User:Mark fallaize/Vale of Aylesbury Athletic Club

Athletics club

Vale of Aylesbury Athletic Club is an English amateur athletic club, based in Aylesbury, Buckinghamshire. Founded as the Vale of Aylesbury Bicycle Club in 1880, the club changed its name to Vale of Aylesbury Cycling and Amateur Athletic Club in 1893, which was later shortened to Vale of Aylesbury Athletic Club.

Early Years (1880–1945)
The Vale of Aylesbury Athletic Club began life on the 28th March 1893 when the Vale of Aylesbury Bicycle Club (formed in 1880) altered its name to The Vale of Aylesbury Cycling and Amateur Athletic Club. Lord Rothschild of the world famous Rothschild banking family was an active president of the club for 35 years until his death in 1915. His son, the Hon. Walter Rothschild served as chairman for many years and other members of the family served on the club's committee.

The club had an excellent start in life but has had mixed fortunes over the intervening years. During the South African War years between 1900 and 1903 the club was unaffected by the conflict, but The First World War between 1914-18 and The Second World War between 1939-45 were more disruptive. The years of The Great Depression also led to decline and a temporary cessation from 1933 to 1939, although there were still a number of athletes still active in the town during this period.

Post-War Years
The immediate post war years and 1950's saw a strong revival of the club and the late Pat Sage (Mayor of Aylesbury and a prominent official within the AAA's and later British Olympic Team Manager) made a major contribution to the Vale's athletics scene. Pat brought the English National Cross Country Championships to Aylesbury in 1950 and organised track meets with international runners and crowds of up to 14,400 people in those halcyon years. Television disrupted the spectator interests but the club has survived the era of open athletics and the jogging boom and flourishes as a full blown athletic club.

Modern Day (1980's-Present)
The building of the Stoke Mandeville six lane athletics track in the early 1980's was a boon to the club where it is now headquartered meeting on Tuesday and Thursday evenings throughout the year. A full range of track and field equipment is available for people interested in competing or just trying their hand at javelin, shot, discus, high jump, long jump etc. The changing rooms house a weights room for strength based athletes. The track was rebuilt to a full eight lane facility with improved flood lighting.

A number of quite high class athletes are or have been members including twice times Olympic Pentathlon RAF athlete the late Don Cobley and ex British international Ron Gomez. As a youth Keith Miller came 5th in the English National Cross Country Championships at Parliament Hill Fields and Ester Evans represented Wales over 800 metres on the track. The last twenty years has seen the club very prominent in veterans' athletics at local, national and international level. Jean Cillard was 3rd Over 40 lady in the London Marathon in 1988 in 3.00.30.

Mission Statement
"To be the best Athletic Club in Buckinghamshire by providing good quality coaching and facilities for all Club Members. By catering for all ages and abilities we will build a large community Athletic Club helping our members to fulfil their dreams and ambitions."

Crest & Colours
The club's emblem is a blue circular crest which represents the club's colours of royal blue and white and comprises of an Aylesbury duck at the centre of the crest. The club competes in royal blue vests with a single horizontal white hoop. An alternative white vest with a blue horizontal hoop used to also be worn for long distance races, but this tradition was officially removed at the club's 2011 Annual General Meeting.

Affiliation
The club is affiliated with UK Athletics, England Athletics, the South of England Athletic Association and the Buckinghamshire Athletic Association.

Facilities
The club is based at the Stoke Mandeville Stadium track, the National Center for Disability Sport, adjacent to the world-famous Stoke Mandeville Hospital in Aylesbury. The Stoke Mandeville Stadium track is an 8 lane track with a 10 lane straight, made with a Mondo synthetic rubber surface. The track also boasts changing facilities, a banked viewing area, shot putt circles, a high jump area and pole vault mats, two jumping pits parallel with the home straight, one discus cage and one hammer cage, two javelin runways situated at opposite ends of the field and a steeplechase water jump at the exterior of the first bend.

Eastern Young Athletes League
The club's younger athletes, aged between 11 and 16 compete in the Eastern Young Athletes League.

National Junior Athletics League
Junior athletes in the under 20 age group (aged between 17 and 19) compete in the Najional Junior League

Southern Athletics League
The Southern Athletics League is a new league founded in 2011 for combined male and female competition for athletes in the senior age groups

Chiltern Cross Country League
The Chiltern Cross Country League is the club's primary cross country league during the winter months, with races of varying distances for all age groups

Former Competitions
The club also previously competed in the National Young Athletes League, the Southern Men's League and the Southern Women's League