British Athletic League Division 3  Reports - 2009

British Athletics League National Three - Abingdon - 6 June 2009

Our first foray into the National League following last season's promotion proved how tough this is going to be.  In this first fixture BAC were seventh out of eight teams.  Having said that, it is worth remembering that, after very good results at the promotion play-off match last year, BAC is not competing in the bottom division of the National League, and the competition was always going to be strong.  We cannot afford, in any league, to lose points through athletes not making themselves aware of the times of their events, as has happened on a couple of occasions.  Click here for BAC results and the final club scores.

 

British Athletics League Div 3 - Bournemouth - 4 July 2009

Last Saturday, BAC was proud to host the third fixture of this season at Kings Park.  The sun shone, the day went smoothly, and hopefully our visitors from as far away as Derby were impressed with the facilities we have here. 

Click here for the BAC results, and final club positions - as can be seen BAC ended the day 5th out of 8 teams.  The full results and league table can be found at www.bal.org.uk, and a glance at this shows that we are also fifth in the league after two matches, with two to go.  We have 6 points, as do the following two teams, Medway & Maidstone AC and Team Southampton, and the difference between us is the match point totals, namely 510 for us, as against 501 and 493 for the two next teams.  This really does emphasize the importance of filling ALL the slots in the team sheet, to ensure that we do not waste a single point, so it is essential that all the athletes who are able to do so compete in the next two fixtures, at Crawley on 1st August, and Derby on 22nd August. 

However, a look at the tables and results for Divisions 2 and 4 puts into perspective how we are doing in the National League.  Remember, it was an outstanding team performance in the promotion match at Abingdon last year which put us in Division 3, rather than Division 4.  If we had been in Division 4 this season, it is clear from their results that we would have doing very well indeed in that Division.  On the other hand, many of the results in Division 2 are not all that far removed from our own, and, should we avoid relegation, which must be our aim, it is clear that the teams relegated from Division 2 are going to find competing with BAC not at all an easy task.  From this, it is clear that, whereas there is no room for complacency, our newly promoted team is very much holding its own in the National League.  So congratulations are due to the team members, their coaches, and Tim Hughes, the Team Manager!

 

British Athletics League National Division 3 - Crawley - 1 August 2009

First of all - CONGRATULATIONS TO MATTHEW FRAMPTON who was Man of the Match for his Hammer Throw of 56.03m!  Wins were also achieved during the day by Nigel Hayman and Richard Reeks.  The team finished 5th out of 8 with 268 points, and is still very much 'in the mix' to stay in this division, which is a considerable achievement.  Click here for BAC results and team positions. It all hangs now on the next match at Derby on 22 August - maximum support required!  League website is www.bal.org.uk.

 

British Athletics League Division 3 - Derby - 22 August 2009

First of all - congratulations to the team on avoiding relegation - although, as the results (click here) show, it was a close run affair!  We now know we have at least two more guaranteed years of competition in the National League, but, of course, the aim will be to build on this season's success, and proceed up the table to security and even promotion.  There were seven points in it between BAC and Medway & Maidstone AC and, as can be seen from the final League standings, had it been the other way round, Medway & Maidstone would have been staying up, not BAC.  Interestingly, the two teams promoted into Division 3, and the two teams relegated, are all relatively local, and we have already been asked if we are prepared to host a fixture next year (which of course we are), so hopefully there won't be too much travelling next season.  On a sad note, we say goodbye to Richard Reeks, who has decided to concentrate his efforts with Crawley AC, which is more local to him.  Richard's contribution to the campaign has been crucial (as can be seen from the results), and we are very grateful to him for all he has done, and wish him every success with his new club.  It may also be appropriate to mention another 'travelling' member of the team, Nigel Hayman, who competed for us under the 'Higher Claim' status, and, again as can be seen from the results, without the points earned by Nigel, we would now be facing relegation.  However, that is not to detract one little bit from the contribution made by every single member of the team, throughout the entire season, each of which was necessary to achieve the final result.  Congratulations and thanks also to the Team Manager, Tim Hughes, and also to Brian Camp, who, in Tim's absence that day on business, managed the team at the deciding last fixture at Derby.