Last Wednesday NOTAN held a Try Athletics Festival to celebrate 100 days to the Olympics and promote the local clubs. Despite the rain trying to turn people away, around 40 people come down, and had lots of fun. Vic the Voltage, CE Electric Mascot, made an appearance encouraging the junior athletes. All of the athletes joined Graham Smith in his 2012 Challenge running around the track and through a course on the roads. Graham is running 2012 miles in 2012 to raise money for the Tony Blair Sports Foundation.

There were lots of activities for the family to enjoy such as a mini tennis game, a big tug of war match, a raffle, food and each of the athletics events. The inflatable pole vault proved a great hit getting the children exited by athletics. It was a great disappointment when this had to stop this due to the rain. It will definitely be something to bring down to the clubs again!

It was great to see a mixture of current and new athletes down at the club. Speaking to parents and the children was great to see their enthusiasm and wanting to join their local club, even enabling the parents to see how great the sport can be and wanting to volunteer their services.

To follow on from this event NOTAN are holding a Quadkids competition series this summer with the first event this Saturday at Churchill Playing Fields, Whitley Bay. Registration will be from 9am with the competition lasting from 9.30am – 11.30am for children between year 3 – year 6. If you would like an entry form please contact Victoria Spence at victoria.spence@notan.org.uk.

A successful day was held by all for the second of the North East Disability Athletics Training Day at Churchill Playing Fields, Whitley Bay. 18 athletes attended the day and they all enjoyed it immensely, developing their skills from the first session. They all show a promising talent to do well in the regional and national competitions coming up this summer.

A special thanks goes out to Anne Craddock, disabled sport specialist in coming down for the day, liaising with the parents and gaining more information on the needs of the athletes. A big thanks also goes to all of the volunteers and coaches who have been helping to make these training sessions a success and enabling the athletes to try events they never thought they could do in addition to developing their skills further.

All athletes were given record cards to keep for them to be able to write down any achievements they have, either through these training sessions and through any competitions they enter. These record cards along with record sheets the coaches will be keeping will be a great way for the athletes to track their development and for the coaches to determine what they need to focus on.

Here is what Ryan Morton; one of the athletes has to say on the day:

“The day was very entertaining and educating, I benefited from many of the techniques used for warm ups in the events I compete in. I enjoyed the many ways that we were shown to practice on any event we wished to compete in; I also liked how we got a chance to try everything, instead of just the things that I would normally train for. Plus it was great to get advice and tips on how to improve my technique from the coaches that were there. On a side note it was great to meet so many other people with disabilities and train with them, I have made a lot of new friends. I am very excited about joining the local Athletics club as I have been looking for somewhere to train and I hope this will help increase my potential as an athlete”.

A camera man from North Tyneside Council also came down for the morning to capture an insight of what we are doing and trying to achieve. A film will be put together soon of different events happening in the area; so keep an eye out!

The next training day will be held on Sunday 13^th May. If you are interested in attending then please contact either Victoria Spence at victoria.spence@notan.org.uk or Karen Lewis Archer at Karen.Lewis-Archer@northtyneside.gov.uk. You can visit www.notan.org.uk for all upcoming events and activities.