Athletic Satellite Centres

Athletics Satellite Centres have been established to reduce the barriers of participation in athletics and make athletics provision accessible to children in areas a significant distance away from East Cheshire Harriers & Tameside Athletics Club which is the only athletic club within Tameside. The schemes of work that are implemented have an emphasis on developing physical literacy and multi skills through fun Sportshall athletics and Long Term Athlete Development.


ECH & TAC Athletics Satellite Club: Fairfield High School  

ECH & TAC Athletics Satellite Club: St Thomas More RC College

ECH & TAC Athletics Satellite Club: Hyde Technology School


Why Are Athletic Satellite Centres Successful Within Tameside? 

  1. The Department for Culture, Media and Sport (DCMS), England Athletics, Sport England, Tameside Sports Development, and East Cheshire Harriers joint funded the Community Athletics Development Coach post to improve the quality of provision of athletics within Tameside.
  2. Community Athletics Development Coach (CADC) appointed April 2005.
  3. Identify target area with local secondary school with sports facilities.
  4. Liaising with the Tameside Athletics Development Group, the Tameside School Sports Partnership and Primary Link Teachers cluster primary schools are targeted and CADC delivers athletics in curriculum time, at after school clubs and deliver athletics events and promotes Athletic Satellite Centre.
  5. Young volunteers assist in the delivery of each session.
  6. Children across the borough from predominantly economically deprived and ethnic minority areas attend Athletic Satellite Centres.
  7. The attendances meet with the national PE, School Sport and Club Links (PESSCL) strategy increasing participant opportunities within and out of school hours.
  8. Athletes are encouraged to attend East Cheshire Harriers & Tameside Athletic Club.
  9. Athletes attend East Cheshire Harriers & Tameside Athletic Club.
  10. A sound school to club link is established.
 

How Do We Know The Athletic Satellite Centres Are Successful? 

The table and graph below show the significant number of attendees and the percentage number of attendees at Athletic Satellite Centres who have made the transition to East Cheshire Harriers & Tameside Athletic Club.

  No. Participants No. Participants Attend E.C.H. % Participants Joined E.C.H
Fairfield (Feb '06 - present) 34 3 8.82
Hyde Tech. (June '05 - present) 46 11 23.91
St Thomas More (June '07 - present) 6 1 16.66
 

Outcomes 

  • Physical literacy has developed in terms of balance, agility and coordination.
  • Improvements of techniques in running throwing and jumping events are identified.
  • Athletes have been motivated by measuring and monitoring personal achievements and also taking part in the Greater Manchester Sportshall Athletics League and Championships.
  • The ethos of fun and personal achievement has promoted a friendly environment with an emphasis on team work and encouraging each other.
  • Sports leaders and coaches are mentored and supported through their Continual Professional Development.
  • Some athletes who have joined East Cheshire Harriers from Satellite Clubs are now competing at club level in various events and some have qualified for the Power of 10 initiative established by uk:athletics.
    • Bethany Bowers U13 Girls 75m 10.2s – Ranked 2nd in the UK, 2nd in the North West.
    • Rose Armitage U13 Girls 75m 10.6s – Ranked 75th in the UK, 15th in the North West.
 

Acknowledgements 

“Thanks Chris, if it wasn’t for the Hyde Tech Satellite Club Bethany wouldn’t be where she is today.”

David Bowers – Bethany Bowers’ father. 

“The employment of the Community Athletics Development Coach liaising with the Tameside Athletics Development Group has enabled the establishment of three Athletic Satellite Centres. This post has significantly increased the provision of athletics and developed sustainable School to Club Links within Tameside.”

Andrew Dwyer – Sports Development Officer, Tameside Sports Development. 

“The Satellite Centres are fun! We take part in loads of fun games and activities that involve running, jumping and throwing. It feels great when I beat a personal best”

Andrew Johnson (aged 12) – Attendee Hyde Satellite Centre

Future Targets 

  • Liaise with P.E. Coordinators within cluster primary schools and arrange to deliver athletics within curriculum time and after school clubs promoting Satellite Centres (Sept.’07)
  • Employ Level 2 or above casual coaches that have come through the scheme to deliver Satellite Centre sessions.
  • Community Athletics Development Coach to develop new schemes of work for casual coaches to deliver.
  • Community Athletics Development Coach to mentor casual coaches.
  • Enter a Tameside Team into the Greater Manchester Sportshall Athletics League / Championships.
  • Establish a fourth Satellite Centre elsewhere within the borough.
  • Continue to provide more opportunities for young people to take part in athletics and promote athletics provisions within Tameside. 

Chris Smith

Community Athletics Development Coach
Tameside Sports Development