• Kidderminster & Stouport AC
• Worcester AC
• Bromsgrove & Redditch AC
• Hereford & County AC
• Evesham Vale Road Running Club

• Stourport Sports Club
• Chadsgrove Specialist Sports College ( Disability Athletics Club )
• Herefordshire & Worcestershire Sport Partnership
• Local Authorites & Sports Development Officers: Wyre
  Forrest, Hereford, Worcester, Bromsgrove & Redditch

The Herefordshire and Worcestershire Athletics Network is enthusiastically committed and supported to by three Clubmarked athletics clubs in the area (Worcester AC, Hereford & County AC and Kidderminster & Stourport AC) and two Clubs (Bromsgrove and Redditch AC & Evesham Vale Road Running Club) who are currently actively working towards Clubmark. All of the Clubs currently attend the Herefordshire and Worcestershire Athletics Development Group. The group has excellent communication and share good practice in supporting the development of athletics across the two Counties.

The current Athletics Development Group / Network has been working closely to join coaching groups, share facilities and signpost athletes to ensure continued athletics development. This has strengthened development in the area and the opportunity to formalise and develop joint plans would further enhance athletics in Herefordshire and Worcestershire. The network is also firmly supported by the County Sports Partnership and each areas School Sport Partnership and Competition Manager who have already written athletics into their yearly plans.  There is the basis of a very exciting and strong Partnership Network ready to embrace and sustain athletics development for the future.

The aim of the Network is to develop athletics at grass roots level supporting both the Clubs and the Coaches respectively.

Clubs – Improving the infrastructure and the quality of experience of all Clubs within the Network. By means of Clubs sharing resources, raising standards and generation of new income streams. Clubs will also be provided with support in obtaining Club Mark accreditation.

Coaches – To raise the standards of Coaching within all Clubs involved in the Network. By means of introduction of a Local Coach Mentoring Programme for L1 and L2 Coaches together with Flying Squad Coach visits for all Network Clubs.

The use of the Flying Squad Coach programme is seen key to improve the standard of coaching within the Counties as well as improving the standard of performance’s by junior and senior athletes.

The key clubs in the partnership all are committed to developing athletics within the counties and are agreeable that certain club should take on specific role in the development of key areas i.e. Worcester  AC is seen as the centre of High Jump , Hereford AC for pole vault development and Bromsgrove and Redditch AC as the centre for disability.

Herefordshire and Worcestershire have always had a strong Athletics tradition and Athletics has a firm place within the local community. However the current Athletics Development Group / Network believe that to compete with other sports it is time to portray a younger and more vibrant image especially with attracting juniors into the sport as well as retaining them to being produced into senior Club athletes.

The Network wish to improve the experience received by all 8 to 14 year olds athletes when taking part in local Athletics Leagues and Competitions. The Network will work closely with Sports Hall Associates athletics programmes to make these more enjoyable, exciting and innovative particularly over the Winter Months.

Another Key Project for the Network to address in Yr1 is to develop a programme for senior athletes to be involved with Road Running through the Run in England programme. This will then attract more athletes to join the senior ranks for clubs – Providing a solid base for senior competitions and a funding stream for Clubs through membership fees etc
.