MET-TRACK COACHES STEAL THE LIMELIGHT

The recent UK Athletics Indoor Trials and Championships saw Met-Track coaches steal the limelight, as they showed their charges just what can be achieved with a little hard work.

The event, held in the English Institute of Sport's indoor arena, in Sheffield, saw James Ellington soar into the final of the 60 metres sprint with a lifetime best performance in the semi-final of 6.69 seconds. James has been coaching Met-Track sessions ever since the launch in 2005, and currently champions sessions in Sutton Borough, Newham and Lewisham. The hotly-contested final in Sheffield was won by Dwain Chambers, and saw James finish a slightly disappointing sixth. That said, the fact that only seven months earlier he had suffered a potentially career-ending injury, put that into perspective, and heralded one of the most dramatic comebacks in athletics!

In the Long Jump JJ Jegede, the UK's number one at the event so far in 2011, will be cursing his luck in the final, as his 7.52 metre jump was overhauled late in the competition to edge him into the silver medal position. JJ has been working on Met-Track for over 2 years now, and currently leads the Hackney scheme, although he has also worked in the past in Barking & Dagenham, Waltham Forest and Barnet.

The longer sprint is not usually a championship event due to the fact that the indoor bends in the 200 metres are too tight to make it unfair on those drawn on the inside. Scheme Manager Jason Hussain was therefore very happy when he saw that he had drawn lane six in his heat, and duly delivered his fastest time of the season by far with a blistering 21.64 second effort.

However, Jason was pipped by just three hundredths of a second to first place, and hence was awarded the fastest loser's berth in the next round, albeit in his first ever national final, but duly inherited the dreaded inside lane! The bends mean he has to slow significantly twice during the race, and so he remained in sixth place with a time of 22.29 seconds, albeit tantalisingly close to the next two competitors in lanes two and three!

Jason, a former Great Britain Junior International, has been working as Scheme Manager for Met-Track for over three years now, and is responsible for much of its development and the whole of the day to day running of the project across the whole of London.

Met-Track Scheme Director John Powell, who was in Sheffield in his role as coach to both Hussain and Ellington, said: "These guys are seriously talented athletes, but they are ding an invaluable job for Met-Track. They are excellent role models for the young people they work with, and of course the bonus is that the albeit small considerations Met-Track is able to pay them, do help with maintaining their own highly intensive training programmes. It's immensely satisfying to be able to deliver something that has a double benefit like this to people who might otherwise not be able to pursue their goals in life, let alone the benefits young Londoners glean from engaging with us in the first place."

Hammersmith and Fulham borough all set to join the fun, along with a Royal Parks initiative.

Plans are now well advanced to launch the 24th and 25th schemes in London, with Hammersmith and Fulham borough all set to join the fun, along with a Royal Parks initiative.

The month of March is fast becoming a very busy month for the project, with Hammersmith looking to launch on 27/28th, and the Parks project a week earlier. Details have yet to be finally confirmed, but Hammersmith will be looking to launch their Met-Track initiative at the famous Linford Christie Stadium, in West London, while the Parks will be setting up base in Regents Park.

The Royal Parks have long wanted to join the fray, combining with both Camden and Westminster boroughs in seeking youth engagement agency partnerships. Again there has been immense support from local services, and this will be a unique scheme available to young Londoners right in the centre of the Capital.

Hammersmith's launch has been coordinated by Police Community Support Officer Mel McClure, who has pout an immense amount of work into making things happen out west, not least in raising all the funds to support it.

Scheme Director, John Powell, said: "I am delighted we have another two schemes launching this year. We have launched in 23 boroughs to date, although a couple of those have stalled since, so this will enable us to continue to hover around the 20-22 mark of active schemes, which is terrific."

The project continues to thrive all over London despite the challenging weather conditions of late. "Obviously our schemes that are based in schools carry on regardless," said John, "but even those outdoor projects at tracks around London have continued into the New Year. As Spring approaches we can usually expect an upturn in attendance."

Met-Track is currently collating its 2010 returns, and the subsequent evaluation is likely to again reflect an 85% non-re offending rate among participants.

MET-TRACK XMAS UPDATE!

Met-Track coaches will be getting very little time off during the Christmas and New Year period, with the vast majority of squads continuing as normal at their regular venues. Schools academies will of course be suspended until the new term in January, but most other activities offer a potentially welcome break from Christmas pudding and the TV.

Met-Track Scheme Manager Jason Hussain said: "We wish everyone who is associated with Met-Track a really happy Christmas and New Year period, but we don't want them to lose focus on what they may already have achieved with their local squad.

"Most centres are open for our normal activities," he continued, "and we really don't want people to lose that valuable momentum they have built up during the Autumn. And of course anyone new who would like to try out with us is more than welcome to turn up at their local squad."

Met-Track Scheme Director, John Powell, endorsed Jason's words: "We do tend to see a bit of a falling away of attendances after a holiday period, so we want to encourage as many of the young Londoners engaged with the scheme to keep going through the Christmas period. We wil be carrying out the end of year evaluation of the scheme at the beginning of next month, and we want to maximise the benefits that have been delivered to Londoners during 2010 right up to the last day of the year."

Squads affected by Christmas or New Year closures are:

• Newham - 24th December and 31st December - no squad session
• Sutton - 27th December - no squad session
• Waltham Forest - 27th December and 3rd January - no squad session

All Met-Track squads and school academies recommence as normal in the second week of January.

Watch this website for news of launches of two new schemes in London early in 2011...

Met-Track continues to churn out young people into sport

Met-Track continues to churn out young people into sport and various other positive pathways in life, thanks to its now hugely diverse menu of options on offer to young Londoners who engage with the project. But 17-year-old Omardo Anson, from the Bexley and Westminster scheme, has gone one stage further than that!
Omardo, from Abbey Wood, in South East London, and who attended Bexleyheath School until this summer - he now attends Greenwich Community College - has been to Met-Track sessions at Bexley and Westminster under the guidance of coaches Dwayne Grant, James Ellington and Gus Ebhohinhem-Ben. But now he's training with Olympic sprinter Grant, and European gold medallist Ellington, with a potential sprints future!
Met-Track Scheme Director John Powell took Omardo on as the newest recruit to his elite Trackspeed1 training group, based at Crystal Palace, and the 17-year-old wasted no time in grabbing the opportunity with both hands. Already his performances have impressed his new coach, and he has picked off quite a few senior scalps in training.
"Omardo is running well," confirmed John, "but it is his dedication that most impresses for someone so raw in the sport. He really works hard and is really keen. He pleaded with us to be included in our Spring training camp in the United States, and I eventually gave in - his face was a picture! The thing is, I really do think he could be a dark horse next summer. He's incredibly raw, but once he learns some basic skills, he could do quite well."
Met-Track is all about engagement and getting young people back on the straight and narrow though - not necessarily recruit future athletics stars, but Omardo has achieved all of this in one. He first entered Met-Track three years ago. He was a problem at home, in with the wrong crowd, crossing paths with police, and heading in totally the wrong direction in life.
"When I got into Met-Track everything started changing," said Omardo. "I found I really enjoyed training, and it gave me loads of confidence I didn't have before. It taught me self discipline for the first time in my life, and really calmed me down. My mum was really pleased too, because my school work got better, my behaviour at home improved, and we got on with each other much better. It was incredible how getting involved in sport changed my life. I am so grateful to Gus and the other coaches for helping me - I have no idea where I'd be if it weren't for Met-Track."
As for his trip to America in Spring 2011, Omardo is still pinching himself: "I can barely believe what's happening," he said. "This is all through me getting involved in Met-Track. Now I'm training with international athletes, and will be training for four weeks in one of the best facilities in the States!"
Met-Track coach Gus Ebhohinhem-Ben said: "Omardo improved greatly with us, but most importantly his level of engagement got steadily better. You could see him changing from week to week."
"This is exactly what Met-Track is all about," continued John Powell, "there is a wealth of evidence now that shows how we are changing the lives of hundreds of young Londoners like Omardo."

U-Turn1 & Bexley partnership

Met-Track have again teamed up as the lead partner with 'U-Turn1', a Bexley partnership of youth engagement agencies and education leads, delivering a unique but challenging scheme aimed at preventing and reducing knife crime on the borough.

It is based on the Juvenile Impact Programme witnessed by Met-Track Scheme Director and Scheme Manager John Powell and Jason Hussain, darting a visit to Los Angeles Police Department 2 years ago where they were so impressed with the results that they offered it to the South East London project as best practice.

U-Turn1 represents a challenging and rigorous course for young people already identified as having been involved in knife crime. It is intended to make those taking part more aware of themselves and the impact they can have on themselves, their family, friends, and the people around them.

It is formatted into two distinct parts. There is multi-agency input from a variety of sources including role models, various branches of law enforcement and prevention agencies, and diverse forums conducted by external organisations, education practitioners and youth leaders. The other half of the project is delivered by Met-Track sports coaches and staff from the local Charlton Athletic Community Trust, introducing sport as the healthier alternative for life in accordance with Met-Track's mission statement.

The coaches working with 16 young people over an initial week, followed by 12 follow-up days, have already noticed significant improvement in attitudes and engagement, and even simply after the initial week, some impressive changes had already taken place in the individuals taking part.

"The value of a scheme like this cannot be underestimated," said Scheme Director John Powell. "It simply proves just how much of an impact sport can have on a young life. It inspires confidence, promotes fun, and leads to positive thinking. I can only appeal to all local authorities in Met-Track boroughs to recognise this and promote engagement in the scheme - the benefits to the public purse, let alone the safety of Londoners, is simply quite phenomenal."

MET-TRACK Coach Strikes Gold in Delhi

Met-Track coach Tosin Oke underlined just the sort of class act the scheme's coaches represent as he stormed to gold in the recent Commonwealth Games Triple Jump final, in Delhi, India. He leapt 17.19 metres to clinch the title ahead of a classy field whilst representing his native Nigeria.

Tosin has become one of Met-Track's leading coaches over the past couple of years, and has worked in various boroughs around London, not least Hillingdon where he is the lead coach, and Westminster, where he works alongside colleague and French international sprinter, Gus Ebhohinhem-Ben.

"We were all delighted to hear about Tosin's victory," said Met' Police Superintendent and Met-Track Scheme Director, John Powell. He has always been a classy athlete, but unique in that he works hard in his spare time to put back into the community what he has gained from his many years involvement with track and field.

"I have vivid memories of watching Tosin win the European Junior triple jump title, and he has continued to build his career ever since. He is a clear candidate for London 2012 now."

Tosin returns to his Met-Track stables in both boroughs this week where he will be looking to further motivate his charges with sight of his gold medal.

"Tosin has scored some very notable successes with the young people he has been working with," said Met-Track Scheme Manager, Jason Hussain. "He is a great coach, and now an even greater role model."

Met-Track - school 'academies'

As September kicks in and the schools go back for another term, Met-Track looks forward to getting back into full swing after its school 'academies' also took a break for summer. Existing academies will restart this month, and new ones including a new launch in Haringey Borough will add to the immense success these sessions have already produced. Scheme Manager Jason Hussain said: "Although a couple of boroughs have stalled a little, the overall trend within Met-Track is one of expansion, and the recent evaluations underline just how much value we are delivering all over London." Met-Track's mid-year evaluation found that a good 86% of young people engaging with the scheme are not re-entering the criminal justice system, and a good many more have improved behavioral traits and have a far more positive future. Scheme Director John Powell said: "There is a potentially very exciting future ahead for Met-Track. We are a major partner for the innovative U-Turn1 project in Bexley quite apart from all our other activities, and our reputation is growing by the day. "The only warning hot I have to make, however, is that financially we need a major injection from somewhere, or we will struggle to sustain the current momentum. A bid for money from a fund recently launched by the Mayor of London would give us long term sustainability, but that application has a way to go yet before we are even short-listed."