Run Fit and Hartlepool Youth Athletics Club major winners at the Hartlepool Sports Council Awards

Burn Road Harriers, the bastion of the sport in the town, continue to clock up the miles over all terrains, whether it’s a road race, cross country or a fell run.

And two relatively new and flourishing Hartlepool organisations are turning out great numbers on a weekly basis too.

Run Fit and Hartlepool Youth Athletics Club were major winners at an awards ceremony this week.

Hartlepool Youth Athletics were named Club of the Year at the Hartlepool Sports Council function at Seaton Carew Sports & Social Club.

John Spence, the brainchild of the club collected the trophy at Hornby Park on behalf of the team which has grown enormously in the last four years.

From it’s humble beginnings of 48 Primary School-aged athletes - and a mammoth waiting list in 2014 - HYAC caters for over 160 children every week in the sessions at their base at English Martyrs School & Sixth Form College.

“We’re up to around 160 children now,” said the head coach.

“We started off between 40 and 50, but it’s gone through the roof.

“We have brought more coaches in and we’re now competing at events and getting recognised.

“The great thing for the club is that we’re now receiving recognition.

“We are getting invitations to compete in championships.

“We had a winner in the Rising Stars section of the awards, Scott Temple, who has performed to a very high standard in competition and is an athlete to watch out for.”

Hartlepool Youth Athletics is providing not only a platform to compete but also for those who simply enjoy the exercise and participation.

HYA splits their sessions into school-year age groups and coaches athletics in all the various disciplines, running, jumping and throwing.

“We have a few sets of athletes,” added the 29-year-old.

“We have people who come down and really want to compete in the sport, which is fantastic.

“And we have those who come down more for the social side.

“Athletics is quite a unique sport.

“It is pretty much an individual thing rather than a team sport.

“Some people are not always drawn to team games and athletics is a great sport.

“You compete individually but you are still part of a club.

“Then you might have children coming down who use athletics to complement their other sporting activities, like football and rugby and that’s good too.

“There are a lot of different types of people come down and we’re open to everyone.

“Anyone who wants to try it can go to our website www.hartlepoolathletics.com or find us on social media.”