Central and South of Scotland League Division One Match Three
East Kilbride, 5th August 2007 Back to Results
I'll begin this feature with a little statistic. The last time our club enjoyed a league fixture on its home track was my 13th birthday, 15th September 1996 when we contested Division 4 of what was then the Scottish and North West League.There were 5 divisions then and the bottom tier met at the same venue. On that day, I won the under 13 boys B string 200m, ran an 800m and contested the long jump. Race victories for me are collectors items so I tend to remember them. In 2007, following an absence of 11 years, league action returned to the John Wright track. After an afternoon with the most horrendous weather, it may be another decade before we get a meeting again.
Whitemoss were convening with Giffnock North and we were determined to make a positive impression on our league rivals. Various individuals could be found preparing beforehand. We were running a tuck shop and also serving hot food and drink which was appropriate on this particular day. Anne Marie McCord, Cathy Robertson, David Robertson and Lorna Sankey were all involved with that. The rolls and sausage and toasties were an innovative idea. Lorna also did some announcing and one cruel observer queried whether she really needed the microphone utilised.
Convening means responsibility for collating results and working out the final scores falls on you. On a summers day, this consigns some unfortunate individuals to a portacabin for the day while everyone else work on their tans. On this occasion, rounding up results was the in thing and Angela Mitchell and Sandra McIvor were the ones more than content to keep warm and dry as the relentless downpour continued. Euan McMurtrie, Steven Whyteside and Stuart McCord wrestled with setting up a shelter for the track judges to hide under where possible, not that it made an awful lot of difference to the soakings suffered.
Problems with getting the declaration sheets in from some less than enthusiastic teams being resolved, the track programme began with the seniors 3000m which was the extent of my competitive involvement. A stroll compared to the middle distance pentathlons I've tackled in the Mens League. The rain saw my numbers totally disintegrate. Being 4th A string (6th overall from 17 runners) got 5 points on the board though we lost out by having no B runnner nor anyone to fill the veterans position. Not to worry. Following a 10 minute warm down and shower, I took up my track judge position.
One drawback with the John Wright stadium is the standard of field facilities. For example, there is no pole vault. The field events were continuing apace but the continuing driving rain lead to the decision that high jump would be too dangerous. Indeed, one of our under 17s, Lynsey Ferguson, had an accident when competing. Rachel Grant (senior women, 4th A), Ryan Grant (under 17 men, 2nd A) and John Robertson (under 17 men, 3rd B) did manage to compete before the event was duly abandoned. Notable field performances came from Lauren McSkimming (under 11 girls long jump, 4th A), Alison Stewart (under 11 girls long jump, 3rd B), Elena McKinlay (under 13 girls shot putt, 4th A), Rebecca Montgomery (under 13 girls shot putt, 3rd B), Rachel Mitchell (under 15 girls shot putt, 4th A) and Ainsley Douglas (under 15 girls shot putt, 2nd B). In the men's events, Ryan Grant won the under 17 discus with John Robertson taking 3rd in the B string. We took a clean sweep with the mens javelin, the two winners being Gary Mackay who has transformed himself from a middle distance athlete into a power thrower and Craig McEwan. Other good performances came from Jack McGregor (under 13 boys javelin, 4th A), Fraser Reid (under 13 boys javelin, 3rd B, Stuart Jamieson (under 17 men javelin, 3rd A) and Gary Mooney (under 17 men javelin, 1st B).
A positive however is the standard of the track which was ripped up and relaid in 2005. The drainage is first class as not one puddle of water formed all day. After the 100m, which I largely missed warming down and showering, we had 400m then under 11s 80m races. In the 400m, there were good performances from Julie Whyteside (senior women, 4th A), Stacey Grant (senior women, 2nd B), Stuart Jamieson (under 17 men, 4th A), Gary Mooney (under 17 men, 4th B) and Craig McEwan (senior men, 5th A). We had a first and a second in the senior men 100m courtesy of Ian McEwan junior and Billy McGill while the veterans race saw Ian McEwan senior as 4th A string and Keith Stoddart being 3rd B runner. Competitors in the 80m were Lauren McSkimming (4th A) and Sarah MacDonald (2nd B), Alisdair Stewart (3rd B) and Fraser MacDonald who ran very well to win the A race.
There then followed a series of 200m races from under 11s through to seniors then the final individual track event, 800m. The team managers had convened briefly to discuss whether to see the meeting to its conclusion and despite, some dissent, the majority favoured continuing. I've started so I'll finish as someone used to say! Good 200m showings came from Rachel Connelly (under 13 girls, 2nd B), Lynsey Greenfield (under 15 girls, 4th A), Ian McEwan junior (senior men, 1st A) and Scott Davidson (senior men 200m, 4th B) who was competing considerably under distance from his usual 800m and 1500m specialities. In the under 11s 800m, Nicola Sankie was 4th A and Craig Mooney and Calum Walker gave excellent showings, finishing as 3rd A and 2nd B respectively. Also battling hard were Kirsty Jamieson (under 13 girls, 5th A), Rachel Connelly (under 13 girls, 4th B), Lauren Mooney (under 15 girls, 5th A), Katie Murphy (under 15 girls, 6th B), Rachel Barlas (under 17 women, 4th A), Julie Whyteside (senior women, 6th A), Craig Whyteside (under 13 boys, 7th A), Nicholas Phillips (under 13 boys, 2nd B), Ross McCord (under 15 boys, 6th A), Gary Mooney (under 17 men, 6th A), Stuart McCord (veteran men, 6th A) and Richard Douglas (veteran men, 5th B).
The relays tend to be the events that boost our league position. We fielded teams in most age groups to bring a wet afternoon's competition to a close. The club were 5th on the day and 5th over the three competitions which means remaining in Division One in 2008. Weather conditions were the most miserable I could remember since a Sunday afternoon at Grangemouth in 1997 when I was under 15. That was Division 3 of the Scottish and North West League and I can recall on that occasion simply willing the competition to be postponed. I do not blame anyone who thought the same way here. The tradition of soaking the team manager wasn't really necessary.
Overall, this is a fair result from a difficult year for Whitemoss when the club has been battling to stem a growing shortage of helpers and coaches. The club is thankful to everyone who was simply there on this day, be it competing, officiating, catering, collating results or supporting the athletes. It was a most difficult day but one, on reflection, you are glad to have contributed to. Well done one and all.