History of Kent County
Athletics Association
Last amended at
21-10-12
The Association was formed in September 1990 by the amalgamation of the Kent
County Women's Athletic Association and the Kent County Amateur Athletic
Association.
The history of the Women's Association started with its formation in 1946
with Bill Hitchen the first Secretary. The first Championships were held at
Aylesford Paper Mills, backed by Col. Sheldon. The 1948 Championships were held
at Ravensbourne, Lee, and were a financial disaster but Col. Sheldon paid off
all the debts "in recognition of the lady athletes performance at the 1948
Olympic Games held at Wembley". After organisational problems in 1963 a
Championship Committee was formed, consisting of Percy Davies, Faraday Coomber
and Alan Luckett. Alan Luckett was to become Association Chairman in 1968 and
President in 1973, both posts which he held to the 1990 amalgamation.
The Men's Association was formed in 1920 by a nucleus of clubs who had
existed in the County from Victorian times. The oldest of these were Blackheath
Harriers founded in 1869, and Cambridge Harriers in 1890 both still members.
Following the First World War the Amateur Athletic Association recommended that
County associations be formed and on 6th May 1920 a meeting was held at the Town
Hall, Maidstone, at the invitation of the Mayor and under the chairmanship of
the Marquis Camden, Lord Lieutenant of Kent, with a view to forming such a
Kent Association. Unfortunately the meeting was poorly attended and considered
not to be fully representative so a further meeting was held in the London
offices of the Amateur Athletic Association on 26th May 1920. As a consequence
the Kent County A.A.A. was formed with T. Crafter of Blackheath Harriers and
Charles Otway of Herne Hill Harriers as the first Chairman and Secretary
respectively. The first Championships were held on 7th August 1920 at the
Woolwich Polytechnic Ground, Eltham, and the first Cross Country Championships
on the 5th March 1921 from the Ravensbourne Club Ground in Lee from where it was
possible to run in Mottingham, Eltham Green, Well Hall and Kidbrooke. From then,
with the exception of the period of the Second World War, these Championships
have been held annually around the County, though since 1967 the Track and Field
Championships were nearly all held at Crystal Palace and from 1976 as a single
event with the Ladies Championships.
The County has been fortunate to be helped from the beginning by many
long-serving men and women who have given freely of their time and effort so
that Kent is one of the leading Athletic Counties. From the earliest days when
Charles Otway was Secretary of the A. A. A. from 1914 to 1929 and C. W. Pearce
of Herne Hill, who had been President of the English Cross Country Union 1914 to
1919, took over as Treasurer of that organisation from Jack Cottrell of
Cambridge Harriers through to Alan Brent of Blackheath Harriers recently
President of the English Cross Country Union and Eric Nash of Cambridge Harriers
until 1998 Secretary of the South of England Athletic Association where he
followed Len Smith of Medway Athletic Club.
Athletically, too, the County has had a continuing succession of high
performers with regular representation for Great Britain at Olympic Games and
European Championships and for England at the Commonwealth Games and the
International Cross Country Championships.
Individually the greatest performances must be the World Records obtained by
Sydney Wooderson and Steve Backley while the consistency and fine performance of
Frank Sando in the International Cross Country Championships, competing every
year from 1952 until 1960 and the winner in 1955 and 1957 is unlikely to be
surpassed. During most of her long and active career Judy Oakes threw for Kent
and most recently Dame Kelly Holmes has become a leading British competitor
winning Gold at the Olympic Games.
Past Presidents
|
2011 |
2012 |
|
President |
Louise Watson |
|
2010 |
2011 |
|
President |
Barry Royden |
|
2009 |
2010 |
|
President |
David Ralph |
|
2008 |
2009 |
|
President |
Derek Garrard |
|
2007 |
2008 |
|
President |
Marjorie Sawyer |
|
2006 |
2007 |
|
President |
Ken Gilbert |
|
2005 |
2006 |
|
President |
Mike Rowbottom |
|
2004 |
2005 |
|
President |
Ian F Smith |
|
2003 |
2004 |
|
President |
Neil C P Smith |
|
2002 |
2003 |
|
President |
Frank D Sando |
|
2001 |
2002 |
|
President |
Ron Hale |
|
2000 |
2001 |
|
President |
Eric Nash |
|
1999 |
2000 |
|
President |
David Maynard |
|
1998 |
1999 |
|
President |
F Len Murphy |
|
1997 |
1998 |
|
President |
Ron P Sawyer |
|
1996 |
1997 |
|
President |
Chris Newman |
|
1995 |
1996 |
|
President |
Mick Paul |
|
1994 |
1995 |
|
President |
Dennis Foxley |
|
1993 |
1994 |
|
President |
Mrs Daphne M Reed |
|
1992 |
1993 |
|
President |
Jack G Alston |
|
1991 |
1992 |
|
President |
Alan J Brent |
|
1990 |
1991 |
|
President |
Alan W Luckett |
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
|
KCAA formed 30 September 1990 from KCWAAA & KCAAA
The following are Past Presidents of
KCAAA |
|
1990 |
1990 |
|
President |
Brian E Boulton |
|
1989 |
1990 |
|
President |
Dennis Foxley |
|
1988 |
1989 |
|
President |
Victor W W Beardon |
|
1987 |
1988 |
|
President |
Ian F Smith |
|
1986 |
1987 |
|
President |
Ron Hale |
|
1985 |
1986 |
|
President |
Peter R Stedall |
|
1984 |
1985 |
|
President |
Bill H Alexander OBE |
|
1983 |
1984 |
|
President |
Dennis F Millgate |
|
1982 |
1983 |
|
President |
Neil C Smith |
|
1981 |
1982 |
|
President |
S 'Ticker' Fry |
|
1980 |
1981 |
|
President |
Frank D Sando |
|
1979 |
1980 |
|
President |
Alan J Brent |
|
1978 |
1979 |
|
President |
Arthur Nye |
|
1977 |
1978 |
|
President |
Peter W Green |
|
1976 |
1977 |
|
President |
Jack C Alston |
|
1975 |
1976 |
|
President |
Norman Lewis |
|
1974 |
1975 |
|
President |
Alan W Luckett |
|
1973 |
1974 |
|
President |
Harold F Rainbird |
|
1972 |
1973 |
|
President |
Vic Wood |
|
1971 |
1972 |
|
President |
Jim Hennessy |
|
1970 |
1971 |
|
President |
Herbert C Rogers |
|
1969 |
1970 |
|
President |
Laurie E Hammill |
