(Taken from the England Athletics website.)
Athletics Networks are clusters of clubs working strategically with other local key partners to develop the sport of athletics in that area. McCain Athletics Networks will be multiple clubs (often comprising of a mixture of track and field and off-track) working together in each area. McCain Athletics Networks will seek to drive up the quality of coaching, links with community groups such as schools, competition in clubs (inter and intra club) and also seek to develop the all round quality of provision within clubs in the network.
The ethos behind McCain Athletics Networks is all about working in partnership. By demonstrating that you are working in this manner there is greater chance of accessing local and national funding from a variety of partners.
Network Criteria
McCain Athletics Networks must be able to demonstrate the following:
- Affiliation to England Athletics
- Committment to support the improvement of the quality of coaching – a coach support structure or/and plan for coaching (may be part of network plan)
- Committment to working in partnership where clubs meet regularly and share best practice
- Committment to wider partnership working – as a minimum, 1 SSP/School and 1 CSP/LA
- Must have a network plan which includes a vision/aim of what the network aims to achieve through working in partnership
- All clubs with junior sections must be Clubmark accredited or register as working towards Clubmark within the first 12 months of gaining McCain Athetics Network status.
What McCain Athletics Networks will achieve
- To grow and sustain participation levels in the sport
- To improve the quality of experience for all participants
- To improve levels of athlete performance
- To lay the foundations for the next generation of champions
- To establish sustainable club environments
