The club is grateful once again to the Royal Bank of Scotland for their generous donation of £250. Alan Potts, an employee of the bank, recently passed the cheque over to an ever grateful committee. A similar sum was given last year and makes that small difference, such as allowing buses to be subsidised, new kit to be bought etc.  Let's be thankful Alan doesn't work for Northern Rock...

 

 

Tickets are now on sale for the awards dance on Friday 5th October at £5 per head. The venue this year is the Ballerup Hall. The dance serves as the club's major fundraiser and the funds help subsidise transport to league competitions, costs of club kit etc. The club championship prizes will be presented as well as the following awards:-

 

Young male and female athletes of the year

Senior male and female athletes of the year

Endeavour award

Athlete's athlete of the year- votes can still be cast for this. Ask at training for a voting form

 

The dance is also one of the best club events of the year and should not be missed.

 

On that note, prizes are being accepted for the raffle. Donations so far include a tour of Ibrox Stadium for 4, £50 voucher for Achilles Heel,   Tunnocks Caramel wafers, vouchers for East Kilbride Shopping Centre, two bottles of wine, a bottle of Cava and 4 bottles of whisky. Rumour has it tickets for Scotland v Italy at Hampden may also materialise.

 

Donations can be given either to Euan McMurtrie at a training night or brought along on the night. More prizes, greater chance of winning and more funds raised.

 

 

Congratulations to Craig McEwan who has earned a Scotland call up for a combined events championship in Stoke in September. Considering Craig competes in the decathlon which involves becoming proficient in no fewer than 10 events, this is an excellent achievement.

 

Craig is the third club member to debut for their country this year following Marie Claire Martin and Nicky McMurtrie's selections for the Celtic Games. He also joins older brother Ian, Billy McGill, David Robertson, Laura McCord and Julie Whyteside who have obtained Scotland vests in the last couple of years.

 

 

 

Whitemoss has had to say goodbye to too many people recently who have stepped down from competitive, committee or coaching duties. A matter of days ago, we bade farewell to another.

 

A good friend of mine, Alan Potts is someone who can certainly lay claim to serving the club from its earliest days. His two periods of membership span 14 years. He was an athlete in the Whitemoss team that won promotion from Division 5 of the Scottish and North West League in the early 1990s and competed for the club through the age groups and the divisions until we reached CSSAL Division One in 2000. During that time, he proved to be an able sprinter and field eventer (maybe it's why I moved up the distances, to get a run) and picked up some club championship medals along the way. If you ask him, he will no doubt tell you about his claim to fame when he beat Alan Scott at long jump in a league meeting. What he may not mention that his namesake recorded three no jumps! In 2000, he suffered the health scare of a collapsed lung from which he thankfuly recovered and was named Athlete's Athlete of the Year a few months later.

 

Alan took a back seat from athletics that year with recurring knee problems also affecting his ability to compete. Nevertheless, he couldn't keep away and in 2004 returned to the club as a coach. His laid back approach and quick witted  nature has no doubt made many an athletes' training sessions that bit more bearable.

 

Alan's departure was low key, announced only to a smattering of committee members and coaches. I'm sure everyone is extremely grateful to Alan for his services to Whitemoss. May I suggest he is rewarded at a suitable occasion, the club dance perhaps?

  

Above: Alan Potts

 

 

 

Glasgow based club Shettleston Harriers have recently announced details of two open graded events being hosted by them. These are on consecutive Tuesday evenings, 21st and 28th August at Crownpoint Stadium in Glasgow's East End. Information, in PDF format can be accessed here.

 

 

 

Very well done to under 15s  Nicky McMurtrie and Marie Claire Martin who have earned Scotland call ups for the Celtic Games in Belfast next weekend. Website regulars will have followed both girls progress during this summer. Among Marie Claire's achievements have been golds in the West District 200m and at the Scottish Schools Championships at the same event. Nicky meanwhile has reaped the rewards of multi event training with multiple medal successes in throwing events. The West District reaped two golds and a silver while the schools event brought a triple gold haul.

 

Both athletes follow in the footsteps of Billy McGill and former member Erin Leggate who have competed in this competition in previous years. Given Erin found herself competing in the high jump at the World Championship trials this weekend, who knows what the future holds?

 

A mention also to honorary member Alan Scott who was runner up in the 110m hurdles at the trials as he continues his efforts for a place on the plane to Japan.

 

 

Congratulations to George Dingwall and Anne McEwan who were crowned Scottish champions at the recent Scottish Masters Track and Field Championships. George's gold came in the over 35s javelin. His wnning throw was over 9m clear of his nearest rival. Anne meanwhile claimed first prize in the over 50s 100m. Their winning efforts, plus results from the Combined Events Championships on the same weekend are now on the Results page of the website.

 

Well done also to David Robertson who ventured to a part of the world close to my heart, Gothenburg in Sweden for a track championships. He cleared 4m for the first time in the pole vault with 4.02m on the Saturday and followed it up with an excellent 4.15m clearance the following day. He is now on his holidays basking in his success as far as I am aware.

 

 

 

This competition is in its second year and, while it takes place at one of my least favourite venues (Grangemouth), is a high quality team competition between Scotland, Ireland and Wales. Adding to this year's attraction are guest appearances by Australian distance runner Craig Mottram and UK stars Jason Gardener, Jessica Ennis and Sonia O' Sullivan.

 

The reason I'm flagging this up is the fact Scottish Athletics members are entitled to up to 4 free tickets. But for work, I would certainly be there. So for a chance to see some top stars in the flesh during the school holidays, click here for further information.