This year Athletics has been presented with its biggest shop window for generations. The sport can grow, clubs can prosper but only if they are ready!  The ‘Are you ready?’ campaign has run as part of England Athletics Volunteer Initiative, driving the recruitment strand forward as the starting point for retaining and rewarding volunteers to gain better results.

Clubs, Coaches and Networks

As well as challenging ourselves we have asked clubs the question: How is your club and your network going to ensure they are ready to make the most of the opportunities available? It is common that after major sporting events that double the amount of participants turn up to clubs.  

The Olympics and Paralympics are the biggest sporting events in the world, so have given tremendous opportunities! But we must be ready to take all the opportunities presented by 2012. In 2014 we see the Commonwealth Games in Glasgow, then 2016 has the Rio Olympic and Paralympic Games before the 2017 World Athletics Championships take place in London. It is a tremendous decade of sport with many major events taking place on these shores.

Through the campaign England Athletics has been trying to challenge clubs and ask them if they have a good structure to attract people into the club and cope as new members arrive.  Through being proactive now and recruiting new volunteers clubs can prepare themselves for the big moment and improve their structure.