At the recent county championships, AVEAC’s Julie Feeney received the ‘Official of the Year Award’ from Derbyshire Athletics chair, Jono Baker. The award was presented to her for the sterling work in developing athletics in Derbyshire over the past twenty years . It was an appropriate accolade for the hard working coach, official and administrator who has been one of the mainstays behind grassroots athletics in the county during this time.
Julie was one of the founding members of Amber Valley Athletic Club in 1999. The club was based back then at the Charles Hill Leisure Centre, Loscoe. She very quickly got involved in the the administrative side of the club, taking on the role as secretary as well as gaining coaching qualifications to help develop the growing group of young athletes who were beginning to show potential. Included in that first cohort was Jessica Turner who we all know would become the club’s first athlete to compete at the Olympic Games.
Julie’s passion for the sport was clearly evident as she became more involved in the governance of the sport across the county through her election on to the Derbyshire County Athletics Association. Over the years she has been the backbone behind much of what we see as the front window of the sport in the county including the organisation of the outdoor track and field mini league, the sports hall fixtures and the cross country and track and field county championships held annually in January and May.
Another aspect of her role within the county has centred on the selection and management of teams for inter county track and field matches as well as the East Midlands regional sports hall finals – a role she has fulfilled more or less every year since becoming involved at a county level.
Everyone who has known and worked with Julie over the years will have witnessed just how much effort she puts in behind the scenes to keep the sport moving forwards. It was a nice surprise and very fitting that she received the award at the county championships. Many congratulations Julie and here’s to the next twenty!
Credits
Report – Joe McColgan
Photograph – Chris Kirby
Everyone who has known and worked with Julie over the years will have witnessed just how much effort she puts in behind the scenes to keep the sport moving forwards. It was a nice surprise and very fitting that she received the award at the county championships. Many congratulations Julie and here’s to the next twenty!