• Halesowen A&CC
• Wolverhampton and Bilston AC
• Tipton Harriers AC
• Dudley and Stourbridge Harriers

• Black Country Be Active Sports Partnership.
• Local Authorities: Walsall Council, Wolverhampton City
  Council, Sandwell Council / Sandwell Leisure Trust
• Wolverhampton University
• School Sports Partnerships: Ellowes Hall, Coseley, Windsor, Oldbury, Woodgreen, Willenhall, OLSC, Smestow, Westcroft

Key contact - Steven Millington - stevenmillington@talktalk.net
CCSO - Tim Snowdon:  tsnowdon@englandathletics.org  07540 704057 
 

During Year 1 the Black Country Athletics Network has developed into a very constructive group sharing best practice and helping each other to increase club membership, the skills of coaches and improve club infrastructure.  Even though there was a significant delay in appointing the part time Network Development Officer, the existing network, with the support of the Club and Coach Support Officer, have been able to achieve much success.  To date the key achievements have been:

• The Black Country Athletics Forum which began in Summer 2007 has now been replaced by the Black Country Athletics Network and regular meetings have taken place each Quarter.  The meetings are well attended by each of the four clubs, two Local Authorities, and the University and the continued and ever growing membership goes to prove the Network is effective and beneficial for all partners.
• High Quality Coaching – visits from flying squad coaches, coach mentoring, individual support from CCSO, coach bursary scheme (CSP),
• Volunteer Recruitment evenings in 3 clubs have been successful and need to become annual events.
• Capacity building – Grow your own Club workshop, funding sources.
• Competition framework – discussed pro’s and con’s of leagues and local solutions we can consider which are more cost effective and have the capacity to sustain, e.g. travel costs, lack of officials, time implications.

For the next 5 months, coupled with the new Network Officer:

• Induction Process – develop a systematic approach tailored to each clubs needs and develop a high quality 8 week programme covering essential fundamentals.
• Mentoring – mentoring support by the Network Officer to individual club coaches.
• Launch the Black Country Network and incorporate U11 sportshall competition linked to the regional and national competition framework.
• Network Officer to meet with each individual club to help support their local needs and begin to map out good practice which should be shared.
• Network Officer to assess Workforce needs so funding, e.g. bursaries, and training can be specifically directed to where needed rather than ‘first come, first served’ basis.
• Network Officer to identify partners within School Sport who wish to develop effective school to club links and begin to utilise the coaching budget.

How the year 2 funding will help the network change athletics in the local area:

• “Grow” - Support officials' development, coach development, volunteer recruitment strategies, promotion and marketing to increase membership within clubs.
• Support Road Running clubs by creating a sub group.
• Increase adult participation in athletics and utilise Run in England ‘LiRF’
• Disability – W & B inclusion project for young people, Walsall Council Athletics for Adults with Learning Difficulties Club
• Competition framework
  - utilise Quad Kids format
  - develop a sportshall selection model which is sustainable and establish Black Country in the regional and national competition framework
  - ensure existing schools competitions link directly to club, regional and national frameworks.
• “Excel” – partnership with University for Sports Science support, Pilot England Athletics Young People development Programme, Pilot Athletics 365. 
• Elevating Athletics training and support for schools and club coaches.