YEOVIL NEWS: Track renamed the Bill Whistlecroft Athletics Arena

YEOVIL NEWS: Track renamed the Bill Whistlecroft Athletics Arena

YEOVIL Athletics Arena was officially renamed yesterday (Sunday, September 14, 2014) to honour the late Bill Whistlecroft.

Bill passed away in May last year but his involvement in athletics locally will leave a long and lasting legacy.

His involvement with Somerset Athletics started prior to 1960, by which time he had already been elected as the secretary of the County Schools Athletic Association, well before the establishment of the track at Picket Lane in 1972.YEOVIL NEWS: Track renamed the Bill Whistlecroft Athletics Arena

By this time Bill had founded the Yeovil Olympiads Athletic Club in 1969, which rapidly made the track and arena its home. As a local teacher, he sought out athletic talent, inspired and encouraged individuals to try out the sport at whatever level they could.

PHOTO - RIGHT: The late Bill Whistlecroft. Photo courtesy of the Somerset Schools Athletic Association.

Chairman of Yeovil Olympiads, Geoff Cole, said: “For more than five decades Bill’s involvement drove athletes of all ages to try out sport and to compete at club, county and national level. Over the years Bill even inspired many parents to become coaches and officials.

“Those who have been involved in athletics in the South West would associate Bill with his calm announcer’s voice, being very much the voice of athletics for many, many years, and how involved he was for Yeovil and the South West.

"Few however understand the longevity of his involvement, the dedication that he showed over such a long period, and even well into his 80’s being stood out on the track coaching youngsters in all weathers. We are delighted that the council and local councillors have supported our proposal to rename the track the 'Bill Whistlecroft Athletics Arena, Yeovil' in his honour.”

Bill’s influence ensured that the track held the English Schools’ track and field competition in 1981, and again in 1988, putting Yeovil on the athletics calendar at a very high level.

The 1988 competition saw Jo Pavey finish ahead of Paula Radcliffe in the 1500m title - two athletes who would go on to enjoy bigger and better things while representing GB.YEOVIL NEWS: Track renamed the Bill Whistlecroft Athletics Arena

Yeovil’s track was “rubberised” to facilitate these high level competitions and was the first track in the South West to have such an advanced surface.

To highlight how influential Bill was at this time, he was awarded an MBE for “services to athletics” in 1984, by which time he was chairman of the English Schools’ Athletic Association.

The Bill Whistlecroft Athletics Arena is used by schools right across the district as well as being regularly used by Yeovil Olympiads, Wessex Wizards, Dorchester Athletic Club and Yeovil Town Road Running Club.

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