History of the Chester-le-Street & District Primary Cross Country

The following rules were adopted:

• Top class children only were allowed to run in accordance with the national cross country rules
• Boys' and girls' team comprising six runners in each team
• Length of course to be between a mile and a mile and a half
• Schools staging the event to make the course as interesting as possible

Bullion Lane were unable to provide a suitable course so, for the first ever set of cross country meetings, the following schools volunteered:

• Saturday 14th January 1978: Pelton Roseberry - 10.30 am
• Saturday 11th February: Sacriston - 10.30 am
• Tuesday 14th March: Barley Mow - 4.30 pm

Although the annual meeting in 1978 recorded that the cross countries had been a success, there was no way that they had gone smoothly. The second meeting at Sacriston was cancelled due to poor weather and, in March, industrial action by teachers prevented a full turn-out at Barley Mow for the final meeting.

The annual meeting in 1980 reported that 15 schools competed. The standard of the competition was high and well enjoyed by pupils, staff and parents. New venues were added, noticeably Langley Park, Newker, Cestria" and Esh Winning. These two schools provided excellent courses, particularly Esh Winning.

The composition of each team altered with a team of four with three counting towards the team score. The reason for this change was that small schools found difficulty finding six in a team from the top year. Many times over the years, the issue of inviting younger pupils to take part was discussed but the recommendation from the English School Cross Country Association that top class pupils only were capable of running the distances required was taken on board.

The association had been asked to provide a team to take part in a triangular meeting with Consett and Stanley and the secretary's report at the annual meeting in 1984 stated the following "I have said for many years that we in Chester-le-Street enjoy a very high standard of competition in our athletics and cross country events. It is often difficult to measure how good the competition is but we were given ample proof this year when we trounced Consett in a cross country meeting at Lamgley Park. It is always heartening to see the number of children who go on to compete in further athletics events. Every week in the local newspaper, there are lists of children who have at one time represented schools in our association and are now performing well for the local harriers"

No cross country races were held in 1986 due to industrial action taken by teachers

Trophies are awarded each year but that is not the most important feature of the cross country events. Children are encouraged to perform to the best of their ability and it is often the runners at the back of the field who receive the greatest accolades. Cross country running is desperately difficult for those who see the better runners disappearing out of sight! Small schools, with little chance of winning, continue to turn up each year. West Pelton is one of these schools but what a great year it was for them in 1987 when they actually won the boy's trophy. A letter written to the association by headteacher Morrison Milburn describes perfectly how they felt: "We're still flushed with success over the cross country result and I'm sure that winning will never become such a frequent occurence that we'll be blase about it. What was especially pleasing about it was the genuine pleasure we seemed to give to so many other schools taking part. It was certainly a case of a minnow behaving like a shark and I hope it gave encouragement to many small schools who, like ourselves, take part regularly in all kinds of sporting activities without much hope of winning. It must be of great satisfaction to you that all the work you put into the organisation of the events results in meetings in which everyone competes in the very best spirit" West Pelton have never won another trophy since but continue to enter a team - surely, that is what it is all about!

Annual meeting: 1989 - a trophy for small schools was introduced resulting in four trophies up for grabs

• Overall Trophy for Boys
• Overall Trophy for Girls
• Small Schools' Trophy for Boys
• Small Schools' Trophy for Girls

First winners of the Small Schools' Trophies were Witton Gilbert (Girls) Birtley St Joseph's (Boys)

Trophies for the best individual boy and girl runners were introduced. Recognising excellence is important and, over the years, we have seen wonderful individual performances. The winner of the boy's trophy in 1990 was a certain Alan Baker (Newker). Little did we think that the same Mr Baker would lead his Pelton Community team to success years later as teacher. The enthusiasm he gained from primary school sport played a big part in the enthusiasm he now engenders from his pupils, driving them on to success in a range of sporting activities.

1995 - number of cross country venues reduced to three

2004 - 22 schools took part in the cross country meetings. This was the most we have ever had.

2007 was a sad year in the history of the association. Woodlea headteacher, Mr Peter Robinson, lost his fight for life after a long illness. Peter was a great supporter of the athletics association and will be greatly missed. In honour of his memory, a trophy has been introduced for the overall winner when the boys' and girls' scores are added together. Mr Graham Robson, deputy headteacher at Newker and good friend of Peter's writes:

"Newker Primary school wins the Peter Robinson Memorial Trophy in the Chester-le-Street District Schools' Cross Country Competition. There could be no better way for me to remember a valued friend and colleague. Peter Robinson spent most of his teaching career working in schools in the Chester-le-Street district, as deputy headteacher at Ouston Junior School and then as headteacher at Woodlea Primary School. It is difficult to sum up in a few words the contribution he made to the pupils he was responsible for and the colleagues who worked with him. He was committed to the teaching profession and had an instant rapport with and earned respect of his pupils, their parents and colleagues. Peter enjoyed the company of people and his cheerful personality and positive outlook quickly became evident when you first met him. There was never a dull moment in his company. He possessed a natural charismatic personality. How many people can make setting up a cross country course on a bitterly cold morning at eight o'clock in the morning on a bitterly cold January morning something to look forward to? Peter Robinson could! He was a firm believer in the policy "Get involved!" and he took an active role in events organised in the Chester-le-Street district - setting up cross country courses and annual district sports, refereeing tag rugby and football matches to name but a few. If the children were provided with a positive and valuable experience, he was there. People like Peter Robinson, who impact greatly on the lives of others, will never be forgotten. He will be greatly missed by his family, friends and colleagues"

 

Past Winners
Boys		Girls
1979	Pelton Roseberry	1979	Pelton Roseberry
1980	Esh Winning	1980	Esh Winning
1981	Pelton Roseberry	1981	Newker
1982	Pelton Roseberry	1982	Newker
1983	Birtley East	1983	Newker
1984	Newker	1984	Birtley East
1985	Newker	1985	Sacriston
1986	-	1986	-
1987	West Pelton	1987	Cestria
1988	Newker	1988	C of E
1989	Birtley East	1989	Newker
1990	C of E	1990	C of E
1991	Ouston	1991	Cestria
1992	Ouston St Benets	1992	Birtley St Josephs
1993	Newker	1993	Newker
1994	Birtley East	1994	C of E/Cestria
1995	Cestria	1995	Stanley St Josephs
1996	Newker	1996	St Cuthberts
1997	St Cuthberts	1997	Birtley East
1998	Newker	1998	Birtley St Josephs
1999	C of E	1999	Birtley St Josephs
2000	Pelton Community	2000	Red Rose
2001	Newker	2001	Newker
2002	Cestria	2002	Pelton Community
2003	Ouston	2003	Ouston
2004	Birtley East	2004	Bullion Lane
2005	Pelton Community	2005	C of E
2006	Pelton Community	2006	Pelton Community
2007	C of E	2007	Birtley St Josephs
2008	Red Rose	2008	Birtley St Josephs
2009	Cestria	2009	Newker

Elliot Rimington (Red Rose School) displays the power on a cold, frosty morning at Ouston in 2008 which won him the top boy runners' trophy

Anna Fawcett (Newker) and Lydia Turner (Ouston) receive their top runners awards in 2008. The competition between the two over the three events was a feature and it was Anna who came out on top each time.

An all-action start to the girls' race at Newker School 2008

One of the smallest, yet most successful schools, is Birtley St Josephs. Encouraged by teacher, Mr McCormick, St Joseph's girls battle their way around Newker's course to win the girls' trophy in 2008

Cestria's successful girls' team in 1991

Alan Baker proudly displaying his winner's trophy - 1990

Peter Robinson

Cestria display the girls' winners trophy which they jointly won with C of E in 1994. This was the only time the trophy had been shared.

A smart looking Pelton Roseberry team, with a young-looking teacher Mr Tom Baker, won both trophies in 1979 - the first winners of the cross country competition

 

Peter Robinson Memorial Trophy
Overall Winners
2008	Newker
2009	Newker

History of Chester-le-Street & District Primary Athletics

The events have changed little over the years apart from the high jump, which was deemed to be a health and safety hazard for the competitors

The first two meetings certainly had their problems. Atrocious weather affected the first meeting and, according to the annual meeting on 16th November 1966, the meeting was marred by rain once again which caused the meeting to be postponed until the following Monday. This was followed by a mix up with the public address system delivery which totally spoiled the meeting.

The first meeting to be held at Ouston Junior School was in 1968. The minutes of the meeting reported that all the arrangements were carried out by Ouston headteacher, Mr N Dickinson, ably supported by his staff. The secretary's report said

"I have pleasure in saying that these arrangements were excellent. The enthusiasm of the pupils and staff were sufficient to ensure success. An enormous amount of work had been put in by the staff of the school, work done in their own time, to make tiers in cement along the front of the track to ensure good seating positions. I am sure that, with the permission of Mr Dickinson, this will be the future venue of the primary schools' meeting"

In the 40 years since, Ouston Junior School has been the main venue for the meeting. For various reasons, Park View Community College, Roseberry Sports College and Esh Winning Primary School have been used as venues but there is no doubt that Ouston School is synonymous with the annual athletics' meeting.

The AGM of the full association on 22nd November 1973 decided that a Chester-le-Street Primary Schools Athletics Association be formed because the senior schools in the present association would soon be leaving to merge with surrounding larger associations. This was proposed by Mr Neal Dickinson and seconded by Mr J Meek

 

District Athletics: Overall Winners
1965	Birtley Elizabethville	1989	Newker
1966	Red Rose	1990	Cestria
1967	Ouston	1991	Cestria
1968	Ouston	1992	Newker
1969	Ouston	1993	Newker
1970	Ouston	1994	Red Rose
1971	Ouston	1995	Newker
1972	Ouston	1996	Newker
1973	Ouston	1997	Cestria
1974	Ouston	1998	St Cuthberts
1975	Ouston	1999	C of E
1976	Pelton Roseberry	2000	Ouston
1977	Ouston	2001	Ouston
1978	Ouston	2002	Ouston
1979	Esh Winning	2003	Ouston
1980	Ouston	2004	Ouston
1981	Red Rose	2005	Ouston
1982	Ouston	2006	Ouston
1983	Birtley East	2007	Ouston/Pelton Comm
1984	Newker	2008	Pelton Community
1985	Ouston	2009	Pelton Community
1986	Ouston	2010	Newker
1987	Cestria
1988	Newker