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Club News |
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Phone: 9890 3631 http://www.boxhillathleticclub.org |
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DATES FOR YOUR DIARY |
CONTENTS |
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Thurs 13 Mar ’03 State League Round 12
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With the finals fast approaching, the Club is once again set to have a large number of teams in the finals and needs all athletes to make themselves available to compete to make sure that we give ourselves the best chance of winning. It appears that we will have teams in men’s and women’s Division 1 and 2, Under 18, Under 16 and Under 14 venue finals and the men’s and women’s State League finals. There is also a chance that the men’s Division 3 and 4 teams will make the Venue Finals. The dates for the finals are:
Sat 15 March 2003 -
Venue Final – Box Hill
Tues 18 March 2003 – State League Final Day 1 – Olympic Park
Thurs 27 March 2003 – State League Final Day 2 – Olympic Park
Sat 29 March 2003 – Association Final – Doncaster
Sun 6 April 2003 – National Club Champs - Brisbane
Make sure that you do your part to help demonstrate that Box Hill is the strongest Club in Victoria.
At this time of the year, the track becomes very busy at training times with several groups of athletes training at one time. Several years ago, the committee set out a series of rules for use of the track for training to help minimise interference between various training groups and avoid excessive wear of heavily used sections of the track. These rules have been posted at the club room entrance and are listed below for your reference. Your compliance with these rules is requested.
*
NO training in lane one.
*
All run-throughs shall
be done on the back straight.
*
Starting
practice shall NOT be done on the 100
m, 200 m, 400 m or 110 m hurdle start lines or on the finish line.
*
Hurdles training shall
be restricted to the outside three lanes of the track.
*
Starting blocks must
be returned to the trolley in the equipment room after training.
*
The last person to
leave the ground must ensure that ALL clubroom doors and gates are locked and that the main gate is
shut.
*
Weights must be
returned to the racks provided in the weights room at the end of each session.
*
Dragging of tyres
along the track is strongly discouraged. This training method may only be
undertaken by Club members in lanes 7 and 8 of the back straight when the grass
on the infield is too wet to enable the session to be safely conducted on the
grass.
To hopefully celebrate another State League Premiership (or two), the Club is holding a function at the Swan Hotel in Richmond on Thursday 27 March 2003, immediately following the completion of the second day of the State League Finals (from about 9:30 pm onwards). After supporting both our teams at Olympic Park in the finals, please join us afterwards at the Swan Hotel to help celebrate another successful season.
The Club has once again entered teams in this year’s National Club Championships to be held in Brisbane commencing at 1:30 pm on Sunday 6 April 2003, immediately following completion of the Under 20 and Open Championships. The scheduling of the championships this year gives us our best ever chance to win the event.
National
Championship medals will be awarded to all members of the first three teams. Any
member of our National Club Championship team may also enter one event in the
individual championships, irrespective of whether or not they have performed a
qualifying performance.
If
you would like a chance to win a National Championship medal and to spend a
weekend in Brisbane, or are planning to compete at the National Championships
but have not yet been contacted about the Club Championships, please contact
Graeme Olden (9885 0890), Julie Milner (9818 1278) or your State League team
manager.
With
the roof over the grandstand now completed and providing much needed shade and
shelter for spectators, athletes and officials, the Club now needs to start
focusing on raising funds to complete the external walls and fitout of the
upstairs rooms. Time and funds not available to complete any more work on the
upstairs facilities this year, however it is hoped that they can be completed
next summer. The Club still needs to raise a significant amount of money to
enable this to happen so all Club members are urged to support the upcoming
fundraising events and provide donation to the tax-deductible building fund set
up for this project to enable it to happen. The outlook from the upstairs rooms
will be most impressive, however there is still a lot of work to be done until
we can take advantage of it.
To
assist with the development and recruitment of new coaches to the sport,
Athletics Victoria is offering to pay the cost of any member wishing to complete
a Level 1 coaching course. If you are interested in becoming qualified as a
coach then please contact the Club Coaching coordinator, Chris O’Connor for
more details (ph 9882 6108 or email: coconnor@swin.edu.au)
The Club is once again offering incentives to State League athletes and their coaches to encourage members to participate as often as possible in State League competition. Any athlete who scores 145 points or more in the women's State League competition or 170 points or more in men's State League competition will have their fees paid for the following season (note that finals don't count). In addition, there are cash prizes of $200 for the leading male and female points scorer at the end of the season and the coach whose athletes have scored the most points.
Please make sure that you check with your State League team manager to find out how many points you have scored this season so far.
As mentioned in the last edition of Club News, the weights room at the Club has been cleaned out and completely refurbished to provide an excellent weights training facility with a full range of equipment. The Club is greatly indebted to Robin Barclay and David Webber who donated the equipment, to Stewart Livingston for arranging delivery and to Ross Filshie for installing the equipment.
While these members have done a great job in setting up the gym, it is up to all the rest of us to look after it, to keep the weights neatly stacked on the stands provided and to keep the room clean and tidy. The room is NOT to be used as a change room, nor for storage of bags and personal gear while training.
All
Club members are reminded that the weights room is only to be used by current
financial members of the Club.
Box
Hill Athletic Club operates the Barlow Foundation as a registered project with
the Australian Sports Foundation for the purpose of supporting elite athletes
and coaches in state league interclub competition. The project makes grants to
athletes and coaches from tax-deductible donations made to the foundation. These
grants have played a significant part in the success of the State League teams
over the past few seasons and the Club is committed to continuing to provide
these opportunities for our State League athletes.
The distribution of Barlow Foundation grants to be made the end of the 2002/03 season is:
* $200 Reimbursement of expenses to the leading Female State League points scorer
* $200 Reimbursement of expenses to the leading Male State League points scorer
* $200 Reimbursement of expenses to the coach whose athletes (both male and female) score the greatest combined total of State League points.
To
help ensure the continued success of our State League teams, we are requesting
donations to help fund these grants. All donations are tax deductible. If you
would like to obtain a donation form to send in a donation, or have any
questions about the Barlow Foundation, please contact Colin Organ on 9813 3597
or via email (colo@bigpond.com). Alternatively you may wish to download a form
directly from the Club’s web site at http://www.boxhillathleticclub.org.
The
Club has been most fortunate to obtain the support of a couple of new sponsors
over recent months and Club members are urged to support these businesses so
that they will continue to support us.
Neil Ryan from Runners World provided generous support for the recent Whitehorse Gift Athletic Carnival, provided prize money for two of our handicap races. Runners World have one of the best range of running shoes available in Melbourne so for your next pair of training shoes or spikes, please visit their store at 598 High Street, East Kew.
The Swan Hotel in Richmond has also agreed to provide the Club with sponsorship in return for holding two functions at the hotel during the year. Note that the second function is to be held on Thursday 27 March 2003 following the State League Finals.
The
Club’s tax deductible Barlow Fund also includes a separate building fund. With
additional funds needed to be able to fund the Stage II Pavilion Upgrade
(upstairs extension), donations to this fund are urgently required. Any
donations made to this building fund will be directed solely towards the club
room upgrade. Now is an excellent time to help the Club to fund your new club
rooms and reduce your tax bill. Any donation of $100 or more will be recognised
with a plaque recording your donation prominently displayed on a brick in the
new clubrooms. Donation forms can be downloaded from the Club’s web site - www.boxhillathleticclub.org
- or obtained from Colin Organ – phone 9813 3597 or email at colo@bigpond.com.
If you have anything you wish to discuss or if you would like to offer assistance either team managing, coaching, fundraising, officiating, canteen or anything else please contact one of the committee members listed below.
Graeme Olden 9885 0890 golden@sprint.com.au
Adam Pepper 8802 4462 pepper@sme.com.au
Angela Robbie 9898 3052
Julie Milner 9818 1278 juliem@brd.net.au
Joan Hines 9859 5081
Colin Organ 9813 3597 colo@bigpond.com
Fiona
Buchanan 98173095fionaland@yahoo.com
For a limited time there are some "State League" Long Sleeve Training Tops now available for only $20. Also a new order of Club Tracksuit tops has just arrived so get in early before they all go for $85. For either of the above or uniforms please contact Julie Milner 9818 1278 or email juliem@brd.net.au.
Andrew
Letherby won a half marathon in Austin, Texas recently in 1:03:31. He won
$11,000 for his efforts in the race, which was run into strong headwinds for
most of the way, and rumour has it that he had to do the bulk of the work. The
second placed runner was about 90s behind.
This
years World Championships in Double Multievents are on 4th / 5th October in
Austria. The maximum capacity is 48 men (that many!), but more than 35 have
already checked in. It is hoped that also some guys from Australia will
participate.
If
somebody wants to compete please see the online-entry-form on the homepage at http://www.mehrkampf.at
and pay the entry-fee. There are not many places left on the entry list so get
registered quickly
The
Australian Double Decathlon Championships are going to be held in Melbourne on
the 10-11th May. For more information contact Nick Foley at FoleyNJ@cba.com.au.
Once
again we have to provide 2 club helpers each day at the Open and U20 Victorian
Championships 7,8 and 9 March at Olympic Park. Free entry, parking and
refreshments are available to volunteers. There is a $200 penalty for
clubs who fail to provide assistance, so if you are available to help, please
contact Julie Milner 9818 1278 or juliem@brd.net.au
We are seeking a suitable person/persons to manage the canteen. Duties will include stocking, food preparation and organising a roster of helpers. Preference will be given to applicant available to open weekdays as required by hirers of the track. Salary $15/hour.
Enquiries : Angela Robbie 9898 3052
On
the second weekend of February 2003 five pole vaulters from Melbourne made their
annual pilgrimage to Temora, a country town in the middle of NSW, where every
year a football oval is transformed into "fast grass".
Temora
is famous for its grass, and every year hosts a professional Gift race, the
Temora Golden Gift, over 120 m. What is not so traditional is the fact that
after Sydney 2000 Temora invested money in a pole vault pit, and attract
vaulters from far and wide to compete on the fast grass alongside the assorted
runners.
As
you arrive in town on the Friday night, with the pubs bursting at the seams as
the 5000 inhabitants are swelled by the participants and supporters of the Gift,
you see the banners declaring this is the site of the 2003 Golden Gift and feel
strangely uplifted. Country NSW, like many other regional areas in Australia
this summer, is suffering from terrible drought, but there is plenty of liquid
flowing to keep everyone cool in the 40 degree heat.
The
oval is immaculate, neatly mown areas denote the running track and pole vault
run up, with an Olympic bed slap bang in the middle. The carnival atmosphere is
enhanced by sprint relays between the local school children, as well as
semi-professional races for the younger age groups. Many pole vault areas I have
seen around the world do not come close to the lush green grass surrounding the
Temora pit, and it's all completely safe.
The
gift competition always proves a good challenge, with the handicapper taking
into account personal bests, season bests and just downright "why haven't
you jumped that high" bests. The sun beat down, the heat got over 40
degrees, and the pole vaulters did their best.
The
crowd went mad as each vaulter hurtled down the runway, clapping, cheering and
in the case of Sarsha even some light-hearted barracking from the main stands.
Small children asked for autographs, older ones checked out what was going on,
and then came and had a go themselves. Some 30 volunteers came forward when
asked to vault, and the evidence was there that with a little hands-on coaches
these athletes could go far.
Oh, and we'll all be back next year, along with anyone else who wants to come along, as long as Temora will have us, because the enthusiasm the town shows takes your breath away, plus we need to find out if we really did ruin Miss Temora’s life or not (she was one bizarre girl).
Leon
D'Onofrio
Sarsha
Magowan
1.
Matt Ujma
2. Cameron Baker
3. Warren Hill
With Box Hill men sitting on top of the State League ladder, totally dominating interclub, and with the National Club Champs program having men’s pole vault this year, we are in a prime position to take out the triple crown.
In
State League our main opposition seems to be APS. With depth in throwing events,
a consistent jumps team, a walker who is qualifying and our traditionally strong
track team, as long as we can keep everyone healthy we are well on our way to
our second title in a row.
Interclub has once
again been dominated by Box Hill. Last year all 4 Division winners at
Association Finals came from Box Hill venue which means that if we can win
through venue finals we are a very strong favorite to take out the Interclub
Championship
National Club Championships is the one that will be most difficult. But with the preferred program of long jump and pole vault this year we have our best chance ever to win. However we will need all of our top line athletes to go to nationals and compete to their best for the team to take home national medals. This year the competition is on Sunday afternoon after all other events are finished and which will also allow Box Hill athletes to sleep in on Sunday morning to be fresh for competition.
Lets see if we can
live up to our hard earned title of the best athletics club in Australia.
To
submit articles either see Cameron Baker or el Presidente Graeme Olden down at
the track or email Cameron on cbak2@student.monash.edu
