Halesowen on the fast track to success

The next generation of athletes are making impressive progress under the watchful eye of a knowledgeable coaching set-up and dedicated committee.

Having popped along to a recent training night, it's quite obvious there is a buzz about the place.

Eager youngsters and their more senior colleagues were keen to hit the track or pound the streets despite a torrential downfall.

The whole operation is headed by chairman Rob Weaver, who is keen to add a new chapter to the growing success story. The club was founded in 1922 by their most famous son Jack Price.

Price represented Great Britain in the historic 1908 London Olympic marathon – the first time the race was staged over 26 miles and 385 yards.

He retained his involvement with Halesowen Athletics & Cycling Club, as it became known, until the 1940s as a coach.

By that time, the club was established at its current home, the Manor Abbey Stadium on Manor Way.

Price's contribution was officially recognised recently when a plaque in his memory was unveiled in Halesowen town centre and the entrance to the club was renamed in his honour.

But having witnessed a fitting nod to the past, Weaver and the 15-strong committee are determined to drive the club forward and increase their 400-plus membership.

The club take part in a number of leagues including the Birmingham and District Cross Country League, West Midlands Young Athletes Cross Country League, Heart of England Young Athletes League.

They were promoted to the Premier Division of the Youth Development League for this year's track and field season.

Weaver said: "It's a really vibrant club with lots of different age groups.

"It's one of the few places where there is a mix of people of different ages and from different backgrounds. The atmosphere is really good.

"One of the things I would like us to do is bridge the gap between the youngsters and the club stalwarts. I think that's the same with most sports.

"We have a thriving junior section and then the older members and stalwarts from 35-40 upwards.

"It's the late 20 and early 30s area where we would like to get more people. Maybe we need to promote ourselves a bit better and raise awareness of the club.

"I have lived in Halesowen for 17 years and I had been here five years before I realised there was an athletics club in the town.

"Because it's such an old established club with great facilities, I don't think we have been as outwardly-reaching as we could have been.

"We get local kids in and we want to get local adults in as well."

While Weaver is seeking to increase adult membership, there is an endless supply of young talent on the club's books.

They include the Oliarnyk sisters – 14-year-old pentathlete Iris and sprinter Josie, 16 – sprinter Charles Hilliard and 400m runner Joe Rogers.

Weaver added: "We have a lot of talented youngsters. Joe represented England at under-18 level last year at 400m.

"Charles, Iris and Josie all won medals at the England national indoor championships in Sheffield in February."

Under-15 athlete Tristan Dunn is another promising youngster having been ranked ranked first in the UK last year in both the hammer and shot.

The recent cross country season saw Halesowen's under-17 girls team take the title with Lily Higgins winning the league series.

Halesowen as a whole finished fifth out of the 21 teams that take part across the four age groups.

Weaver said: "We are very pro-active in terms of identifying talent and we also have good links with the local schools.

"We run a Saturday club for youngsters up to the age of 13. They can just come and sample various events without specialising too early. It's a pathway into the club without being competitive.

"If they show any promise then they can go along on a Monday, Tuesday, Wednesday night or whatever and have specialised coaching for the event they are good at.

"We have good coaches here and a wide range of coaches."

But the success is not confined to the youngsters. Alan Smallwood competes in the over-70 race-walking events.

In 1993, he set an all-time record in the over-50s age category in the 3000m (13.06) which still stands today.

Coming down in age, Marc Turner, who now races in the over-40s age category, has been running alongside the best in the UK for a number of years and won a silver medal in the 800m at last year's World Masters.

And Weaver is keen to stress that the club doesn't just cater for people who want to race competitively.

He said: "One of the big things about the club is that you don't have to be a competitive runner.

"We deal with the elite end of athletics, but also welcome the mass participation runners who just want to get fit and don't want to compete.

"We are not an elite club. We have a lot of people who come here to train, but don't compete. And that's absolutely fine.

"Some people might fell it's a bit intimidating to join a club, but it's not. If they take the courage to come down they will be made more than welcome."