‘Sad for the sport’ - Sheffield athletics coach on huge participation drop off after Woodbourn Road closure
Woodbourn Road has been closed for more than two months, leading to many young athletes having to turn their back away from the sport they love
An athletics coach in Sheffield has expressed concern about the alarming drop off in participation rates following the closure of Woodbourn Road athletics stadium.
The track in Attercliffe was closed by Sheffield Hallam University, which operates the site, on April 6, in a decision which sent shockwaves around the city.
The university closed the track because they deemed it to be unsuitable for competitive athletics due to the track’s problems with shock absorption - which is essentially how much force travels back into an athlete's body during high-impact activities like running, jumping and falling.
Poor shock absorption can intensify the risk of injuries, but at the same time Hallamshire Harriers coach Tom Bailey argues youngsters are now in a much worse predicament without any sort of facilities to use.
Tom, who has been a coach for the last four years, claims before the closure of Woodbourn Road, the demand for the sport was so high that the club had to have a waiting list, but now claims that there’s been nearly a 60 percent drop off from normal numbers in the last two months.
He told The Sheffield Star: “We’ve had to move from Woodbourn Road to Rotherham in the last few months. I primarily coach under-12s, and our group has gone down by around 60% across our groups.
“Older groups have been really affected as well. During this period you’d probably see a slight dip anyway during exam season but not to this extent.
“It’s been difficult for them as many see it as a good release during their studies and it’s good for their mental well being. But it’s a lot to ask for them to go to places like Rotherham on an evening when they are preparing for their exams.”
Tom used this as an opportunity to heap praise on Rotherham council for accommodating his group at this time. He explains that they travel there one day a week, to try and minimise the impact on those with the means to make the journey.
“I’d like to praise Rotherham and their council for accommodating us. It’s so important that we’re able to put these sessions on,” he explained.
Tom said at the moment many of the other sessions taking place are local parks and grass tracks around Sheffield. He explains these are already less safe than what Woodbourn Road would be, and highlights some of the other issues.
He added: “We often have no facilities or even toilets for people to use when training at the park. Which is a problem for children.
“I think Woodbourn Road should be opened for training. As it’s a safer option. There obviously needs to be a long-term solution, but it’s much better than what we have at the moment.
“It’s just sad for the sport. I don’t think the council realises the impact it’s having. We had so much enthusiasm for people getting involved in athletics and just a generally healthier lifestyle and that’s getting lost now.
“We plead for the council and Hallam to try and get a resolution as soon as possible so we can get it open safely for all the children that need to use it.”