On 7 April, Weir Archer Academy was delighted to receive a grant of £2,418 from the Axis Foundation’s finance team.
The money has been used to purchase four sprint timing gates and two weighted training sleds to assist weekly training sessions, as well as two sleds being generously donated by Jenny Archer and Liz Sissons.
Sarah Hodgson, Content Marketing Officer at Axis, wrote: “We donated £2,418 to purchase sprint timing gates and weighted training sleds, enabling athletes and coaches to accurately measure performance and enhance training programmes.”
“Athletes, club members and supporters will benefit, improving engagement, motivation and performance while introducing new technology that supports both grassroots participation and elite progression.”
The equipment has since been used regularly to facilitate resistance training and time athletes’ performances on the track.
As a member of the Academy, I have used this equipment during training, and found the sprint timing gates especially useful when receiving feedback on my speed, which I find beneficial.
Speaking to Assistant Head Coach Jake Foster has revealed how the equipment has benefited athletes at the club.
“Timing gates have made our training at the club more objective, we can see how the training we’re doing is impacting athletes in a more controlled environment.”
“We can use them to see how we need to adapt our training plans to draw the next percent from the athletes.”
He continued to add: “The sleds have made a positive impact on our athletes’ starts already. Being able to manipulate the weight our athletes are starting with has began to develop a foundation of strength we wouldn’t have without them.”
The Axis Foundation is a London-based charity that was founded in 2008, with the aim of funding small, local initiatives to provide positive change to the lives of disabled and disadvantaged individuals in the UK.
To date, they have supported 430 causes and donated £3,000,000 over 17 years. More information about the Foundation can be found here: https://axisfoundation.org/