Lower Age group YDL team into Regional final!

This is the Fb message that team manager Sam Smith put out yesterday. So before you read it I would like to thank Sam for all her hard work!

Well what a fathers day!!! My car read 36 degrees when we started our journey home at 5pm!

GUESS WHAT?! WE MADE THE REGIONAL FINALS!!!!!

So I want to say a massive thank you again to all the athletes that competed and tried their best. It was ridiculously hot and still pb’s were achieved!! Some came and competed whilst feeling ill, some tried events never done before and yet again some stood in last minute! You were all fantastic and behaviour was professional and sporting (don’t forget to thank your officials for their time though! 😉)

Thank you to the dads that gave up fathers day, thank you to the officials that braved the sun for hours and thank you to the coaches for their continued supportive training all this together helps the day to run smoothly.

We finished in 3rd place this time which is fantastic as we didnt have a full team and were missing some key team athletes. When we go to the Regional finals in Cardiff on Saturday 15th July, the top 2 teams that finish there will go to National Final at Birmingham Alexander Stadium – so all hands on deck! Celebrations all round if we make that!! 🍾🎂🍾🎂🍾🎂🍾🎂🍾🎂🍾🎂🍾🎂🍾🎂🍾🎂🍾

Athletes: Well done for all your efforts but can I remind you all that it doesn’t matter whether you wear 6, 66 or have a different number… all you can EVER do is achieve a personal best… you are all individual and it’s super important to me that you aim to better yourselves rather than feel you have to win points… Not every round will go as you want it too but that’s all part of the learning curve of athletics and competing – never give up!

Parents: Thank you for your continued support and flexibility in bringing your amazing athletes to the competitions! The next round is SATURDAY 15th JULY 2017 at Cardiff. Please can I have availability confirmed ASAP as the team will be revised depending on if they’ve competed in one or more of the previous rounds (ydl rules), performance and availability.

There will be a coach costing £5 per athlete or £10 per family, basically covering bridge cost. There will be 2 pick up points at Yate and Filton and I would urge ALL athletes to try and go on the coach as it really makes the day special and builds the team spirit. More details to follow as I sit down this week and select our final team. As ever I am limited with how many athletes I can pick and now I can only select athletes that have competed in 1 or more of the previous 3 rounds so I have less room for asking athletes to fill in spaces should injury or choosing to opt out of an event occur.

I appreciate there may be some disappointment for those not picked that may have competed previously but I have seeded the athletes from the beginning and continue to do so. For those that aren’t picked you will be put forward for Avon Track & Field which starts next month. As far as I know this is the first time the younger athletes have gotten this far and athletes that aren’t selected are more than welcome to come with us and support us. ( I will check but I think if you’ve competed in a previous round and a space pops up I can put you in on the day!)

Any questions as always please grab me at the track or email me. Well done to EVERYONE that has competed in any round once again. Stay safe in the sun and look after those wonderfully talented athletic bodies!!

Sam Hillier-Smith
AKA a very proud team manager