Second Para Athletics Classification
Over the weekend of 12th and 13th August, Toby Richardson went through the UK athletics classification process to become a recognised para-athlete.
Success in Deaf Schools Athletics Competition
Yate Adaptive and Para Athletics group together with the Deaf Studies Trust set up a regional Deaf Schools Athletics competition on 11th July at YOSC.
This attracted 65 participants from Bristol Schools and mainstream schools in Wiltshire, Avon and Gloucestershire.
Para News – Athlete Classification
As you may be aware, the procedures for competition in Para-Athletics are rather more complex than in mainstream athletics. Although our programme of Adaptive Athletics has been running for over a year, we are only now fully engaging with Para-Athletic competition.
On 15th and 16th of July, Nancy Jubb became our first fully classified athlete.
Adaptive and Para Athletics at Yate – News May 2023
Over the last eighteen months, we have received funding from a Section 106 grant (made by house builders to the community) which allowed us to bring in race chairs and frames and other smaller kit…
Deaf Schools Event – 11th July at YOSC
The Deaf Studies Trust, along with the Adaptive Athletics project at Yate AC, ran a competitive event for deaf schoolchildren.
On the day, we had 50 competitors from 6 years old to 15 years old. They came from Bristol, South Gloucestershire and Wiltshire schools.
Adaptive Athletics – September 2021 update
After extensive refurbishment at Yate Outdoor Sports Complex, attention turned to the issues surrounding inclusion and community athletics for all. Following discussions with potential partners across the South West, and after meetings with England Athletics, it was confirmed that YOSC was the ideal venue for development of an open and developing athletics programme for all level and abilities.
Disability Blog-No4
Long time no blog right?!!
I’ve had a busy few months so that’s the reason why there hasn’t been a blog from me for a while so hopefully you’ll accept my apologies, I don’t want to upset the avid Beth Blog Readers amongst you!!
This weekend sees the Anniversary Games in London being held. I would particularly encourage you all to watch the Parallel Success events they can really give you a great insight to what can be achieved through overcoming physical barriers and with the right mindset. Channel 4 Sunday at 2-00pm is the place to go!! It’s something I hope I will be able to partake in one day. I’ve recently realised that my Cerebral Palsy doesn’t give me limitations but it gives me so much more happiness. Without Cerebral Palsy I wouldn’t have met Dr Tim Button who is my Chiropractor from Cleve Chiropractic and Next Step in Mangotsfield. The work Tim and his team do is amazing. Chiropractic treatment for CP is fantastic. Tim uses Chiropractic and compliments this with sports massage to help not just me but all of his patients. Check his clinic out!! Definitely a world class chiropractor with a huge heart for all his patients. Tim saw that I didn’t have the best attitude towards my cerebral palsy and put me in contact with Mark Lodge (my coach) and with Mark’s help and support I’ve gone from saying ‘I can’t’ to ‘I CAN!!’ Sprinting has been a game changer for me and I can honestly say that it has helped my condition no end. Drs have noticed how strong my CP is getting and have encouraged me to keep running…. I never intend to stop anyway I love it so much. It’s the best thing in the world when I step onto the track. From my own experience and what it has taught me, I would urge anyone with a medical condition to never give up in going for their dreams even if it feels impossible. I know this because if someone had said to me that 3 years ago I would be sprinting I would have laughed in their face. Now the joke is on me… I love it. Having a disability doesn’t limit me at all… it gives me so many great opportunities than I could ever have imagined it would. I’ve even spoken at the House of Lords about it!! Not many people get to do that now do they?!!
So whatever you think your limitations are in life.. think again and turn them around for good. What you deem to be your weakness is most definitely your strongest point. We normally find good fortune from what we think our own misfortunes are. So be positive and remain positive. Life is way too short to think our own imperfections are limitations. We are perfectly made for the purpose we are here on this Earth for. Live life and have fun!!
Over and out!!
Beth
Disability Blog No3
I’ve been recently asked about classification and what the different numbers mean by one of our coaches. With this in mind I’m taking this opportunity to tell you what the classification process was for me.
For a disabled athlete to compete they need to go through classification. This is where they will get assessed and be given that all important number. I had mine in Bath. For me I turned up and met with a sports medic and 2 classifiers, the medic checked my notes and checked that I did have Cerebral Palsy. They asked me questions on my disability and how it affected me, mobility checks were made to see how much movement I could do and what I struggled doing. If you’ve ever had an injury it’s like going to the Physio!! We then moved onto the track, a place I love and they asked me to run about 50 metres and to sprint and stop as quick as I could. Once I did the exercises asked of me they had a private discussion and told me I was a T37. Once you have your classification it is unlikely to change, however they ask you to compete in 2 races in the same season the senior classifiers will watch you to see that they have placed you in the right classification. Normally it is about 4-6 weeks after your initial classification is done. This is to ensure that people perform the same way in both the initial and competition meetings. A few days after you compete, you normally receive an e-mail to confirm your number. Please be aware that although the process for classification is the same the tests given to wheelchair athletes or athletes with other disabilities can vary. If you want to know more please ask me or the other disabled athletes we have at the club!! Just make sure it’s before or after training, we don’t want to be distracted now do we!!
A few of you might be wondering what do all the numbers mean and what makes a person a T37 or T45. I do hope the link below will be of help. After all by Rio 2016 I hope to have educated you enough so that you can watch the Paralympics as complete armchair pundits, impressing your family and friends!!
http://ucoach.com/assets/uploads/files/disability/Classification-Factsheet-v6.pdf
Anyhow I best sign off, I have some training I need to get into!! No rest for the wicked hey!! Have a great week!!
Remember to stay on the right track looking forward to the goal ahead!!
Beth x
Disability Athletics Blog No2
So Let’s begin our journey!!
About 2 and a half years ago I approached my first training session with caution. I simply didn’t quite know what to expect. All I knew was that I was going to run and that’s it. I remember that session so well.
Stepping onto the track was a daunting experience but one I’m so pleased I took. I did my drills and warm ups. I was ready to start running, what happened next was something I wasn’t prepared for. I fell on my first run…. Was I worried? No. I got up and brushed myself down and said “AGAIN… I want to run again.” Now all this time later I am still running with my head held high and loving it. If I had given up based upon that fall I certainly wouldn’t be the person I am today.
You see sometimes in life we all take falls and it’s not why you fall or what makes you fall it’s how you get back up and deal with the knock backs that’s important. When you think I feel like giving up, don’t, get back up, brush yourself down and start again. In the words of a famous Chumbawamba song, “I get knocked down but I get up again you’re never gonna keep me down”
Start your week with this attitude.
Let’s do this!!
Beth
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