BEDFORD & COUNTY AC

   Passport to Athletics

Young athletes are not encouraged to specialise at too young an age as this can damage and limit their long term potential and often leads to athletes leaving the sport. Many of the event specific groups at the club assume a certain level of fitness, discipline & skill and cover a wide age range which can be daunting or off putting for young children who are still developing. Certainly, young athletes should not specialise without at least first trying the different aspects & disciplines of the sport.

This group is therefore designed to introduce 10-14 year olds to all the main athletics disciplines and events and Passport now like Beagles follows Athletics 365 England Athletics new Young Athlete Development Pathway. Find out more about Athletics 365.

This pathway gives the athletes the opportunity to find out about what they really enjoy and develop their general fitness in a less intimidating environment. It also gives the coaches the chance to asses the young athlete’s ability and potential at different events before being moved up to an event specific training group at the club.  Additionally the general fitness, strength, co-ordination and discipline learnt in the Passport group will benefit the development of the young athletes in any later specialisation.

Passport group takes place at Bedford International Athletic Stadium on Tuesdays and Thursdays at 5:30pm and runs for an hour.

Passport group members must be members of the athletic club.

PLEASE NOTE:  

We have to keep Passport group sizes down to ensure all participants benefit fully so you should contact our lead coach Jackie Cheshire to ensure that there is space available. If the group is full we operate a waiting list and priority for under 11’s is given to young athletes, who have first attended the Beagles group on Saturday mornings.

Jackie Cheshire can be contacted by phone on 01234 210 350 or 07855 237253 or by email

How the scheme works:

Passport is a programme designed to introduce young athletes to a range of different events where every week can be a different discipline. The groups are kept small so that the young athlete can receive specific coaching and advice.

Each young athlete’s performance is measured and progress recorded and compared to national standards specific to their age group. The young athlete is also instructed on other important things such as punctuality, track etiquette, equipment used/ needed, the correct use of equipment and warming up etc.

Young athletes can join at any time, provided that there is space, and can remain in the Passport group until they are ready to move up.

While in the Passport group the young athletes can of course compete with Bedford and County AC in the Young Athletes Leagues, at Cross Country in Apex Chiltern league and in other competitions as they join the club as full members.