(Photo above of one of the Harrier's Hon Life Members Elise Thorner competing at the UKA Track & Field Senior Athletes Championships 2022 - leading in the Steeplechase, wearing her Yeovil Olympiads top) 

LATEST TEAM NEWS (last updated by Paul in November 2023)

Club Track & Field awards 2023

Congratulations to all of the nominees and winners of the annual Track & field awards as made at the event held in early November at Yeovil Rugby Club by our partner Club Yeovil Olympiads. The attached list indicates all nominees and highlights the contribution made by Wells City Harriers.

 NOTE: If aged 11 and upwards you should ensure you have paid your England Athletics registration fee (currently £17 from 1st April 2023) in advance of entering any event, as well as your Club Membership fee. (£20 seniors/£10 juniors). See Membership tab. 

Priority on coaching at Harrier junior sessions to those who are competing for the team. Yeovil members compete fist claim for the Harriers at Cross Country and road events; Harrier members compete first claim as Yeovil Olympiads at Track & Field. (When entering a track event please enter your Club as YOAC)

Parents: Uncertain of the age group for your youngster at the various events? Check here  

INFORMATION ABOUT THE TRACK & FIELD SEASON April to September

(Note: Harriers compete as Yeovil Olympiads on any entry forms & at team events should wear the orange vest of YOAC)

Competing for the joint team with Yeovil Olympiads at the South West League (all age groups) or the National league (u17s upwards) - please see all Team information and contacts on the Yeovil Olympiad website and let team managers know of your availability to compete well in advance. Yeovil Olympiads Athletic Club - Home 

IMPORTANT: See below for how the SW League works and the role of the Club and the role of the athlete/parent

South of England AA Championships - Prospectus and all details for the various age group Championships are here (click on link) - different deadlines for the different age groups

South West Inter Counties Championships will take place on Sunday 30th July at Exeter. Online entries now open - check the Standards to see if you are close enough or good enough to compete! Entry information here.

TEAM MANAGEMENT

All performances at official/licenced events will appear on the 'power of ten' website. Power of 10 (thepowerof10.info)

At Track & Field we compete as part of the joint team with Yeovil Olympiads. Their website will be the best to check for Track & Field League dates & contact details for the various age group team managers. We encourage all our track & field members to make themselves available at least once a month. If you attend a T&F event please send in a report for the web.

National Athletics League - for Senior athletes & u17 athletes - Congratulations to the team on their winning the Division One and gaining promotion for 2023. See final fixture report here.

South West Athletics League - for all age groups, u13s up to seniors - the team finished 2nd in 2022 behind Wimborne AC but ahead of the other 11 Clubs. Well done all. 

Wear the Orange vest at these Track & field matches (YOAC vest) - buy or borrow on the day. £5 off for Monday juniors by re-claiming from Monday coaches.

SW LEAGUE website for full programme

Somerset County Schools AA. Check out the Schools website for latest information here. Progression to SW Schools & English Schools if good enough. School Year 8 & above for County Schools & SW/English  Schools; but there is sometimes a standalone Year7 & 8 Schools Championships too.

Yeovil Open Meetings; traditionally Yeovil host an Open Meeting over Easter and also at the end of the season in September - see the Yeovil website for details and entry deadlines. Other Open meetings are also now being held in Summer 2023 on the last Thursday of every month - great opportunity to get some good times/marks for all age u11 through to seniors.

REPORTS FROM THIS 2023 SEASON WHERE AVAILABLE: 

Somerset County AA Championships was held on Saturday & Sunday 13th/14th May - Please see web report by clicking link here  - Well done to all who took part & our thanks to the County AA Secretary David Cooke & theOfficials. 

Also, in early June there was some excellent running and many pbs at the  British Milers Club junior pb event for middle distance runners. Report & photos here. 

KEY POINTS FOR THOSE NEW TO TRACK & FIELD – HOW THE SOUTH WEST ATHLETICS LEAGUE WORKS

• The South West League is the only League solely for clubs from the South West.
• In 2022 it operated as one division with 13 Clubs represented
• There are just four Sunday meets each year, held between late April and early September; and sometimes 1 Cup Meet usually held in the middle.
• The venue is usually at the track in Exeter 
• The league caters for male and female athletes in the following age groups: U13, U15: U17; U20 (men only) and Senior Men & Women.
• The events on offer for each age group change slightly from the A and B programmes which are alternated between fixtures.
• Two athletes compete in each event for each age group – A and B string plus up to 2 guests are allowed per event.  U17W and U20M only A string.
• Points are scored in the A string as follows: 13 for a win, 12 for second, 11 for third etc.  B string is 12 for a win, 11 for second etc.  No points for guests. 
• NOTE: If an A string athlete has to withdraw for any reason, the B string competitor must move up to take his/her place in order to score. I.e. the B string performance will only count if an A string has also competed.
• Teams are also awarded extra points for providing the required number of qualified officials, and are expected to officiate events as per a programme. Results are calculated per age group but it is the overall total which counts.  Cups are awarded to the winning age group/club on an annual basis 

THE ROLE OF THE CLUB

• Dates of fixtures are advertised from March at training and on the YOAC & Harrier web site.  The Yeovil Olympiads website should carry the latest info but all made available to us at Wells Harriers will also go on the Harrier website.
• Coaches at the Harriers Monday session will remind juniors in the run up to each fixture, and athletes will be encouraged to make themselves available and to contact team managers 
• All athletes who are old enough to compete are encouraged to do so, either as scoring athletes or guests.  The League is the perfect opportunity for beginners to compete for the first time. 
• Athletes are asked for confirmation of their availability and various phone calls/e-mails are made by the team managers to chase up athletes in the week before the competition. 
• Team managers then select events for athletes – sometimes this has to be changed on the day because of last minute withdrawals. 
• Depending upon the venue and numbers we also try to help out with transport, arrange lifts. YOAC often put a coach or minibus on if needed.
• On the day we aim to get to the venue 45 minutes before the first event.
• Letters and pins are given out on the day. Generally Y is for A string, YY for B string. Guests wear numbers; but note some variation in numbering where U20's compete with Seniors.
• The club has to provide a number of officials for different events throughout the day and once a year Yeovil host a fixture which means we need even more helpers from amongst parents.

THE ROLE OF THE ATHLETE

• To make a commitment to compete for the club in all team fixtures where possible.
• To contact the team manager for your age group to confirm your availability for selection at least by the Wednesday before the competition. PLEASE REMEMBER IT’S JUST ONE PHONE CALL/E-Mail FOR YOU TO MAKE BUT SEVERAL FOR THE TEAM MANAGER – TRY TO CONTACT the manager before they have to contact you.
• To show a willingness to compete in events other than your best or favourite
• Sometimes we might have four athletes all wanting to run the 100 metres in the same age group. The manager's job is to put out the strongest team and with only two scoring places available per event you may be asked to do a different event or stand in at the last minute if someone injures themselves on the day.
• To turn up to the competition and to your events in good time, and stay to the end of the competition for the RELAYS