Youth Development League 2015
8 February 2015
Full details below for U17 and U20 athletes interested in competing for Team Forth Valley in the UK Youth Development League during the summer.
Team
The club are part of a composite team, Team Forth Valley, that compete in the UK Youth Development League for U17 and U20 athletes.
The composite team also includes athletes from Central AC, Falkirk Victoria Harriers and Lothian RC.
League
Last season the UK Youth Development League provided competition for 331 teams across 198 fixtures.
Team Forth Valley compete in the UK Youth Development League UAG (Upper Age Group) for U17 and U20 athletes, previously known as the National Junior Athletic League, and are in the "West 1" division of the league's "Northern" region.
Age Groups
The league is for male and female U17 and U20 athletes.
U17: Born 01/09/98 - 31/08/00
U20: Born 01/01/96 - 31/08/98
Dates
There are four matches during the summer, mostly in England, but with a home match in Scotland every second year. The dates and venues for summer 2015 are:
Transport / Accommodation
Athletes travel to all the matches in the team bus, which usually leaves Grangemouth Stadium at 1.00 PM on Saturday for Sunday matches or 6.00 PM on Friday for Saturday matches, with athletes staying overnight in a hotel. Hotel details will be available nearer the time.
The team travel back home after the match finishes, returning to Grangemouth Stadium at about midnight.
Costs
Athletes pay £20 per match which goes towards the cost of transport, accommodation, dinner on the first night (Sunday matches only) and breakfast on the morning of the match.
The club pay the remainder of these costs, and all athletes competing in this league will be expected to get involved with some fund raising activities during the summer to help cover the cost of participation in the league.
Meals
The team organise dinner on the first night and breakfast on the morning of the match.
Athletes should organise other meals, lunch and dinner on the match day, themselves. As it's not always possible to buy food locally before the match, and not all venues have catering facilities, athletes should come prepared with plenty of drinks and healthy snacks.
Availability
As this is a higher level competition with additional costs to the cub, eligibility for this league is based on performance, with athletes required to have attained an entry standard in at least one event in the previous 12 months. Athletes are also required to attend club training sessions regularly.
The entry standards are available in the file below.
Athletes who have met the required standard should submit an availability form at least two weeks before the match date. You will be required to pay the £20 match fee when submitting your availability. The match fee is non-refundable if your availability changes prior to the match.
Athletes representing the club in the league are expected to give 100% effort at all times, and co-operate fully, respecting all requests and decisions made by the coaches and officials.
Selection
While having at least one standard will make you eligible for selection, the team managers will select events on the day based on recent performances, seasons bests and personal bests.
The team managers will choose the strongest possible team, so you may not always be selected for your favourite events.
You may also asked on the day to participate in an additional event if there are gaps in the team due to injury or illness.
The points scoring system means that it's important that there are competitors in all events at a match. Athletes that do an event for the first time "to get a point" are a valuable part of the team and this fosters a good team spirit and the chance to set a PB or find another event that you enjoy!
Team
The club are part of a composite team, Team Forth Valley, that compete in the UK Youth Development League for U17 and U20 athletes.
The composite team also includes athletes from Central AC, Falkirk Victoria Harriers and Lothian RC.
League
Last season the UK Youth Development League provided competition for 331 teams across 198 fixtures.
Team Forth Valley compete in the UK Youth Development League UAG (Upper Age Group) for U17 and U20 athletes, previously known as the National Junior Athletic League, and are in the "West 1" division of the league's "Northern" region.
Age Groups
The league is for male and female U17 and U20 athletes.
U17: Born 01/09/98 - 31/08/00
U20: Born 01/01/96 - 31/08/98
Dates
There are four matches during the summer, mostly in England, but with a home match in Scotland every second year. The dates and venues for summer 2015 are:
- Sat 18th April - Blackburn
- Sat 16th May - Wigan
- Sun 28th June - Liverpool
- Sun 26th July - Bebington
Transport / Accommodation
Athletes travel to all the matches in the team bus, which usually leaves Grangemouth Stadium at 1.00 PM on Saturday for Sunday matches or 6.00 PM on Friday for Saturday matches, with athletes staying overnight in a hotel. Hotel details will be available nearer the time.
The team travel back home after the match finishes, returning to Grangemouth Stadium at about midnight.
Costs
Athletes pay £20 per match which goes towards the cost of transport, accommodation, dinner on the first night (Sunday matches only) and breakfast on the morning of the match.
The club pay the remainder of these costs, and all athletes competing in this league will be expected to get involved with some fund raising activities during the summer to help cover the cost of participation in the league.
Meals
The team organise dinner on the first night and breakfast on the morning of the match.
Athletes should organise other meals, lunch and dinner on the match day, themselves. As it's not always possible to buy food locally before the match, and not all venues have catering facilities, athletes should come prepared with plenty of drinks and healthy snacks.
Availability
As this is a higher level competition with additional costs to the cub, eligibility for this league is based on performance, with athletes required to have attained an entry standard in at least one event in the previous 12 months. Athletes are also required to attend club training sessions regularly.
The entry standards are available in the file below.
Athletes who have met the required standard should submit an availability form at least two weeks before the match date. You will be required to pay the £20 match fee when submitting your availability. The match fee is non-refundable if your availability changes prior to the match.
Athletes representing the club in the league are expected to give 100% effort at all times, and co-operate fully, respecting all requests and decisions made by the coaches and officials.
Selection
While having at least one standard will make you eligible for selection, the team managers will select events on the day based on recent performances, seasons bests and personal bests.
The team managers will choose the strongest possible team, so you may not always be selected for your favourite events.
You may also asked on the day to participate in an additional event if there are gaps in the team due to injury or illness.
The points scoring system means that it's important that there are competitors in all events at a match. Athletes that do an event for the first time "to get a point" are a valuable part of the team and this fosters a good team spirit and the chance to set a PB or find another event that you enjoy!