Round-up March 21/22: Coach Development; Reading; SIAB XC

Monday 23rd March 2015

National Coaching Conference will return to the Emirates – September 26/27

Our Event Group Coach Development Day attracted more than 100 coaches – and selected athletes – to three venues on Sunday.

The reaction was good from the athletics community and this marked the end of the 2014-15 session in terms of coach development opportunities offered by scottishathletics.

Now the next important step will be the National Coaching Conference in September of this year, with that to be followed in 2015-16 with two further Event Group Coach Development Days.

So at the moment we’d ask Scottish coaches around the country to note for September 26 and 27 for their diaries and schedules with the Emirates Arena in Glasgow to be the venue again – following a very successful conference in 2014.

In fact, we have had a record turnout of coaches through the 2014-2015 programme with the focus firmly on three areas: technical aspects; planning and physical development.

That focus will remain and the 2015 National Coaching Conference will feature world class coaches delivering sessions with more details to follow nearer the time.

Before then, there are other opportunities such as the Foundation Courses, with the first of those on April 11 and 12 at Heriot Watt University, near Edinburgh.

Many thanks to all who have delivered, attended or helped out across the 2014-15 sessions and it was good to see the positive reaction on Twitter #SALCoach

Ian Hardacre: ‘A good day of learning at Grangemouth #scottishathletics.

Mark Stringer: ‘Thanks for a great coach development session scottishathletics and Matt Wood.’

Hugh Murray: ‘Great turnout at the National Throws Development Day with coaches from Thurso, Inverness, Annan all sharing ideas.’

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Kerry-Liam Wilson

Team Scotland duo Derek Hawkins and Susan Partridge were both in action at the Reading Half Marathon on Sunday.

Derek finished in ninth place with a run of 65.56 while Susan clocked 75.43. Both athletes will now lead the Scottish rankings.

There was an impressive PB for Masters athlete Kerry-Liam Wilson, too, with 68.54 – a performance that will take the Ronhill Cambuslang athlete into the Scottish top five for 2015.

Results are online.

Meanwhile, at Run Garioch, there was a win for Kyle Greig of Forres Harriers with a run of 70.37. Marie Baxter (Garioch Road Runners) set a women’s course record with her win in 86.03.

Results are online

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Scottish Junior Girls – silver medals

SIAB 2015 Cross Country Overall Results – Dublin

SIAB 2015 Cross Country Team Results Dublin

Silver medals for both girls teams were the highlights for the Scottish youngsters at the SIAB XC event in Dublin.

Four Scottish schools teams travelled to Ireland to take on fellow pupils from the host nation, England and Wales and the Junior Girls and Inter Girls each achieved second place behind England.

Giffnock North AAC athlete Erin Wallace, with a third place finish in the Inter-Girls race, was the best-placed individual athlete across the four races.

All the details are available via the downloads – which cover the full race results and the team race results.

Well done to the youngsters who travelled to represent Scottish Schools and thanks to the teachers, coaches and organisers involved in this annual event.

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Shettleston’s Paul Sorrie won the Clydebank 5K on Saturday with the race renowned for its flat course.

Sorrie clocked 15.08 to win from Ben Stevenson and Fergus Roberts while the first woman home was Kilbarchan’s Claire Gibson in 17.05. Results are online

There were a number of PBs through the field and hopefully many of those athletes will consider the Scottish Champs 5k at Silverknowes in Edinburgh on Wednesday 29 April.

The course there has a great reputation for aiding times and the Run and Become Self Transcence race regularly produces more under 20 minute runs than any other event in Britain. Find out more online.

Tags: Event Group Coach Development days, Kerry Liam-Wilson; SIAB XC, National Coaching Conference; Derek Hawkins, Susan Partridge