Advice on setting up Juniors?

[Sarah B]

Our club has just started an informal juniors club with an age range of 6 - 12 year olds, we are meeting up once a week and just have a general run around the fells with the kids. We have had a good start with about 20+ children turning up on a regular basis over the last month. As we are informal it is a condition that the parents have to come along and run so we don't become a free babysitting service!

Having seen how much the kids are enjoying it we are trying to put more structure into the sessions whilst keeping them fun for the various age ranges. We had our first outing out to a fun run/junior run which was very rewarding and the kids are very eager.

Can anyone suggest any suitable coaching courses that I could look at to help us and any ideas as to how we can help them improve by keeping it fun. At the moment we have three routes which we are alternating over a three week cycle so that they are familiar with the route etc and we are also doing one session of speed work/fun games on a local football field.

There is a group of parents who are very committed to continuing the juniors on a long term basis and want to give the best we can to it, but we just need a bit of advice along the way.

Any help much appreciated.

[Lecky]

Sarah

We run a junior section in Broughton, and I've had some input up at Ambleside too.

The FMR Coaching courses will give you some more confidence about what you are doing. Graeme Woodward is the man to talk to about them. His details are on the FRA website.

6-12 is quite a range. Ambleside have that kind of range, we have two groups, 6-9ish and 9ish upwards. The Minis do a range of fun running activities, pretty much at the whim of the coaches on the night, sometimes driven by requests. Short sprinty type games, relays, chasing after frisbees, follow my leader in the woods, running down / or up a local MTB downhill course - all driven by fun and encouraging them to keep running.

With the older group we do a more structured schedule, you can see it at www.broughtonrunners.org.uk. Having this planned means that we don't have to make stuff up on the night.

Recently we split the group and I ran a sprinting group, which was fun. All those on the sprinting group beat their PBs on the time trial, which takes about 5-9 minutes, so running fast is good for you.

There are some examples of sessions on my coaching blog 223coaching.co.uk. Feel free to look, copy or comment.

If you like to talk about things, give me a ring, my number is on the blog under the Services tab.

[Witton Park]

where are you Sarah?

PM your email to me and I'll email a list of all coaching courses in the North which may give you some additional options as the FMR courses don't perhaps come around as often.

[Sarah B]

Thanks so much for both your replies, apologies for my delay in getting back to you - I will PM you both now.

[Duncan R]

Hi Sarah

THis is brilliant news & I'd be delighted, as a junior coodinator, to support you however I can.

Lecky & Richard are both experienced & Knowledgeable coaches who would give some great advice, and there is another thread on the junior forum (Advice on Juniors Champs - Started by Eleanor, 11-01-2012 10:07 PM) along similar lines. Eleanor would be a great person to contact as she has also just set up a junior section, if you PM me & I'll put you in touch.

There is a junior grant also available which shoiuld help with funds in setting up a junior section.

Although it may feel like 'just' juniors, I think it is worth going into it with eyes wide open. We (Helm Hill) had an 'informal' culture but as we grew we had to put more structure in and as runners got older/better we needed more coaches as opposed to session organisers. Gra Woodwards FRA Level 1/Leader in Running Fitness is our basic qualification now for enthusiastic parents to lead groups.

I'd also recommend coming along to Rossendale on the 21st July if you can. There will be many coaches, parents & juniors there from whose brains you can pick. Come to that, next weekend is the final FRA junior champs race at Sedbergh & you'd be most welcome, there are u8 & u10 races. Please introduce yourself (I'll be the one with the starter horn looking hassled!) & we can chat further.

I'm always delighted to hear of a club setting up a new junior section Sarah, its exciting & tremendously rewarding, but it also comes with its challenges, so please do get in touch so I/we can be part of your support network.