At the start of the season, our goals were fairly straightforward: gain promotion to the Premier League and retain our place in the Heart of England League. Simple enough, right?
Apparently, nobody told the team to keep expectations realistic. Instead of just meeting our targets, we went completely overboard and won both leagues!
- 🏆 YDL League Champions & Promotion to the Premier League
- 🏆 Heart of England League Champions
Not bad for a season that started with us just trying to stay where we were! After months of travelling, endless spreadsheets, team selections, chasing athletes, and wondering what day of the week it is, it is safe to say it was all worth it—and yes, the team manager’s wife still remembers what he looks like!
From “Let’s Get Promoted” to “We’ve Won Both!”
Week after week, this team kept improving. Athletes stepped up, performances peaked, records fell, and everyone started to believe. We didn’t just turn up to competitions; we turned up ready to compete.
Behind those final league positions are the early mornings, long journeys, last-minute changes, and the classic team manager plea: “Can someone please fill in the form?” It was a massive collaborative effort from start to finish.
Kicking Down the Door on Club Records
As if winning two leagues wasn’t enough, club records were broken left, right, and centre. It has been fantastic seeing athletes push themselves and raise the standard across the board.
Some major highlights this season include:
- Fielding 4 x 300m relay teams for the first time ever, with squads progressing all the way to the National Relay Finals.
- Fantastic performances across our 4 x 100m teams, highlighted by our U16 boys medalling at a national event.
Thank You to Our Coaches, Parents, and Officials
This success wouldn’t have been possible without our incredible community:
- Our Coaches: Through cold, wet, windy tracks and long weekends, your commitment, knowledge, and dedication helped our athletes perform at their absolute best.
- Parents & Officials: From early starts and long drives to filling out forms and standing around for hours, your support made the new form-based team selection process work seamlessly. Thank you for the lifts, the patience, and for putting up with all the messages!
Next Stop… The Premier League!
So, we’ve won two leagues, secured promotion, broken club records, and made National Relay Finals. Naturally, the sensible thing to do is make next season even harder!
Next year, we step up to the Premier League to see what we can do. The target? Challenge for the Premier League title and secure a place in the National Final. We know powerhouse clubs like Rugby will be tough to dethrone, but after everything this team has achieved, why shouldn’t we dream big?
To our U12s moving up to U14, and our graduating U20s who have developed brilliantly through the ranks: keep pushing, keep competing, and get ready for another massive year.
What a season. What a team. What a club.
🏆 Congratulations to everyone — YDL & Heart of England League Champions! 🏆
