AGE CATEGORIES, ENTRY & ATTENDING COMPETITIONS
AAI AGE CATEGORIES:
For all Athletic Clubs affiliated with the Athletic Association of Ireland, Age Categories are calculated to the 31st of December in the year of competition, i.e., the age your child turns between January 1st and December 31st.
- No athlete may obtain a birthday in the year of competition and compete in that age – for example: if your child turns 10 this year they compete in U11 competitions or turns 12 this year they compete in U13 competitions, etc. – See table below…
- Some Cross Country competitions are ‘even age’ only (U8, U10, U12, U14, U16, U18) or ‘uneven age’ only (U9, U11, U13, U15, U17, U19). If your child’s age category is not listed then they compete in the next age group up.
- For further information on the rules and regulations of competition and fixtures for Louth, Leinster, National and Irish Schools please click into:
- Louth: Athletics Louth Operational Booklet / Athletics Louth Calendar
- Leinster: Athletics Leinster Booklets / Athletics Leinster Fixtures
- National: Athletics Ireland Juvenile Competition Booklet / Athletics Ireland Fixtures
- Schools: Irish Schools Athletics Association Handbook / Athletics Ireland Schools Fixtures
- For the Year 2024 (January 1st to December 31st 2024)
| Born 2017 | Under 8 | Born 2013 | Under 12 | Born 2009 | Under 16 |
| Born 2016 | Under 9 | Born 2012 | Under 13 | Born 2008 | Under 17 |
| Born 2015 | Under 10 | Born 2011 | Under 14 | Born 2007 | Under 18 |
| Born 2014 | Under 11 | Born 2010 | Under 15 | Born 2006 | Under 19 |
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ENTRY & ATTENDING COMPEITIONS:
Parents, please read the following guidelines on entering and attending competitions and if you have any further queries please speak to your child’s coach or WhatsApp them on the JUVENILE/Parent WhatsApp Group:
AAI – All competitions attended by our Juveniles are AAI approved (Athletic Association of Ireland approved) and all competitors must be Club and AAI registered – To register or renew your membership click JOIN.
COMPETITIONS – A list of all competitions available to our members is found by clicking into Members – Juveniles – AAI Competitions (A more detailed list of these events with confirmed dates & times will be posted on the JUVENILE/Parent WhatsApp Group).
UPCOMING COMPETITIONS – Reminders of all upcoming competitions will be posted on the JUVENILE/Parent WhatsApp Group.
REGISTERING FOR COMPETITIONS – Our club enters all Juveniles into Louth, Leinster & National competitions including The Setanta Games, The Ras na hEireann and Cushinstown AC Open Indoors.
- For these ‘club entered’ competitions a deadline for entry will be posted on the JUVENILE/Parent WhatsApp Group.
- For Irish Schools’ competitions your child’s Post Primary School enters them.
- For All other Open Competitions you can enter yourself by registering online or they will be ‘pay at the gate’ or ‘pay on the line’.
CHANGES TO COMPETITIONS – Any changes to upcoming competitions will be posted on the JUVENILE/Parent WhatsApp Group and/or our Facebook page.
MEETING UP AT COMPETITIONS – When attending a competition look out for our Club Flag or Club Tent. We require all coaches and athletes meet at least 45 minutes before the event start time (or your child’s first race, track or field event start time). This allows our juveniles the time to attach race numbers, check out the race route/track/facilities and complete the all important warm up.
SINGLETS – All members must wear our Club Singlet when competing at all competitions. A plain white t-shirt must be worn until a Singlet is purchased.
- At present, Singlets can be ordered directly from our Club – WhatsApp one of your Juvenile Coaches listed as an Administrator in the JUVENILE/Parent WhatsApp Group.
- Sizes: 26 (ages 5/6); 28 (ages 7/8); 30 (ages 9/10); 32 (ages 11/12) – Price: €20.00
- Sizes: 34; 36; 38; 40; 42; 44; 46; 48 & 50 (for all ages from 13 years up) – Price: €25.00
- Other club t-shirts, 1/4 zip, jackets, hats/gloves, hi-vis, etc., can also be ordered through the club shop – click Join / Club Shop.
SPIKES – Spikes are optional but advisable especially for competing members and at cross country events. Regarding Spike Pins… For Track & Field, ‘pyramid spikes’ must be no greater than 5mm especially on Mondo track surfaces (i.e., Morton Stadium, Tullamore Track) and for Cross Country, ‘pyramid spikes’ can be up to 10mm in length. (Our Juveniles use pyramid spikes only, they do not use needle spikes). For links to online shops to purchase spikes click Join / Club Shop.
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COMPETITION RESULTS & NOMINATIONS FOR THE LOUTH STAR AWARDS and CLUB AWARDS:
RESULTS – Please keep a record of your child’s achievements and the positions they finished in at any of the competitions we recommend your child attends.
- Results for the top 8 positions will be listed on the Juvenile Report posted in News & Results on this website.
- Official Race Results can also be found on the Athletics Louth Website, click here – Official Results.
LOUTH STAR AWARDS – Hosted by Athletics Louth every October/November. Nominees from Clubs are based on a point system.
- How to calculate points for the Louth Star Awards are explained in the Operational Booklet found on the Athletics Louth Website, click here – Athletics Louth Operational Booklet
- Summary:
- The awards are divided into two categories – Track & Field and Cross Country/Road Races.
- These categories are then divided into four age groups for both girls and boys – Best Female Athlete and Best Male Athlete in U9 to U11 / U12 to U14 / U15 to U16 / U17 to U19.
- The Club will nominate 1 girl or 1 boy in each age category for both Track & Field and Cross Country/Road Races who has obtained the most points.
- Track & Field:
- County Competitions – 1st-5 points / 2nd-3 points / 3rd-2 points / 4th-1 point – Points are given in the athlete’s age group only and for a maximum of 4 disciplines in both the Pre-Louth and Louth Championships.
- Open Competitions – 1st-4 points / 2nd-3 points / 3rd-2 points / 4th-1 point – Points are given in the athlete’s age group only and chosen from the best results of a maximum of 2 disciplines in any 2 of the following – The Setanta Games, Boyne Sports Day or Ardee Sports Day.
- Cross Country/Road Races:
- County Competitions – 1st-5 points / 2nd-3 points / 3rd-2 points / 4th-1 point – Points are given in the athlete’s age group only from either of the 2 Louth XC Juvenile Championships.
- Open Competitions – 1st-4 points / 2nd-3 points / 3rd-2 points / 4th-1 point – Points are given in the athlete’s age group only and chosen from the best in any 3 of – Athletics Louth Open XC Event, Blackrock Beach Races, Carlingford Juvenile Road Races, Glenmore AC Kearney/McBride Juvenile Races, Blackrock XC Event & The Ras na hEireann.
CLUB AWARDS – The results calculated above are also used for the ‘Athlete of the Year‘ at our own Club Awards Ceremony held every December. The Club’s Merit Awards and Most Improved Awards are decided by the Club Coaches.
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OTHER EVENTS (not on our Juvenile Schedule of Competitions):
ROAD RACES/FUN RUNS – If you enter your child into a fun run/road race not listed on our juvenile schedule of competitions please ensure that you accompany your child in the race or have an appointed guardian to run with them (children aged 14 or under must be accompanied by a parent/guardian). Also, the wearing of club colours/singlets is not permitted. The following is an AAI Ruling regarding the attendance of underage athletes at 5ks, 10ks, etc….. “Juveniles can partake in races greater than that of their Age Group, but can only do so with parental/guardian consent and they CANNOT wear club colours/singlets: Age Groups – Up to 11yrs – 1.5k / 12-13yrs – 2k / 14-15yrs – 3k / 16-17yrs – 4k / 18yrs + 10k / The minimum threshold for a 5k is 16yrs & for a 10k is 18yrs”.
JUNIOR PARKRUNS – The nearest Junior Parkrun is held every Sunday morning at 9.30am in Dundalk DKIT A91 K584. Junior Parkruns are 2K. Checkout their website and register your children for free from 4 to 14 years of age. In doing this their running times will be recorded every time they attend a Junior Parkrun anywhere in the world – Website: Dundalk Junior Parkrun / Facebook: Dundalk Junior Parkrun (No running spikes at Parkruns and no club singlets necessary).
PARKRUNS – There are 4 local Parkruns held every Saturday morning at 9.30am. These are 5K and ages 15 and over can register for free, record their times and attend a Parkrun anywhere in the World. Please note also that you can run, jog or walk this parkrun with your family and/or the family dog (All children must be accompanied by a parent/guardian and all dogs on a leash / No running spikes at Parkruns and no club singlets necessary)…
- Dundalk Parkrun A91 K584 – Website: Dundalk Parkrun / Facebook: Dundalk Parkrun
- Oldbridge Parkrun Drogheda A92 FD63 – Website: Oldbridge Parkrun / Facebook: Oldbridge Parkrun
- Deerpark Parkrun A82 N9P8 – Website: Deerpark Parkrun / Facebook: Deerpark Parkrun
- Laytown Beach Parkrun A92 TX67 – Website: Laytown Beach Parkrun / Facebook: Laytown Beach Parkrun
- Parkrun Ireland – Website: Parkrun Ireland / Facebook: Parkrun Irealnd
- Click here to find a Parkrun anywhere in the World: A Parkrun near me
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CLUB EVENTS & FUNDRAISERS – our members enjoy, volunteer for and support:
- Annual Table Quiz – The Railway Bar, Ardee – Good Friday
- Juvenile Track & Field Open Sports Day – Boys’ School field, Ardee – August
- Ardee’s Couch to 5K – The Fairgreen Park, Ardee – July to August/September (Mondays & Wednesdays)
- Our club hosts one local Parkrun – Deerpark Parkrun – Carlanstown – August
- The Seamie Weldon Memorial 5K & 10K – Ardee – the first Saturday every September
- Annual Church Gate Collection – Ardee Church – November
- Annual Flag Days – Ardee Town – December
- Club Race Day & Juvenile Awards Ceremony – Ardee St. Mary’s GFC – December
- The GOAL Mile (hosted by Ardee & District AC) – The Fairgreen Park, Ardee – December 26th