The aim of the middle distance squad is to take young potential juniors aged 10 to 14 and give them the skills and knowledge to become top level athletes.

 

This is achieved by providing a structured training plan covering all of the elements required by an endurance athlete.

 

To be able to join the middle distance training squad a number of requirements must be met:

 

 

In exchange for the above, athletes will be provided with regular training sessions following a structured plan (see training). The sessions will be undertaken by fully qualified coaches holding a UK Athletics licence with an enhanced CRB (police) check.

 

Rob is currently a UKA level 2 Development Coach but is expected to graduate to the role of UKA level 3 Endurance Performance Coach within the next few weeks.

Originally from Norfolk, Rob started his athletics career in March 1989 helping team manage one of the Norfolk Schools teams at the National Cross Country Championships. After joining West Norfolk AC a few months later, he started by assisting the Endurance coach (who coached a squad of top county level athletes including Olympian Barbara Parker) and timekeeping at club meetings gaining officials qualifications along the way.  In the early 90’s joined the club committee as road race and cross country secretary a post held for five years, during this time managing the club’s cross country teams and becoming an active member on the committee of the Norfolk and Suffolk cross country league while also taking an active part in the senior men’s team that gained three successive promotions in the Southern League.

Following an 18-month break away from the sport at the end of the 90’s during which a move to the South West took place, Rob started coaching with Bath and Wessex AC for six months before joining Gloucester AC in early 2001 taking on his first major coaching role in setting up a new reception squad from a handful of juniors to a group of over fifty athletes five years later.  Also during this period joined the committee in the membership secretary role. In 2006 he moved roles to take on the vacant position of coaching the junior endurance athletes using the valuable experience gained during his early years of athletics in Norfolk guiding athletes to area and county endurance titles with athletes also gaining high level national rankings in the process.

After 20 years in the sport, Rob still has the ambition, commitment and enthusiasm to guide athletes on to a higher level with a full time career in sport being the ultimate long term goal.