Successful pilot workshop in North Yorkshire

England Athletics’ Coach and Club Support Officer Nick Settle last week organised a bespoke workshop for newly qualified run leaders in Northallerton, North Yorkshire. The aim of night was to give Run Leaders further understanding how to create a successful running group. The session covered promoting your sessions, venue selection, setting up of a new group, what language to use with your participants and how to build a rapport with your group.

Nick explained the purpose behind the putting on the workshop. “The reason for putting on this workshop was down to a recent survey with my local Run England groups. There was a really demand from newly qualified LIRFs for a workshop to give further advice and knowledge in how to attract and retain new runners. They had the knowledge to deliver the session and control the group, however didn’t have much experience in promotion and setting up successful groups."

After the consultation Nick got in touch with Robin Lavin from North Yorkshire Sport who put him in contact with Kathryn Lazenby, NYS sport mentor. Kathryn and he then went on to design the workshop “How to create a successful social running group” that was tailored towards the needs of the Run Leaders.

The night was a great success and had 10 leaders attend the workshop from the Northallerton area. The feedback from the Run Leaders was pleasing, as the average score was 9 out of 10 for enjoyment and usefulness of the event.

Steph Young from Malton who has recently completed her Leadership in Running Fitness (LiRF) qualification and is in the process of setting up a group explained her delight of the event. “The workshop was brilliant and gave me lots of ideas for when I start my new running group. It was very useful to listen to the Kathryn and hear her experiences. I would really recommend the workshop to new or established leaders, as there were more experience leaders than me, however said they picked up a few new tips from the evening."

Nick went on to say, “As the feedback from attendees was well received and the attendees reported that they gained some really useful tips and knowledge to take back to their groups, I would like to deliver this clinic in other parts of Yorkshire in the near future.  I would like to say thanks to the candidates who attended, North Yorkshire Sport for their support setting up the event, Hambleton District Council for holding the event and Kathryn Lazenby from Strensall Striders as our quest speaker."

The next training opportunities for coaches and leaders coming up in North Yorkshire is the movement workshop at Burnholme Community Hub, York on Saturday 16th January and Using iTechnology in your Coaching workshop on Monday 1st February at Harrogate High School. They are both FREE workshops for qualified England Athletics coaches and leaders.

For more details please contact North and West Yorkshire CCSO Nick Settle on mobile: 07968 498710, email: nsettle@englandathletics.org or follow locally on twitter YHAthletics.