Athletics officials in Surrey are celebrating gaining around £5,000 in an Awards for All' grant which will enable them to boost Sports Hall Athletics and, at the other end of the age scale, subsidise candidates attending coaching courses, writes Tom Pollack.

The cash windfall will finance the staging by Surrey of a third U11 Sports Hall meeting at Guildford's Spectrum Centre in January and buy some additional Sports Hall equipment including some special kit so disabled athletes can take part.

Surrey Athletics Association chairman Mike Cowlard said: "All of this is intended to support the introduction of youngsters into our sport. This is real grass roots stuff."

Cowlard organised the first of a series of three Sports Hall meetings at the Westcroft Leisure Centre, Carshalton, on Sunday, and was delighted with the turn out.

Enthusiastic

Around 250 enthusiastic youngsters aged 12 to 14 from 12 clubs, including Kingston and Polytechnic, Walton, Sutton, Epsom and Ewell, Herne Hill and Belgrave Harriers took part in the four hour meeting.

Two further meetings are being staged at Guildford's Spectrum Centre on Sunday, December 2 and Sunday, February 3.

Surrey were selected by the Sports Hall Association to host the national launch of the 2001-2002 Norwich Union Fun in Athletics programme for U11s at the Spectrum Centre last month.

Top sprinter Dwain Chambers turned up to assist with the demonstrations and encourage the youngsters. Ten teams from Kent, Sussex, Buckinghamshire and Surrey took part in the competition.

All the youngsters were given a presentation pack as a momento of the occasion.

November 16, 2001 12:01