for both groups.

 

Training:

Junior members begin by attending our main training session held on a Tuesday or a Thursday night at St Peter the Apostle High School, Kirkoswald Drive, Clydebank G81 2DB. Training times are:

Juniors – Tuesdays (Track & Gym Hall): 19:00 – 21:00

Juniors – Thursdays (Track & Gym Hall): 19:00 – 21:00

Training runs generally start here and we use the running track or surrounding areas for road or off-road sessions. In cases of severe weather, we will use the games hall.

We also have the large games hall let at St Peter the Apostle High School which is used for specific training such as Sports Hall Athletics for juniors.

All athletes should wear suitable training shoes, running clothes and essentially a High Vis top or jackets to ensure that they are visible at dusk or in the dark.

 

Membership:

We welcome children from 9 years plus throughout the year subject to capacity being available. Our current training groups must be able to absorb new athletes while still maintaining a best practice coach to athlete ratio.  Currently we have enough coaches to take on more athletes and continue to ensure safe practice as well as providing the desirable coaching environment that we aim to achieve. Please note, that there is space within all the training groups for new athletes irrespective of their current age group, ability, and event discipline.  Movement is always taking place within these groups, and we continue to recruit coaches so please contact the club and register.

Please contact Members Secretary, to register your child in advance and obtain wider information on membership at info@clydesdaleharriers.co.uk

Please include the following information in your email; Child’s Name and Date of Birth, Parent/Carer Name and Contact Email address.

New Junior Members will be placed in a group with members of a similar age/ability and will be welcome to attend for 3 to 4 weeks before paying a joining fee.

 

Competition and Progression:  

We encourage all our young athletes to enter races over both the winter and summer schedules taking in both Track and Cross-Country events leading up to District and National Competitions.  All our Junior athlete’s train in groups of similar abilities and gradually integrate into the collective training sessions depending upon their progression their commitment /dedication to training. All junior members can participate in the annual club championship.

 

Child Protection and Welfare: 

Child Protection is everyone’s responsibility, but if you require further information, please contact our Welfare Officer, Emily Paxton at Clydesdalewelfareofficer@Gmail.com

 Our Club Welfare Officer will:

·         Deal with confidential matters that may arise related to athletes and have an understanding and an appropriate way of responding to such matters.

·         Be responsible for the promotion of codes of conduct to members, parents and young people.

·         Provide advice on the development of activities for young people within the club/organisation.

·         Recognise the difference between poor practice according to club rules and matters that would be seen as a welfare issue and responding appropriately in terms of action or intervention.

 

Parent Volunteers at our club: 

Clydesdale Harriers requires volunteers to assist with current coaching, club support and competition. We are always in need of adult helpers to assist our coaches particularly in the younger training groups. There are also lots of other areas that we need your help with, and guidance can be given.

e.g., Help in activities such as training, supervision, marshalling in races is welcome. Training courses are available for volunteers that want to take things further and full mentoring is given.

If you are interested, please email: info@clydesdaleharriers.co.uk to find out how you can help.

 

Communication

General communication letters will be sent home with our young athletes and will inform you of upcoming events, annual subscription details, kit details and the like. All details provided to the club will be managed as per the GDPR (data protection) regulations, only your child’s coach and our Welfare officer will have full access to this information.

To aid communication we have a closed Facebook page for all parents to join. This is updated regularly with training schedules, race details and general info we need to get out to you.

Once your child has joined the club, parents are asked to search for the Clydesdale Harriers Junior Group within Facebook and request to join. All coaches have admin rights and should be able to admit you to the group. As this is a closed group for child protection requirements, please don’t send invites to others to join.

 

Conduct

As a responsible athletics Club We have specific policies and procedures, and will adhere to the club codes of conduct and respond to any suspected breaches in accordance with club Welfare Procedures

Our club will endeavour to ensure that all volunteers operating within the club environment hold appropriate qualifications and have undertaken the appropriate checks e.g. PVG Scheme etc.

Our club will endeavour to ensure that coaches, technical officials, and club officers attend recommended training in welfare and safeguarding and protecting children as appropriate and are also appropriately welcomed and supported in their voluntary roles.

Our Club will endeavour to treat all club members equally and fairly, Challenge inappropriate behaviour and language of all involved with the Club, place the welfare and safety of the athlete above other considerations including the development of performance.

We will expect our athletes to:

·         Respect the rights, dignity and worth of every athlete, coach, technical official and others involved in athletics and treat everyone equally.
·         Uphold the same values of sportsmanship off the field as they would do when engaged in athletics.
·         Cooperate fully with others involved in the sport such as coaches, technical officials, team managers, and other athletes.
·         Consistently promote positive aspects of the sport such as fair play and never condone rule violations or the use of prohibited or age-inappropriate substances.
·         Anticipate and be responsible for their own needs including being organised, having the appropriate equipment and being on time.
·         Inform their coach of any other coaching that you are seeking or receiving.

 

We will ask that Parents or Guardians:

 

·         Respect the rights, dignity and worth of every athlete, coach, technical official and others involved in athletics and treat everyone equally.

·         Cooperate fully with others involved in the sport such as coaches, technical officials, team managers, in the best interests of the athlete.

·         Consistently promote positive aspects of the sport such as fair play and never condone rule violations or the use of prohibited or age-inappropriate substances.

·         Never place undue pressure on children to perform, participate or compete.

·         Take an active interest in your child’s participation.

·         Ensure that your child does not take any unnecessary valuable items to training or competition.

·         Inform your child’s coach or team manager of any illness or disability that needs to be taken into consideration for athletic performance.

·         Assume responsibility for safe transportation to and from training and competition except where club has specifically organised transport.

·         Return any necessary written consent forms to the club/team manager or appropriate person.

·         Report any concerns you have about your child’s or any other child’s welfare to the Club Welfare Officer.