Selection Policy
This varies according to the ratio of available athletes to spaces and from league to league.
Where there are more athletes than spaces available (this is the usual situation) then the team manager will have to select which athletes to use. Usually this will be based on ability taking into account seasons best and recent form.
Where there is room for every available athlete the team manager will attempt to give everyone a space with priority to given to the more able athletes.
Where there are more spaces than athletes available the team manager will attempt to get as many athletes out as possible and fill the team as best they can. Athletes may be asked to do events they would not normally do to ensure the team can maximise their score.
Some leagues have a different policy. JSB Plumbing league aims to give athletes not selected for the other leagues the opportunity to compete. Indoor league and cross country leagues allow every available athlete to take part as much as possible.
Athletes selected for leagues will be informed of selection by the team managers. Athletes should confirm availability immediately and also must inform team managers immediately if they are no longer able to compete. This is to allow the team manager to find a replacement or rearrange the team.Sometimes the team manager may check availability in advance of selecting the team. In this case the team manager will confirm later who has been selected and confirming availability does not necessarily mean you are selected.
General points for league matches.
Athletes should arrive at least an hour before their first event and report to the team manager. They should reconfirm what events they are to do as this may have changed due to late withdrawals. Many league events finish with sprint relays which require 4 athletes. Athletes should not leave before the relay unless they have confirmation that they are not needed.
Mens League:
4 matches a year, covering the full range of Olympic events up to 10,000m with 2 athletes per event.
Usually Sundays from April to August.
Senior age group only.
Under 20s compete using senior implements where applicable.
Under 17s can compete in the in the jumps events and relays (no standard required) and track events (if they have reached a qualifying standard)
Central AC compete in division 1 and have won 3 consecutive league titles from 2010-2012.
Womens League:
3 matches a year
Reasonably full range of events.
Unlike the mens league there are age group events for the girls as well for U13,U15,U17 & Seniors.
The club competes as a composite Forth Valley Team with Falkirk Victoria Harriers and other clubs.
All other leagues apply to both male and female competitors.
National Junior League
This is a UK wide league in which the club competes as part of Team Forth Valley in the Northern Premier Division.
Under 20 & Under 17 age group.
4 matches a year from April to August with venues as far afield as Edinburgh, Glasgow, Newcastle, Liverpool and Manchester.
This has a full range of events – for matches in England there is an overnight stay required so there is a contribution required towards travel and accommodation.
Young Athletes League
3 matches a year from May to July + final in August if the club qualifies.
Reasonably full range of events with 2 athletes per event from under 13 to under 17.
Central AC compete in division 1.
*At time of writing the format for the 2013 season was still to be decided with the status of under 17s unclear.
Forth Valley (JSB Plumbing) League
3 matches a year from April to July + Presidents Select match in September.
Age groups U15, U13 & U11.
Selection policy for U13 & U15 athletes in this league is to give priority to athletes who are not selected for other leagues. This is to give more athletes the opportunity to compete and avoid over competing our better athletes.
Indoor League
3 matches from November to February + final & relays in March.
This takes place at the Emirates Arena in Glasgow over the winter for all age groups from U11 to U20.
Unlike other leagues the club can enter extra teams to allow the majority of available athletes to compete. The top teams are selected out of the clubs more experienced athletes and for other teams we encourage everybody to come forward and take part. This makes the league the ideal starting place for new athletes to represent the club without any pressure on them.
Note that age groups are as for the following summer (see above).
Open Graded meetings
Athletes can turn up and enter these on the day. Grangemouth Stadium normally hold these on the first Wednesday every month from May to September and indoors from December to March and provide a great opportunity to gain competition experience or set a new personal best.
For those looking for more competition there are other open graded events in Edinburgh and Glasgow. These will be advertised on the Scottish Athletics fixture list.
Championships
Championships are the main focus of the more able athletes season.
Scottish Championships
Scottish athletics hold the following championships every year:
Scottish Senior championships (outdoor varies between June & August, indoor February)
Scottish age group championships (Under 14/16/18/20, outdoor mid-late August, indoor early March)
Scottish Combined events championships (Under 14 to Seniors, outdoor date varies, indoor February)
Scottish District championships (outdoor only in mid May)
Scottish Indoor Open event (January, more an open graded than a championship but worth doing)
Any athlete who is good enough should be taking part.
These events use the IAAF age groups based on year of birth, see earlier.
It is the responsibility of the athlete to enter themselves for these events. Entries generally close 2-3 weeks before the event. Entries can be done by phone to Scottish athletics or online by going into the Scottish athletics website, finding the event on the fixture list and clicking on apply online.
Scottish Schools Championships
The Scottish Schools (SSAA) athletics association organises the following championships.
Scottish Schools indoor championships (usually a Thursday in February)
Scottish Schools pentathlon and relay championships (1st Saturday in June)
Scottish Schools championships (2nd Friday and Saturday in June)
The Scottish Schools website is very good at giving information on these.
Only your school can enter you for these. Speak to your PE department. The championships have qualifying standards. For the indoor championships the qualifying standards should be achieved by all those entering. The outdoor championship qualifying standards are unrealistic in my opinion. An athlete who is high enough ranked should be allowed to take part.
The club has started sending lists of athletes who have qualified to all the schools which should assist with getting athletes entered.
UK Championships
These are for the very best athletes to test themselves against the rest of the UK. The senior championships double up as the trials for either Olympics, World or European Championships.
Age group championships are run by England Athletics so are officially called the England championships but they are open to anyone from throughout the UK so are effectively UK championships. Details on these can be found on the England athletics website.
England Athletics run:
U20/U23 championships (June)
U20/Senior combined events championships (June)
U15/U17 championships (August)
U15/U17 combined events championships (August)
U20/U17/U15 Indoor championships (February)
U20/ Senior indoor Combined events championships (January)
U15/U17 indoor combined events championships (February or March)
A contribution towards funding for travel to these events is available from the Club and the Forth Valley Athletics Partnership.
Representative Matches
Scottish Internationals
Celtic Games
Scotland v Wales v Rep Ireland v N.Ireland
Held early August
Individual events, 1 per event
Under 16 & Under 18 on IAAF age groups
Home Countries Combined Events International
Scotland v England v Wales v Rep Ireland v N.Ireland
Held August or September
Seniors to U17s.
Decathlon for men, Heptathlon for Women
Loughborough Match
Scotland v Wales v GB U20 v Loughborough
Seniors only
Individual events, 1 per event
Schools Internationals
These are both Scotland v England v Wales v Ireland
An individual event international is held in mid July for under 17’s. 2 per event for a full range of events.
An indoor pentathlon international is held early December. Scotland host this every year. From 2012 this is at the Emirates Arena, Glasgow. 4 boys & 4 girls per age group. Under 18 & Under 16. Under 18/16 is under 17/15 from the outdoor season just past.
Schools Inter Area Match
This is an under 15 match between all the different areas held on a Thursday in late June at Grangemouth. 2 per event. Your team is determined by where you go to school. Most Central AC athletes will be in the Forth Valley schools area but some will be in the Fife & Tayside area.
Elite Age Group Championships
These are for the elite within their age groups.
World Youth Championships, held every 2 years in odd years, Youth = Under 18.
Commonwealth Youth Games, held every 4 years, Youth = Under 19.
World/ European Junior championships, alternates between each so there is one every year. Junior = Under 20.
European Under 23 championships (every 2 years)
See UK Athletics website for qualifying standards and criteria.
Elite Senior Championships
European Championships (every 2 years in even years)
Commonwealth Games (every 4 years in between Olympics)
World championships (every 2 years in odd years)
Olympic Games (every 4 years)
Central AC has had several athletes at Commonwealth Games over the years but have yet to have an Olympian.
Cross Country
OCTOBER-MARCH
These are often mass participation events with perhaps 50 runners in each age group and often over 200 in senior races.
East District Cross Country RelaysSenior – U13s
National Cross Country RelaysVet/Senior – U13s
East District Cross Country LeagueVet/Senior – U13s
East District Cross Country ChampionshipsVet/Senior – U13s
Inter District Cross Country ChampionshipsSelection by District Committee
Please note that to take part in regional and national events you MUST be a paid member of Central Athletic Club and have a Scottish Athletic membership number (this is detailed on the membership form)