Today I'm happy about......

[Gooner Girl]

My U10A's won their hockey game 7-1 and there was nice cake for match tea. This makes me happy. The B's won too!

[LeverEnd]

My U10A's won their hockey game 7-1 and there was nice cake for match tea. This makes me happy. The B's won too!

Good stuff GG! My 12 yr old niece finished 15th in the Bolton Schools XC Champs at Rivington out of 150ish Yr8s and 9s. She phoned me straight after, absolutely made up and so was I. She's a great kid and has really stuck at it.

[Gooner Girl]

My U10A's won their hockey game 7-1 and there was nice cake for match tea. This makes me happy. The B's won too!

Good stuff GG! My 12 yr old niece finished 15th in the Bolton Schools XC Champs at Rivington out of 150ish Yr8s and 9s. She phoned me straight after, absolutely made up and so was I. She's a great kid and has really stuck at it.

Good stuff, a very respectable finish - and lovely that she was so keen to share the news with you. Proud uncle moment! Is she running for a club? I know you said she was doing park runs.

[LeverEnd]

My U10A's won their hockey game 7-1 and there was nice cake for match tea. This makes me happy. The B's won too!

Good stuff GG! My 12 yr old niece finished 15th in the Bolton Schools XC Champs at Rivington out of 150ish Yr8s and 9s. She phoned me straight after, absolutely made up and so was I. She's a great kid and has really stuck at it.

Good stuff, a very respectable finish - and lovely that she was so keen to share the news with you. Proud uncle moment! Is she running for a club? I know you said she was doing park runs.

Yes she runs for my club, Bolton Harriers. She really struggled to start with, but unlike many kids didn't give up when she didn't get the instant rewards. She even inspired my sister (her Mum) to start running again after a 21 year break. Great positive attitude to life and very mature and polite. I think the world of her and her little brother.
So you are a primary teacher as well as an athletics coach I guess?

[Gooner Girl]

My U10A's won their hockey game 7-1 and there was nice cake for match tea. This makes me happy. The B's won too!

Good stuff GG! My 12 yr old niece finished 15th in the Bolton Schools XC Champs at Rivington out of 150ish Yr8s and 9s. She phoned me straight after, absolutely made up and so was I. She's a great kid and has really stuck at it.

Good stuff, a very respectable finish - and lovely that she was so keen to share the news with you. Proud uncle moment! Is she running for a club? I know you said she was doing park runs.

Yes she runs for my club, Bolton Harriers. She really struggled to start with, but unlike many kids didn't give up when she didn't get the instant rewards. She even inspired my sister (her Mum) to start running again after a 21 year break. Great positive attitude to life and very mature and polite. I think the world of her and her little brother.
So you are a primary teacher as well as an athletics coach I guess?

I work 4 afternoons a week at a private school just down the road to me teaching PE/games to year 2 through to year 8. Big range but I mostly do years 4-6 which is my favourite age group, I have the year 5's for matches (U10's) and they are a strong year group - unbeaten so far this term. Doing hockey with them at the moment which is not my favourite sport but I can transfer a lot of football drills I know over as they are similar games. Gonna nab one I did at football training tonight and try it in their hockey lesson on Friday.

You sound like a fab uncle, bet they adore you! Credit to her parents for producing such a lovely polite girl who tries hard at what she puts her mind to. What is the junior section like at Bolton Harriers? Is it a big club? Just running or track and field too?

[LeverEnd]

I work 4 afternoons a week at a private school just down the road to me teaching PE/games to year 2 through to year 8. Big range but I mostly do years 4-6 which is my favourite age group, I have the year 5's for matches (U10's) and they are a strong year group - unbeaten so far this term. Doing hockey with them at the moment which is not my favourite sport but I can transfer a lot of football drills I know over as they are similar games. Gonna nab one I did at football training tonight and try it in their hockey lesson on Friday.

You sound like a fab uncle, bet they adore you! Credit to her parents for producing such a lovely polite girl who tries hard at what she puts her mind to. What is the junior section like at Bolton Harriers? Is it a big club? Just running or track and field too?

Yes quite a big club, compete in all athletic events. Several Olympians over the years, most recently Tom Lancashire who ran in Beijing in the 1500m. Our High JUmper Brian Hall was 4th in the Olympic trials that year but not really close to the A standard, although 2.21m ain't too bad!

Junior section is mixed, one very good sprints coach, distance wise some good people coaching there. Seems to be a lot of kids of club nights but managers struggling to fill teams which is strange to me. When I was there as a kid (started 30 yrs ago aged everyone wanted to race and there was competition to get into teams. Different generation now though.
Will start coaching there soon, once I finally accept my legs ahev gone and I'm too injured to be a runner any more!

[bwfcdan94]

My U10A's won their hockey game 7-1 and there was nice cake for match tea. This makes me happy. The B's won too!

Good stuff GG! My 12 yr old niece finished 15th in the Bolton Schools XC Champs at Rivington out of 150ish Yr8s and 9s. She phoned me straight after, absolutely made up and so was I. She's a great kid and has really stuck at it.

12 year olds have phones now . Very well done to the lass and nice that she was so keen to let you know.

Given how often your hockey team seems to win GG is it fair to say you a good manager and could you possibly transfer that ability into managing a football team?

[Gooner Girl]

I work 4 afternoons a week at a private school just down the road to me teaching PE/games to year 2 through to year 8. Big range but I mostly do years 4-6 which is my favourite age group, I have the year 5's for matches (U10's) and they are a strong year group - unbeaten so far this term. Doing hockey with them at the moment which is not my favourite sport but I can transfer a lot of football drills I know over as they are similar games. Gonna nab one I did at football training tonight and try it in their hockey lesson on Friday.

You sound like a fab uncle, bet they adore you! Credit to her parents for producing such a lovely polite girl who tries hard at what she puts her mind to. What is the junior section like at Bolton Harriers? Is it a big club? Just running or track and field too?

Yes quite a big club, compete in all athletic events. Several Olympians over the years, most recently Tom Lancashire who ran in Beijing in the 1500m. Our High JUmper Brian Hall was 4th in the Olympic trials that year but not really close to the A standard, although 2.21m ain't too bad!

Junior section is mixed, one very good sprints coach, distance wise some good people coaching there. Seems to be a lot of kids of club nights but managers struggling to fill teams which is strange to me. When I was there as a kid (started 30 yrs ago aged everyone wanted to race and there was competition to get into teams. Different generation now though.
Will start coaching there soon, once I finally accept my legs ahev gone and I'm too injured to be a runner any more!

Our most famous ex athlete is Daley Thompson who started his career as a kid with us and still has some club records.

We have the same issue re competing. We have just started up another junior section so on Tuesdays we now have 5-5.45pm beginners - school years 4-6 - about 35 on the books, then we have our usual juniors, years 5-7 of which we have about 55 then we have the intermediates between 7-8.15 - the only group I help with at the mo as the others clash with bedtime for the twins. Inters is school years 8-10 and my proudest innovation as head coach. We have about 40 on the books at the moment. Before I was head coach juniors used to go into the seniors when they were 12 and we lost them because they just weren't really ready to cope with senior training. The intermediates bridges the gap nicely. We also have 100 approx. juniors on our waiting list but don't have the time, coaches or facilities to take anymore which is a real shame. Because we have so many we now have a rule that if they train and don't compete in the year they get told to sling their hook. We have tons on the waiting list who want to train and compete and as a coach its a bit pointless training them and then not seeing them benefit from competition. Problem is whilst most of them compete once, maybe twice a year probably only about a 3rd to half compete regularly. Issues arise from needing their parents to give them lifts to meets and lots of other sports clashing - football and rugby matches tend to take a priority. Still, we hold our own quite well as a small town club as we compete against bigger places with tracks like Brighton and Crawley.

Do have a serious think about coaching, its fun and very rewarding! PM me if you want any info.

[Annoyed Grunt]

Three day weekend.....lovely...

[Gooner Girl]

My U10A's won their hockey game 7-1 and there was nice cake for match tea. This makes me happy. The B's won too!

Good stuff GG! My 12 yr old niece finished 15th in the Bolton Schools XC Champs at Rivington out of 150ish Yr8s and 9s. She phoned me straight after, absolutely made up and so was I. She's a great kid and has really stuck at it.

12 year olds have phones now . Very well done to the lass and nice that she was so keen to let you know.

Given how often your hockey team seems to win GG is it fair to say you a good manager and could you possibly transfer that ability into managing a football team?

Dan, I don't think its my managing so much as my team are more the Arsenal of U10 Sussex girls hockey rather then the Bolton Wanderers!

[thebish]

My U10A's won their hockey game 7-1 and there was nice cake for match tea. This makes me happy. The B's won too!

Good stuff GG! My 12 yr old niece finished 15th in the Bolton Schools XC Champs at Rivington out of 150ish Yr8s and 9s. She phoned me straight after, absolutely made up and so was I. She's a great kid and has really stuck at it.

12 year olds have phones now . Very well done to the lass and nice that she was so keen to let you know.

Given how often your hockey team seems to win GG is it fair to say you a good manager and could you possibly transfer that ability into managing a football team?

Dan, I don't think its my managing so much as my team are more the Arsenal of U10 Sussex girls hockey rather then the Bolton Wanderers!

....figures!

[89bwfc89]

I'm going to be an auntie again, baby will be niece number 4 or nephew number 2. Nephew number 1 is very concerned that there may be another boy coming along, I think he likes all the attention!

[Gooner Girl]

My U10A's won their hockey game 7-1 and there was nice cake for match tea. This makes me happy. The B's won too!

Good stuff GG! My 12 yr old niece finished 15th in the Bolton Schools XC Champs at Rivington out of 150ish Yr8s and 9s. She phoned me straight after, absolutely made up and so was I. She's a great kid and has really stuck at it.

12 year olds have phones now . Very well done to the lass and nice that she was so keen to let you know.

Given how often your hockey team seems to win GG is it fair to say you a good manager and could you possibly transfer that ability into managing a football team?

Dan, I don't think its my managing so much as my team are more the Arsenal of U10 Sussex girls hockey rather then the Bolton Wanderers!

....figures!

If you mean that as some kind of insult I don't take it as one! Sexist pig!

[Gooner Girl]

I'm going to be an auntie again, baby will be niece number 4 or nephew number 2. Nephew number 1 is very concerned that there may be another boy coming along, I think he likes all the attention!

Also going to be an auntie again in January. Very excited but not helping my broodiness.

[89bwfc89]

I'm going to be an auntie again, baby will be niece number 4 or nephew number 2. Nephew number 1 is very concerned that there may be another boy coming along, I think he likes all the attention!

Also going to be an auntie again in January. Very excited but not helping my broodiness.

Exactly the same here!!

[Gooner Girl]

I'm going to be an auntie again, baby will be niece number 4 or nephew number 2. Nephew number 1 is very concerned that there may be another boy coming along, I think he likes all the attention!

Also going to be an auntie again in January. Very excited but not helping my broodiness.

Exactly the same here!!

Least you don't get the sleepless nights when they aren't your own.

[bobo the clown]

I'm going to be an auntie again, baby will be niece number 4 or nephew number 2. Nephew number 1 is very concerned that there may be another boy coming along, I think he likes all the attention!

Also going to be an auntie again in January. Very excited but not helping my broodiness.

Exactly the same here!!

Least you don't get the sleepless nights when they aren't your own.

That depends on how this "broodiness" takes shape I guess.

[89bwfc89]

I'm going to be an auntie again, baby will be niece number 4 or nephew number 2. Nephew number 1 is very concerned that there may be another boy coming along, I think he likes all the attention!

Also going to be an auntie again in January. Very excited but not helping my broodiness.

Exactly the same here!!

Least you don't get the sleepless nights when they aren't your own.

True, though my sister will be popping out baby number 3 so I expect I'll be seeing a lot more of the older two when s/he first gets here!

[89bwfc89]

I'm going to be an auntie again, baby will be niece number 4 or nephew number 2. Nephew number 1 is very concerned that there may be another boy coming along, I think he likes all the attention!

Also going to be an auntie again in January. Very excited but not helping my broodiness.

Exactly the same here!!

Least you don't get the sleepless nights when they aren't your own.

That depends on how this "broodiness" takes shape I guess.

Very true! I've got the fella taking zinc tabs, just to give the boys a boost. He calls them roofies

[Always hopeful]

Not happy as such, but...

I'm currently sat in a 1st class carriage on a train about to pull into Chester, having travelled all the way from from that there London, enjoying complimentary food & drinks along the way, without anyone checking my ticket at any point during my journey.

If it wasn't for the fact that this was an all expenses paid business trip, I'd be really happy.