Sheppard’s Flock & Ryan’s Rankings.

A great evening in January when Mike Sheppard and Rob Forman accompanied 8 of our U15s to pick up ‘Junior Team of the Year’ at the Stratford District Community Sports Awards. The coming week will see a much welcomed return to the track for many of us and last night saw some of the senior members resuming their Wednesday night runs in groups of 6. Great fun it was too. In this week's newsletter we've got the latest fascinating report on our dedicated Age Group Leaders. This week it is the turn of Mike Sheppard and the U15s. We say a fond farewell to Liuba Pasa as she returns to her native Italy after gracing us with her presence for the past 2 years and stats wizard Ryan Bakewell comes up with yet another of his hugely informative pieces of work on this year's vShakespeare races. I have no idea how he does it though. Take care. Best Wishes David Jones Mike Sheppard with wife Jenny and daughters Imy and Jess. Following on from the previous informative and interesting articles from our U11's and U13's Age Group Leaders, this week it's the turn of the U15's All of our discrete age groups are key to the gradual development of our young athletes, insofar that as they go through their transitional phase of growth and development between childhood and young adulthood, the coaches have a responsibility to ensure they are “phased” through these early years with a care for their health and wellbeing, as well as developing their skills to get them to be the best they can be The under 15 age group in all sports is recognised as the most vulnerable for “drop outs” with social and school pressures given as the main reasons for giving sport up. However, over the years, SUAAC’s under 15 group has consistently maintained a very healthy cohort that has moved into our older age group. This has largely been down to the coaches past and present who have kept the training environment a fun and enjoyable place to come to and not just for the physical benefits but also to enjoy the social element that we promote….at the appropriate time…and to simply let off steam. Here, Mike Sheppard gives an insight into the way the under 15s are organised with his small but perfectly formed band of volunteer coaches. Paul Bearman U15s: Mike Sheppard Who are you and what is your role in your respective group in the junior section? As Age Group Leader, I plan the Tuesday sessions, coordinate the coaching team and organize the squad for league and sportshall competitions. I also have a thriving side-hustle completing DofE reports. On Thursdays I coach a small group of U15-U20s focusing on the Long Sprints and on Sundays I help Paul Hawkins on the Welcombe Hills. I’ve been an athletics nut all my life. Early inspiration came from watching the peerless Steve Ovett race Henry Rono at Crystal Palace (check it out on…