Athletics for 8-11 Year Olds

QUADKIDS

We are a fun and friendly athletics club.

Our QuadKids section is for 8-11 yr-olds (School Years 3, 4 & 5) in Poole and surrounding areas. We offer fully supervised training sessions for running, jumping and throwing activities with groups between 5 to 10 children per coach.

COVID-19 Secure

We are fully COVID-19 compliant to the latest Government and England Athletics guidelines. Hand gel and social distancing measures are in place.

Supervised Coaching

All training sessions are run by our volunteer coaches and assistant coaches who have completed England Athletics coaching courses and are DBS checked.

Outdoors & Fresh Air

Has your child been stuck indoors? Are their other clubs online? QuadKids is outdoors in the fresh air where your child can be active and social.

Track & Field - QuadKids Athletic Club - Poole Runners

Throwing - QuadKids Athletic Club - Poole Runners

Long Jump - Junior Athletic Club - Poole Runners

XC - QuadKids Athletic Club - Poole Runners

Accredited

ENGLAND ATHLETICS AFFILIATED REGISTERED NUMBER: 2659040

ASHDOWN LEISURE CENTRE – CANFORD HEATH

Mondays & Thursdays
6pm – 7pm

On Mondays and Thursdays we train at Ashdown Track from 6pm to 7pm. During this session your child will get to experience a wide range of athletic activities such as sprinting, running, jumping and throwing. The session is at the track in summer and winter as the venue is flood lit. There is a club house onsite with toilets and a kitchen – Cup for tea for the parents and carers!

LOCKYER’S MIDDLE SCHOOL – CORFE MULLEN

Saturdays 10am – 11am

Our Saturday session is at Lockyer’s Middle School in Corfe Mullen. This session is an introduction to the development of athletics and covers a range of running (cross-country and sprinting), jumping, and throwing events. In the summer the training is outside on the sports field and in the winter it is in the school’s sports hall.

It is our passion to coach athletics that builds confidence and resilience while your child is being active and making new friends.

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Make New Friends

QuadKids is a great way for children to meet new friends with the same interests of being active. Training and competeing together makes friends for life.

Be Part of a Team

Teamwork is an important aspect of athletics and our athletes learn how to encourage and push each other to do their best while having fun.

Awards

We have lots of awards and prizes for all that take part and for those that excel. Celebrating achievement together is a core belief at Poole Runners.

My experience as a junior at Poole Runners is probably one of the biggest reasons I am still in the sport now, and have been fortunate enough to evade burnout and serious injury. I was encouraged just enough but not too much, given valuable experiences such as fun trips to races abroad and even introduced to sports psychology.

Verity Ockenden, GB Runner & Former Member

Poole Runners are an amazing club, who have supported me through my stages of becoming an athlete. They have great coaches and members, who encourage you to have fun and try hard. Poole Runners is something that I am so proud to be a part of.

George (Age 11), Athlete

My daughter loves Poole Runners, when she started she didn’t know anyone and they were so welcoming. Within a month she was at her first Sportshall competition with her newly formed friends. Quads is all about trying things out, she’s quite good at the running now but we all still take cover when she throws the vortex.

Emma, Parent

Sports Hall

During the Winter we hold a series of 3 or 4 indoor Sportshall events that include running, jumping and throwing for all abilities. The junior athletes are split into groups based on school year and then compete in a variety of events, scoring points in each.

Standing Long Jump Sportshall - QuadKids Athletics Club - Poole Runners

Throwing Sportshall - Quadkids Athletics Club - Poole Runners

Team Sportshall - QuadKids Athletics Club - Poole Runners

All athletic competitions are completely optional and we encourage our athletes to just do their best, learn from the experience and enjoy themselves.

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FAQs

What is QuadKids?

QuadKids was set up by English Athletics to encourage 8-11 year olds into the sport. It is designed to cover running, throwing and jumping in a way that is not intimidating and sets up a good base for future athletics participation.

What happens at a typical QuadKids training session?

At a typical QuadKids session we are building team spirit and friendship alongside developing the skills of running, throwing and jumping. We introduce techniques gradually so each athlete gains the benefit of learning new skills. We also teach the basics of athletics at this stage – the importance of warming up, cooling down, stretching, balance and developing core strength. This is achieved through a mix of ‘drills’ – repetitive dynamic exercises that are part of any training or competition session – event specific exercises and trials, and games.

We try to make each session different by mixing up activities around core skills. A typical hour session involves a warm up run, drills, running (sprints and middle distance across the session) and one or more field events (throwing or jumping). Games involve different skills, balance, hopping, jumping, throwing, using equipment, relays and team building. Athletes are grouped by age, ability or discipline depending on the specific session plan. We try to end with a game for all (time permitting) and a warm down run (usually a lap(s) of the field).

What happens at QuadKids competitions?

Like decathlon and heptathlon for older competitors, the QuadKids is a multi-event discipline – 75m sprint, 600m middle distance run, long jump and “howler” throw. In competition all athletes complete the four disciplines.

What happens in the Winter?

From the autumn, cross country is introduced and we start Sports Hall – indoor athletics built again around running, jumping and throwing. We have the use of an indoor hall and equipment for all of the events. There are 4 Sports Hall meetings and a County Championship in which to participate, with the opportunity of being selected to represent the County at South West and National Championships.

Price

Free

First 2 Sessions

£10

Monthly Session Fee

£18

Yearly Membership

How To Join

Free Taster Sessions

We offer two free taster sessions so your child can come along and join in the fun to see if the club is the right for them. Complete the contact form below and then arrive 15 minutes before the session start time to register. They will be buddied up with a member of a similar age to show them the ropes.

Join as a Member

If your child decides to join the club, membership will cost £18 per year. Session fee paid in advance, £10 per month by Standing Order (BA:21837133 / SC:40-13–07) or £20 for a block of 10 £2 sessions. Membership includes a starter pack with a Juniors team training t-shirt. All payments are taken remotely and upfront.

Future Communications

Once your child is a fully fledged member, you will be added to our Heja group where all communications between club and parents happen.

Register Taster Sessions

We offer 2 free taster sessions so your child can come along and join in the fun to see if the club is right for them.

Please complete the contact form below.

Please DO NOT just turn up at track, await a response email, inviting your child to come down on a specific session. This enables us to ensure coach to athlete ratios are adequate and safe for all our athletes.

On your first taster session, please arrive 15 minutes before the session starts, so we can register you and explain how the club and the session operates.

Membership

Once your child has completed their two free tasters and would like to attend on a regular basis, please complete and submit both forms below.

MEMBERSHIP FORM

PAY MEMBERSHIP