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Summer Camps 2023

We are delighted to, once again, be able to offer a variety of Summer Camps in August.

Our Junior camps offer children aged 7-12 years old, a multi-event session. Teaching the fundamentals of athletics - RUN | JUMP | THROW - in a fun, youth friendly format.

Sprint camps give athletes in all sports (athletics, football, rugby etc) the opportunity to develop their speed. The basics of acceleration, maximum velocity running and conditioning for speed development will be delivered by our Performance Coach.

Pole Vault camps are for beginner to intermediate pole vaulters, aged 12+. Athletes will learn the basic skills and techniques of pole vault with our Lead Pole Vault Coach.



Junior Camps - Tuesday 1st August, Wednesday 2nd August, Tuesday 22nd August, Wednesday 23rd August.

12pm - 3pm. Outdoor athletics track, Brunel Sports Park.


Sprint Camps - Wednesday 2nd August & Wednesday 23rd August.

12pm - 3pm. Outdoor athletics track, Brunel Sports Park.


Pole Vault Camps - Tuesday 8th August & Tuesday 22nd August.

4pm - 6pm. Indoor Athletics Track, Brunel University.


Booking is NOW OPEN, we do have limited spaces in all the camps so book now to avoid disappointment.

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Easter Camps 2023

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Easter Camps 2023

We are delighted to be able to offer our Easter Camps for 2023.

There are 3 camps available - Juniors (age 7-12); Speed (age 12-18); Pole Vault (age 12+)

Junior Camps - These 2 day camps are for athletes aged 7-12 years old. Athletes will enjoy multi-event sessions designed to teach the fundamentals of Athletics (running, jumping, and throwing), in a bespoke youth friendly format

Speed Camp - This action packed 1 day camp is for track and field athletes aged 12+ years who want to develop their speed. Athletes will learn about acceleration, maximum velocity running and conditioning for sprinters.

Poole Vault Camp - Our pole vault camp is perfect for the beginner / intermediate pole vaulter. Athletes will learn the basic techniques of pole vault from our Lead Pole Vault Coach.

You can book you space here

Camp Dates

Juniors | 1pm-4pm

Tuesday 4th April & Wednesday 5th April

Tuesday 11th April & Wednesday 12th April

Speed

Wednesday 5th April 10am-3pm

Pole Vault

Tuesday 11th April 10am-12pm

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Summer Camps 2022

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Summer Camps 2022

Summer Camps - dates released and booking open

We are delighted to be able to offer our Summer Camps again for 2022. Our Junior and Speed Camps have been a hit in previous years, giving athletes a taste of what our squads experience at our sessions each week.

Junior Camps - These 2 day camps are for athletes aged 7-12 years old. Athletes will enjoy multi-event sessions designed to teach the fundamentals of Athletics (running, jumping, and throwing), in a bespoke youth friendly format.

Speed Camps - These 2 day camps are for track and field athletes aged 12+ years who want to develop their speed. Athletes will learn about acceleration, maximum velocity running and conditioning for sprinters.

Both camps will be held at Brunel University Sports Park, 100 Kingston Lane, UB8 3PW, from 1pm-4pm.

Camp Dates

Tuesday 2nd & Wednesday 3rd August 2022

Tuesday 9th & Wednesday 10th August 2022

To book your place follow this link

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MEET THE TEAM

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MEET THE TEAM

Laura has a level 5 diploma in Sports and Remedial Massage. She joined the WLTF team in September 2021 to further develop her experience and keen interest in athletics.

Laura works in private practise with a particular interest in injury rehabilitation. She enjoys supporting both elite and recreational athletes to meet their specific performance goals and targets. Laura also works at Ealing Trailfinders Rugby Club aiding players in recovery and rehabilitation.

We asked Laura a few quick-fire questions.

What attracted you to WLTF?

I wanted to work with a forward looking, successful athlete focussed team, providing beneficial treatment and education to young athletes.

What is your super-strength?

Multi tasking – 3 children, career ambitions and personal athletics goals requires lots of doubling up! It is possible to shower, do your calf raises and listen to your child read Biff and Chip all at once. Being sane is overrated and boring.

What are your ambitions for the future?

I want to continue to learn and develop as a therapist whilst keeping my children alive as well as my house plants!

What else should we know about you?

I am a Master 1500m champion and juggle motherhood (looking after 3 young children) with training and pursuing my career as a soft tissue therapist. Tea and cake is always the answer!

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MEET THE TEAM

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MEET THE TEAM

We are back for our 2nd “Meet the Team” feature. This week we meet James Collins.

James is a man of many talents, currently undertaking a PhD degree in the Sports Science field having already gained two MSc degrees in Strength & Conditioning and Sports Rehabilitation, and a BSc degree in Sports Science. He is also a certified Sports Nutritionist, thereby able to cover all bases. James’ background has been as a Strength and Conditioning Coach with GB skiers, world renowned entertainers and CEO’s. With his Sports Rehab degree he has added clinic room care to fully complement his holistic approach to training athletes.

We asked James a few quick-fire questions

What attracted you to WLTF?

To be able to work with world class practitioners and athletes. To be able to be under the guidance of Laura and Ciaran was an opportunity I couldn’t let pass, their wealth of knowledge can only enhance my skills

What is your super-strength?

I feel my strength is that I can wear many hats, covering many departments. Therefore, I can assist in most aspects of an athletes development.

What are your ambitions for the future?

My ambition is to keep learning and working with exceptional practitioners and athletes to enhance my own abilities so that I can provide better coaching and care.

What else should we know about you?

  • I actually enjoy running marathons as opposed to sprinting like the athletes at WLTF.

  • This is my second career after first being in the fashion industry in New York.

  • I’m awesome ……

…… and modest too, James will fit right in!

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MEET THE TEAM

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MEET THE TEAM

Welcome to the first in our series of ‘Meet the Team” where we will introduce the new members to our team for the 2021-22 season. First up we have Joe, our Strength & Conditioning Coach.

Joe is a graduate in Sport, Health and Exercise Science with Business studies BSc where he gained knowledge to support his goal of being a future Strength and Conditioning Coach. During his time at university, he completed a Level 3 Personal Training Diploma and has successfully worked as a PT ever since: as well as gaining Level 4 Strength and Conditioning qualification during this time.

What attracted you to WLTF?

I heard of WLTF during my final year at university. I had been looking for an opportunity to get my foot into the door in the S&C world. The internship that WLTF was offering was ideal for me as it provided a pathway into S&C for athletes. I was interested in WLTF specifically because of the dedicated and experienced coaches I would be working with and the opportunity for progression within the company. 

 What is your super-strength?

My super strength has and will always be my ability to remain calm in most if not all the situations I have been in whether good or bad. I can’t tell you where I got it from or when it began, but I am glad it’s a part of me because it helps me easily deal with stressful situations. 

 What are your ambitions for the future?

My ambition for the future is to become an accredited S&C coach. I would like to train athletes from different backgrounds and sports to increase my knowledge and expertise. In the distant, but hopefully not too distant future, I would also like to open a S&C studio/facility where I can use this knowledge to train athletes and others who want to train like one. 

 What else should we know about you?

Anything that includes action or adventure, sign me up. I enjoy the rush and the sense of accomplishment it gives me. However, I also like to try new things no matter how far outside of my comfort zone it is. I’m a big fan of music, both listening to and playing it; and I enjoy being social and being around others. 

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*New appointment* Communications Manager

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*New appointment* Communications Manager

We are delighted to welcome Parris Johnson onto our WLTF staff as Communications Manager

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Parris has been a member of WLTF for 3 years, training with Lead Coach Laura Turner-Alleyne. Parris has successfully completed a year-long Marketing and Communications Internship with London Sport and will now finish the final year of her Sport Science degree. Parris is also a successful Sports Model working with Forte Model Management.

Laura Turner-Alleyne said of the new appointment “ I am really pleased to have Parris on board to grow this branch of WTLF. She has the skill-set and personal attributes that fit in well with our values and culture.”

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The West London Way

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The West London Way

Next in our series of articles from our staff, is an insight into the Bronze Performance Sprints Squad methods.

Charlie Craddock, Performance Sprints Coach.

Are we seeing a shift from volunteer-based club coaching to the rise of professional environments such as West London Track and Field? I am going to give you a small insight into how we work with the sprinters and hurdlers. 

Here at WLTF, we have a clear pathway for athletes aged from 7 years old. Our coaches are all in agreement with each other as to the way the athletes will be best served when at training. As a result, you have a collective group working with each other. Coaches all fire ideas off each other and discuss sessions plans. The experienced coaches learn from the less experienced coaches and vice versa. All ideas are welcome. In my eyes, it is the job of the coach to carry on learning for as long as they coach. NO ONE KNOWS EVERYTHING! This is the beauty of a TEAM.

With a network of coaches in place, development happens at a steady rate and is constantly monitored. A steady pathway and foundation is laid out and built for the athletes to follow. In my opinion, youth coaches often aren’t given enough credit for the role they play in an athlete’s pathway. When the coaches feel fit, they will progress athletes on, maybe in terms of training or maybe to the next group or even both. 

In my group of 7 athletes, I currently have 4, soon to be 5, different sessions running. One is a rehab plan, the other three sessions all share the same overall goal, but due to the athletes in my group and the events they wish to do, I have realised they all need different pathways to reach that goal. With that, our S&C coach (Antonia) also has to tailor a plan suitable to the needs of each individual to compliment what we do on the track. Antonia does a great job here. We set out the specific needs of the athletes and she is able to plan and deliver the S&C programme based on these discussions. Strength and conditioning isn’t about throwing massive weights around a gym un-controllably. Sometimes it’s simple body weight circuits and exercises performed correctly for the right reasons. Ultimately, this personalisation is the difference between a successful programme where athletes flourish and a programme full of stagnation and even injury. 

Are young athletes being allowed to specialise too early? In my opinion, athletes who are U15/U13 should be on a multievent biased programme, to allow for appropriate learning of motor skills and fundamental movements which underpin most sports, not just athletics. Even at older age groups, running, jumping and throwing should all still be included in the programme. For example, the group I train are all 15 years + so I try and programme a jumping activity within the warm up, the running session followed by some med ball throws within their conditioning. The throwing and jumping elements can be switched around depending on the desired outcome of the session. 

How do coaches know if athletes have technically improved without enough monitoring in place?  Progression should be monitored and tracked. You may be wondering what forms of monitoring we use at WLTF, there are many.  Athlete profiles (where we find out the athletes understanding of technical points and highlight which to work on), kinograms, records of times run and weights lifted through various sessions across the year, vertical and horizontal jump testing weekly, and for some of the younger ones it may even be discretionary such as mental maturity. If an athlete isn’t mentally mature enough to handle training loads, this could be a big factor in them not developing. Admittedly some of this equipment comes with a cost, however this is what makes us stand out and helps us deliver an athlete centred programme.  

It’s not just on the track where the monitoring and support comes but also trackside where we have massage therapists, osteopaths and physiotherapists working to ensure athletes are in peak condition to train and compete. They keep records of treatments so profiles of athletes are also built up off track as well. Communication between therapist and coach is vital, often a good effective discussion can result in establishing why an athlete may have had some tightness, tenderness or why they may have picked up an injury. And, not to forget nutritional support, which is offered where needed.

We try our best to deliver an athlete centred programme; an integrated team of professional coaches/therapists who are all eager to learn, constant monitoring and tracking of the athletes and continuous conversations in all directions. 

I hope I have given you an insight into how we do it at WLTF. How does this compare to other set ups around the world, not just in athletics?

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WHY?

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WHY?

In the first of our blog series. JP Laurent, Lead Coach of Junior Athletics at WLTF, asks ‘why?’ - providing an outsider’s insight into the structure of youth athletics in the UK.


JP Laurent

JP Laurent

Firstly, an introduction to myself: I question everything. WHY? WHY? WHY? 

I am never satisfied with the status quo.

If a system or procedure doesn’t make sense to me, I will ask why?' and offer alternative solutions. Often people don’t like this…

This approach certainly wasn’t appreciated in my previous life as a Middle Manager in the Education system. My decade plus of experiences found me hearing Senior Managers using words like Pedagogy, Edification and Interleaving to describe basic components classroom teaching … to me these had nothing to do with helping my students learn. I don’t care about sounding clever. I care about solutions. 

As such, I thought I would use this; my first ever blog post for WLTF, to highlight the questions - ‘the whys' - I have identified so far from my work with youth athletics in the UK.

I currently coach 100+ young athletes every week at a local track and schools. I consider myself a complete outsider in the sport, having never been a member of a club or competed in any competition in the UK.

My experiences are derived from other sports, and as such, I believe my observations are impartial and not biased in any way from previous experience. 


1)    WHY are there so many waiting lists at Athletics Clubs for young athletes? 

Surely, in a minority sport, clubs should ensure they have the coaching resources to cater for every child who wants to give athletics a try? Unfortunately, that is far from the reality and this means that clubs can trial young people and select the “best” at age 11. This is a terrible way to identify talent as at 11 you have little idea how a child will develop physiologically or psychologically. There will be literally 100’s of really talented children on waiting lists around the country who will never get to run on a track, throw a javelin or jump into a pit. Instead, they will move on to other sports with greater provision, such as football and netball. I have first-hand evidence of the problem of this. I coach Year 7’s every Wednesday at the local secondary school and in the group I have 3 boys, aged 12, who have been part of an athletics club for at least 2 years. These boys know how to measure a LJ run up and are better at relay change overs, but are by no means the best athletes in the group. Nowhere near. I also have 4 girls in my groups who have had trials and “failed” at one of the local clubs. One of these girls at her trial won the 100m, came second in the Long Jump and 600m, but didn’t throw the vortex very well. FAIL. At 11, Not good enough to join their club. 


2)    WHY is there so little athletics in both Primary and Secondary State Schools? 

I currently coach weekly sessions in 2 local primary schools and the largest secondary school in the area and have been in to run sessions in at least 6 other Primary Schools. I have two main observations from my experience.

1)    Children love to run, race, throw and jump. Without fail. The favourite part of any of my sessions are the relay races at the end. Children love to compete and most aren’t even that bothered if they win or not. Why? then do most Primary school sport’s days not resemble anything like an actual athletics competition? Egg and spoon, sack races, hockey dribbling, dress up races and space hopper races. These were all part of my own kid’s primary school Sports Day last year. There were two 100m races for each Year group – one for boys and one for girls. In each year there are roughly 90 children and only 6 boys and 6 girls got to race. There was a long jump pit that was sectioned off so that children didn’t play in it!! Seriously.

2)    Secondly, and probably more worryingly, is that the kids have learnt (almost) nothing about the correct technique of running, throwing and jumping. Most Primary schools now either employ a Sports Coach to run their PE provision or pay a company to do it. These are often very young, Level 2 Qualified Football coaches with no experience of either athletics (or most other sports) and definitely don’t have the skills to facilitate learning. Anyone can put cones down and run drills, enabling children to learn is a very different skill. This subject could be an entire blog for me as these schools all get Sports Premium Funding (Local Primary schools get £18000/yr +) as part of the Olympic Legacy and in my opinion completely waste it. 


3)    Why are coaches still coaching 90° stiff arms, run on toes, pocket to socket etc?

Some of the children that I coach in schools are members of local athletics clubs and will give me these (and more) as key coaching points.

I was pretty astounded hearing this, as I had (wrongly!) assumed that times had moved on! Even just a quick glance at the UCoach section of the EA website would be enough to educate coaches beyond this. However, my experiences so far have led be to be almost certain that many of them don’t do anything to upskill their knowledge and ‘just coach how they’ve always coached’. When I challenge these young athletes on why one shouldn’t run on their toes, I am most often met with look of confusion! This, to me highlights a lack of understanding at the grassroots level.


4)    WHY is there such a massive drop off at the age of 17 competing in the sport? 

 AGE 2017 2018

 11 & 12 10, 261 10, 280

13 to 16 22, 861 22, 273 

 17 to 19 5, 623 5, 524

The final one is probably the most important. The table above is taken from the England Athletics Research Summary on Participation and represents the number of young athletes registering performances on the Power of 10 over the past 2 years.  This is a very good indicator of participation rates in the sport. Every sport has a big drop off in participation at 16/17 years of age, but to go from 22 000+ to 5500 seems a dramatic plunge. This table is significant in defining the purpose of my coaching. My number one goal has to be to try and keep my young athletes (mainly 7-13) in the sport for the long run. If I can manage that I think I will have done well. This evidence suggests that there is a very good chance you will either miss out at 11 or drop out at 16. I have some very talented young athletes at the moment, just starting their journeys in the sport and I will endeavour to provide them with both the skills and knowledge needed to reach their potential as well as a life-long love of athletics. 

In conclusion, I have so far loved my involvement in this fantastic sport and despite all the issues identified, feel we at WLTF have both the people and progressive mindset to make a positive change. My first big goal in this is to create our own competition schedule for the 2020 season. I am sure I will be finding a lot more whys in trying to achieve this, but I am up for the challenge. 


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Sprints & Hurdles Squads 2019-2020

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Sprints & Hurdles Squads 2019-2020

We are delighted to open our squads to more athletes for the 2019-20 season. The squads below cater for sprinters and hurdlers aged 12 and upwards. Keep reading for more information and contact details.

Bronze squad - Monday 6pm, Wednesday 6pm, Saturday 10am.

Lead Coach - Charlie Craddock; Strength & Conditioning Coach - Antonia Gregoriou

This squad caters for sprinters 16 years and older. Athletes will learn the mechanics of acceleration and maximal velocity running with an individualised training programme designed to maximise development and performance. Charlie and Antonia prepare athletes for competition over 100m-400m for both the indoor and outdoor seasons.

Development Squads - option for one or two sessions per week

  • Hurdles - Wednesday 5.30pm, Saturday 9am. Coaches - Laura Turner-Alleyne & James Weaver.

    This squad caters for athletes aged 12 years and older. Athletes will develop their hurdle technique, rhythm and speed under the watchful eye of Laura Turner-Alleyne and GB International hurdler, James Weaver. Laura and James have been working together for 4 years. Athletes will learn the warm up, conditioning and training philosophies that have helped James reach a World Junior Final and two European U23 finals in the 110m Hurdles. We welcome sprint and long hurdlers.

  • Sprints - Wednesday 6pm, Saturday 9.30am. Lead Coach - Luke Sargeant

    This squad caters for athletes aged 12-16 years old. Athletes will develop their speed and acceleration using the tried and testing training methods employed by all coaches at WLTF. Luke has been with WLTF for four years, consistently running PB’s over both the 100m and 200m. This squad would suit athletes competing in track and field as well as team sport athletes looking to improve their speed.

Athletes are able to chose one session per week or two sessions a week, there is also the option to chose one sprints and one hurdles session per week.

Coaching fees apply. Please contact laura@westlondontrackandfield.com for more information

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New Development Sprints Squad

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New Development Sprints Squad

We are delighted to launch our new Development Sprints Squad. The squad will cater for athletes aged 12-16 years old and is a stepping stone between the Juniors and Performance Squads.

The squad train every Wednesday at 6pm in the Brunel Indoor Athletics Centre. Sessions are led by Coach Luke who has been member of WLTF for 5 years. Luke is also a college lecturer which gives him a unique skill set; working with athletes of this age along with being part of the WLTF Sprints Squad and experiencing the training system first hand.

Our Development squad will learn the mechanics of sprinting while refining their speed and laying the foundation of conditioning required for performance. The sessions would suit track and field athletes and also team sport athletes (football, rugby etc). Athletes have the opportunity to progress to a Performance Squad.

If you would like more information please contact using the contact form

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WLTF launches new Sprints & Hurdles Squad

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WLTF launches new Sprints & Hurdles Squad

WLTF launches new Sprints & Hurdles Squad for U15, U17 & U20 athletes.

Following the ongoing success of the current squads, Lead Coach Laura Tuner-Alleyne is delighted to now expand the team of coaches working with West London Track & Field’s Sprinters and Hurdlers. 

The new squad will train 3 days a week (Monday & Wednesday 6pm, Saturday 10am) at Brunel University. Track and gym sessions will be programmed with the individual in mind and supervised throughout. With speed at the heart of the training programme, Laura and her team will ensure athletes develop technical mastery, as well as the physical and mental prerequisites for success.

The coaching team has been hand-picked to ensure the WLTF core values are at the heart of the squad, and will be tasked with the delivery of a comprehensive, individualised programme, designed to maximise long term athlete development:

Sprints Coach – Charlie Craddock

Hurdles Coach – Amanda Williams

Strength & Conditioning Coach – Antonia Gregoriou

For more information on joining this or any other squads and the associated coaching fees, please contact Laura laura@westlondontrackandfield.com

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