Track and field teams Summer 2008

The track and field season runs from April through to September each year. The club provides competition for athletes of all ages and standards through its teams which are entered in a variety of national, regional and local league competitions. In addition there are various Open meetings (not team competitions) which are typically advertised in  (Athletics Weekly)  magazine or on club notice-boards at Hornchurch or Mayesbrook. Athletes can also enter Essex, South of England, East of England or National (AAA) Championships, where necessary subject to reaching qualifying standards. 

The club has set series of aims that we want our teams to achieve - click here for details.

A brief explanation of our track and field teams and the leagues they compete in is set out below. All leagues are made up of teams with two athletes (A & B strings) in each event, with a full events programme:

  • Men's Southern League (Division 1) This senior men's competition comprises twenty five teams who compete against each other in six fixtures during the summer.  Havering Mayesbrook's team will again be competing in Division 1 in Summer 2008, and seeking to regain a place in the British Athletics League from which we were relegated in 2003. The top club at the end of the season qualifies for BAL Promotion match. Usually five clubs drop back to Division 2. Team Manager: Peter Estcourt

  • Men's Southern League (Division 3 North) There is a second senior men's team competing in the Third Division (North) of the Southern League which acts as a stepping stone to provide competition for athletes not yet in the BAL team. There are 16 clubs who meet each other once in five fixtures through the season, with the top and bottom teams usually going up or down. Team Manager: Kevin White
  • UK Women's League (Division 2) This is the club's sixth season in this National League which provides competition for Senior & Junior Ladies only, having been promoted from Division 3 & 4 in successive seasons. The competition structure and promotion/relegation arrangements involves eight clubs who compete against each other in three fixtures during the summer. The opposition in summer 2008 will be: Belgrave, Cardiff, City of Glasgow, Liverpool Harriers, Milton Keynes, Swansea & Team Southampton. Team Manager: Tony Benton

  • Women's Southern League (Seniors Division 2) This League provides competition for Senior & Junior Ladies only, and (at present) also hurdles events for under 17s. The competition structure and promotion/relegation arrangements are similar to the Men's Southern League with 25 clubs facing each other during the season on five fixture dates. After retaining our Division 1 status last summer under the Seionrs/U15s format it was decided to join the new Senior only division for summer 2008.  Team Manager: Steve Christmas
  • National Junior Athletics League - (Thames Division) The NJAL format was revised from summer 2006 to comprise mixed teams of men & women with joint scoring. Under separate sex scoring HMAC ladies team reached the National Final four times in four year, with a best finish of second in 2004. However the joint team were relegated from the Southern Premier Division in 2006 & in summer 2008 compete in the Thames Division where our opponents are Bedford/Biggleswade (composite),, City of Norwich, Herts Phoenix, Team Saxons (Chelmsford & Ipswich composite), and Team Cobra (Colchester & Tendring, Colchester Harriers & Braintree composite). There are four league fixtures . Team Managers: Len Swain (men) & Tony Benton (Women)

  • National Young Athletes League (Southern Premier) The structure of the National YAL is a combined league comprising mixed teams covering the U13, U15 and U17 age groups. We are in the Southern Premier Division, with 15 other teams competing in five fixtures. The HMAC team face three different opponents in each match, meeting each team once over the season. The top teams in the division qualify for the end of season National finals. Team Managers: Karen Knight, Gary O'Neill, John Nelson & Derek Earney

  • Eastern Young Athletes League This regional league brings together boys and girls from clubs all around East Anglia in five fixtures throughout the summer. With non-scoring events running alongside the scoring events there are opportunities for athletes of all standards to compete and stake a place in the team. The top six teams in the Division compete in the end of season Trophy Final. Team Managers: Team Managers: Karen Knight, Gary O'Neill, John Nelson & Derek Earney

 

For details of summer fixtures (& link to reports & results) click here.  

Standards for competition

Young athletes (Under 17 age group and younger) can obtain certificates and badges if they obtain certain standards, the top grade being roughly equivalent to the top 20 or 30 in each event. For details of these standards and the qualifying standards for the English Schools Championships click here. 

Athletics Weekly magazine also set standards for publication, which are used to set minimum standards before which results are printed in the magazine.

  

Cross Country and Road Race teams

From October throughout the winter the club takes part in the Essex Cross Country League which offers competition for runners of all standards from 11 year olds to veterans. The club also enters teams in various road races and relays and county, regional and national championships. For the club winter fixtures click here