MMAC

Final Appeal for Team Manager

This is one last appeal to all 1^st Claim Members of Midland Masters AC for one of you to come forward to act as a Team Manager for the Track & Field team that is due to compete in the Midland Veterans T&F League during the 2013 season. It is imperative that we have someone who can gather a team together and look after things at each event. Plenty of help will be given with regards which members are eligible to compete including those from Road Running Clubs who have registered as 1^st Claim to us for T&F only. League fees are quite expensive and MMAC just cannot justify to the rest of the membership our continued participation in this league if no one comes forward. I emailed ALL 1^st Claim Members on the 8^th December 2012 and on the 5^th February 2013 and only 50% bothered to access the email and so far no one has volunteered. I am no longer willing to spend my time on this and as a last resort I am re-producing my last email on this post below …

To: All 1st Claim Members on email and MMAC Committee

Further to Tony Crocker’s letter circulated to all 1^st Claim members (email only) on the 8^th December 2012. Only 50% were opened so I am hoping this email reaches more, please allow images, this is important.

This is the final appeal for a 1^st Claim Member to come forward to act as a Team Manager for our Track & Field team in the Midland Veterans T&F League.

Tony Crocker has resigned from this position and in future will compete in a combined Kidderminster & Stourbridge AC/Droitwich AC team in 2013. It is extremely important that we can fill this vacancy BEFORE THE 27^TH FEBRUARY 2013, which is the date of our next committee meeting and where a decision will be made whether to continue in the league.

Anyone interested will be allowed to have a full list of eligible athletes which will include the members from road running clubs who have been authorised to compete for MMAC as 1^st Claim Track & Field only. They will of course get any help to get started.

This is the last chance saloon I’m afraid. If no one comes forward then we will have to pull out of the league and we will have lost the competition that your Club should give you under our constitution.

Any who feels they can help, please contact me on mmac.sec@blueyonder.co.uk as soon as possible.

I look forward in anticipation.

Tom Morris – General & Membership Secretary

The Colin Simpson Memorial Handicap

Our annual handicap, now renamed The Colin Simpson Memorial Handicap in honour of our late Treasurer, takes place on the 3rd March within the Centurion Grand Prix Race Series. The closing date for entries is strictly the 21st February 2013. For all details and entry form, please go to http://tinyurl.com/6thbsz7 

Members who are already registered for the Centurion GP series MUST fill in and send off the entry form for the handicap with the reduced entry fee or the will NOT be included in the results.

MMAC XC Championships – Results

Full results from yesterday’s Cross Country Championships can be found on the dedicated page on this website at http://tinyurl.com/95ofh96

Our President, Adrian Lloyd, presents the W35 winners medal to Kate Ramsey

MMAC Cross-Country Championships 2013

MMAC XC Championships

Following postponement of our Cross Country Championships, we are happy to announce that we have re-arranged for the event to take place on the 3^rd February 2013. This date is the only one we could take bearing in mind other fixtures and existing commitments of the organisers/venue etc.

For members who cannot attend the re-arranged date will you please contact Irene Nicholls on irenenn@aol.com

Those members who will be able to attend on the new date, all the existing arrangements apply, please use your race numbers and age identifiers that were sent originally.

For the members who now find that the date is free for them, then please enter using the original entry form from http://tinyurl.com/axykg9r BUT send the completed form direct to:-

Irene Nicholls, Rainbow Cottage, 15 Meadow Lane, Alvechurch, BIRMINGHAM B48 7LH

We are aware that the new date will clash with certain other events but they are at a minimum compared to any alternatives and it do not clash with any large cross country events, regional or national.

Related articles

• MMAC XC Championships (midlandmasters.com)

MMAC XC Championships

MMAC XC Championships, Sunday, 20th January

Unfortunately we have had to make an decision to POSTPONE the above event. Owing to the weather conditions as well as the forecast and with the safety of our competitors uppermost in our minds we feel that this is the correct decision. We foresee problems with traveling to the venue; car-parking and first aid, so to be fair to all concerned we have postponed.

Initially we are looking at an alternative date of the 3rd February to run the event BUT this will be subject to confirmation because of the many factors involved. Again, watch this space.

It would be helpful if members would pass this information on to any known entrants and share on social media.

EAMA Inter-Area Indoor Challenge Match

Indoor Inter-Area Track & Field Challenge, Sunday 7th April 2013, Lee Valley Stadium, Enfield

The England Athletics Masters Association is holding an inaugural meeting between Masters Area Clubs and MMAC will, of course, wish to field the strongest team to cover all the events.

We have traditionally been very successful in the Outdoor challenge and, although at the time of publishing this item, we are not able to publish a definitive list of events it is obvious that we shall need sprinters, middle distance runners, throwers, jumpers and walkers.

If you would be willing to take part and interested in representing MMAC in a particular event we should be delighted to hear from you. As places are limited please provide up to date performance information so that we can choose the strongest possible squad.

Please send your information including your address, ‘phone number and email address to irenenn@aol.com or by post to:-
Indoor Challenge, Rainbow Cottage,15 Meadow Lane, Alvechurch, B48 &LH

Membership Subscription Reminder

Membership subscriptions are due for payment from the 1st January. If you haven’t renewed yet please go to the “Membership” Page; sub-page “Membership Renewals” for all the information.

EA Registration – MMAC Survey Results

The following is a report on the results of our survey carried out recently. It was not a scientific survey but I believe it conveys the views of most of our members.

Owing to the surprising announcement at the end of September by England Athletics about the increases in registration fees and a change in structure and the potential impact on MMAC, I quickly produced an online survey on our website seeking our member’s views. This survey ran for approximately 7 weeks and had a total of 147 participants.

The following questions were asked:-

1. Are you a member of a UKA Club? YES/NO
2. Are you a 1^st Claim Member to MMAC? YES/NO/YES track & field only
3. Are you happy to pay a registration fee to EA? YES/NO
4. Do you recognise the need to pay a registration fee? YES/NO/Please help us understand why you selected this answer
5. If you answered YES to question 4, what would the maximum amount be that you are prepared to pay? £7 to £10 /£10 to £15/ £15 to £20/ Other option
6. Do you agree to a two tier system? i.e. road runners pay less YES/NO
7. Are you satisfied with what you get from the registration scheme? YES/NO/Please help us understand why you selected this answer
8. What would you like to see EA provide out of this extra fee? To your Club/As an individual/Please help us understand why you selected this answer

The above questions were a ‘knee jerk’ reaction to the announcement and with hindsight would probably be either different or phrased differently. However, I felt it important to seek views immediately so that I could present the results at our November Committee meeting. Subsequently to the EA announcement, their own AGM was held where Clubs expressed strong views and as a result a series of Forums have been set up by EA.

Following are the results received to the questions giving both numbers and percentages.

Question 1 – Are you a member of a UKA Club?

136 answered YES (94%); 8 answered NO (6%) – there were 3 who skipped the question

Question 2 – Are you a 1^st Claim Member to MMAC

25 answered YES (17%); 113 answered YES (79%); 6 answered YES Track & Field Only (4%) – there were 3 who skipped the question.

Question 3 – Are you happy to pay a registration fee to EA?

97 answered YES (66%); 50 answered NO (34%) – No skips.

Question 4 – Do you recognise the need to pay a registration fee?

113 answered YES (77%); 34 answered NO (23%) – No skips and 108 comments.

Question 5 – If you answered YES to Question 4, what would the maximum amount be that you are prepared to pay?

52 answered £7 to £10 (44%); 19 answered £10 to £15 (16%); 16 answered £15 to £20 (14%)

31 answered ‘Other Option’ (26%) of which 68% wanted £5

Question 6 – Do you agree to a two tier system? i.e. road runners pay less.

144 answered NO (74%); 38 answered YES (26%) – there were 3 who skipped the question.

Question 7 – Are you satisfied with what you get from the registration scheme?

80 answered NO (56%); 64 answered YES (44%) – 3 skips and 104 comments.

Question 8 – What would you like to see EA provide out of this extra fee?

68 answered ‘To your Club’ (64%); 39 answered ‘As an individual’ (36%) – 40 skips and 113 comments.

General Observations

The overwhelming thing that stood out from the comments was the ignorance of members of either what EA is or does or where we as a Masters Club benefit. Even 1^st Claim status was not understood by all as a few ticked YES both for a UKA Club and MMAC, thus shifting the analysis slightly!

As we would expect, the majority of our members belong to a UKA Club (Q1) but the numbers claiming to be 1^st Claim members was too high at 17%, the actual figure being nearer 11% (Q2). The majority seem happy to pay a registration fee and do recognise the need (Q3 & Q4) however some did question what EA provides for the veteran/master athlete competing in only a few events per year. Others thought that a nominal fee was acceptable but not the large 4x increase. The majority 44% were prepared to pay between £7 and £10 (Q5) and as most members were against the two tier system (Q6) then an across the board registration fee of £10 seemed to be acceptable. It’s interesting that although members generally are happy for a registration scheme the majority are not satisfied with what they get from it (Q7), many not seeing any benefits particularly as veteran/master athletes. From the comments made this is mainly through a lack of understanding. Members wanted EA to provide more to the Clubs than individuals (Q8) but there was a range of comments from wanting more to be done for youngsters through to more for the older athletes.

Conclusions

More education for our members on what EA provides and why we have a registration scheme in the first place is required. I can reply to some of the concerns expressed on the survey to explain or allay their fears and misunderstandings.

This was not a scientific survey and only 22% (147) of the potential 652 members on email/internet actually took part. But it is a guide as to how our members feel. The bottom line is that most are happy to pay an increase up to double the current fees providing it is across the board i.e. road runners and track & field pay the same.

Tom Morris – 23rd November 2013

Membership Subscription Reminder

We are now collecting 2013 Subscriptions and I would appreciate receiving  your renewals. Please see the “Membership” page, sub-pages “Existing or Lapsed Members”.

We are currently freezing the membership rates for 1st Claim Members awaiting any further developments with the England Athletics Registration increases.

London Marathon Club Entries

Latest News

The Virgin London Marathon Club Entries have now been applied for and all our member’s applications for a place are in. I have received 11 applications, which were all allocated a number as they were received. Our President had this list of numbers and has arranged to draw them out in a particular order. He did not know names. As soon as I know how many entries we get then I can announce the lucky participants, this should be within the next 7 – 10 days.

Tom Morris – Secretary

Related articles

• The spring marathon build-up (foot4ward.co.uk)
• 2012 Miles – Day 270 (London Marathon Confirmation) (thrivecardiff.org)