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MASTERS ATHLETICS SUMMER 2014.
The imminent retirement of these key Officers opens up a The only acceptable opposition against Masters Competition
great opportunity for you to get involved with England would be if it detracted officials, in whatever capacity, away
Athletics Masters Association. from mainstream Athletics, particularly regarding young
competitors.
Team Managers
We need one male and one female Team Manager to help Between Regional / National Championships, the odd
select, liaise with and accompany the teams to the annual League or Graded meeting the average Master will be lucky
British & Irish Masters International Cross-Country. to compete 3-4 times a YEAR! Hardly detracting officials
Expenses paid. For more information call Kim or Harry on away from requisite priorities.
01207 230677.
Maybe I'm not alone or getting slightly paranoiac myself but I
EAMA Chair feel I've been particularly unlucky with these characters.
The objectives for which the Association was established are On sighting at any competition they seem to hone in like
to encourage, promote and organise Masters Athletics in Radar. Never enquiring about one's current health, present
England. Eight BMAF English Clubs are affiliated. abode or, perhaps, any encounter of contemporaries from
England Athletics Masters Association receives some the dim and distant past. It’s more of a wide eyed. Red-
funding from England Athletics. faced, blood pressure off the clock aggressive approach.
EAMA organise some of the most popular events, i.e. The Q "What the hell are you doing here? At YOUR age!"
Inter-Club Indoor Challenge and the Inter-Area Track & Field, A "Competing"
selects the England Teams for the annual British & Irish Q "Will you NEVER learn?"
Masters International Cross-Country and hosts this A "Learn what?"
International event once every 5 years. Q "Just what are you trying to prove?"
A "Nothing"
As Chairperson you will chair two Committee meetings per Q "Can you never leave your past in the past?"
year, plus a Selection Meeting. A "Yes, but this is the present"
Q Do you realise the risk of serious injury at your age.
The current Committee consists of Chair, Vice-Chair, Hon. A "Half the British team are currently crocked"
Secretary, Hon. Treasurer, Cross-Country, Road Running, Q "Admit it, you are just after an easy medal"
Race Walking and Track & Field Secretaries. A "No medal is easy"
If leading a remarkably successful Association appeals to
your entrepreneurial instinct, then contact Irene on 0121 445 It does not take a genius to work out that, of course, one has
5327. greater opportunity of success in Masters' Athletics.
IN DEFENCE OF MASTERS A mainstream Athlete will have a career of say seven years.
ROBIN SYKES A Master could have 50. Don't they deserve a medal after
that time! The sad fact has also to be accepted that when
Recent statistics would indicate that participation in one reaches the 'upper-age group echelons' it is often a case
Masters' Sport is on the increase. of no longer outperforming the opposition but simply
OUTLIVING them!
This is encouraging news not only for the Federation itself
and its participants but also, indirectly, for many GPs across No matter what age STANDARDS still have to be met, often
the country who will be largely quite unaware of such at quite stringent levels. Many a Master has been denied a
figures. Medal by 5 centimetres in the Long Jump and 2 seconds in
the 5000 metres.
Not everyone, however, is enamoured with this situation.
There are quite a number of officials and coaches who are A lot of these 'agitated againsters' seem to overlook this.
openly against any form of Masters' participation. They The absurd level to which some will drop was, brought home
simply state their opposition and leave it like that. to me with a real 'classic' when I was unbelievably
That's fine, none of us needs nor seeks an explanation. confronted with lack of dignity or self-respect for running
against 'a bunch of old men' in a 60 metres Indoor
There is nevertheless, a small hard core who seem to have Championships some years ago (I just couldn't be bothered
reached a level of almost paranoia in their opposition. Pointing out that I was actually the OLDEST competitor in
the race! Still. ..... I suppose I should have been flattered that
he thought they LOOKED so much older!) Don't know what it
is about these guys must be their AGE.
To-day I get the impression (admittedly a personal one) that
a lot of the FUN has gone out of the sport particularly at
younger level (and this is not the rose-tinted glasses of the
halcyon days of yore) On the very, very rare occasions I see
a Club or a group of youngsters with their Coaches they all
seem to be walking about with toothache. Sport is a serious
business, of course, but I don't remember any rules
Preventing laughing. Masters' events, for me, always seem
to have a pleasant ATMOSPHERE where Athletes AND
Officials generally inter-relate congenially on and off the
track.
Finally--to the last stride. Irrespective of anyone's views
Master athletes train and participate for one reason ...they
ENJOY it!
Isn't that the basic essential ingredient for ANY sport?
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