Team East Lothian AC provides an athletics development framework for athletes from primary school age to senior international competition. Athletes from Team East Lothian regularly compete successfully at local, regional, national and international levels.

For athletes, or prospective athletes, who are in the U17 age group and above, Team East Lothian AC has a process of trial training and evaluation so that both parties can identify whether joining one of the club’s development squads is the right move. Get in touch with teammanager@teameastlothian.org.uk to take that route.

For younger athletes who are keen to achieve their athletics potential, Team East Lothian AC supports the East Lothian Athletics Performance Pathway in collaboration with the three local clubs in the county – Musselburgh and District Athletics Club, Haddington Running Club, and Dunbar Running Club. Together, the four clubs provide a pathway for young athletes to develop and train from the start of their primary school journey all the way to international competition.

The initial stage of athletics engagement is with Team East Lothian and either the Run Jump Throws programme or with Athletics Holiday Camps run during the Easter and Summer school holidays for primary school and early secondary school-aged athletes.

At around the age of eight, athletes can choose to join one of the three local clubs where they can continue their training on a weekly basis and compete at competitions such as the Team East Lothian Summer Open Series or Winter Cross Country series, the scottishathletics Superteam series, the Forth Valley League, the Borders Cross Country League, and district age group championships.

Around the ages of twelve to fourteen, the coaches in the local clubs will evaluate athletes and consider whether they would benefit from following the East Lothian Performance pathway and joining Team East Lothian as a means of stepping up training and competition opportunities.

Team East Lothian AC itself has two major levels of squad training;

THE POTENTIALS SQUAD is aimed at athletes looking to take their club athletics to the next level. Training in the Potentials squad will focus on multi-events development in addition to a strong focus on physical literacy and movement skills (3hrs p/w). There will be specific input from the different event groups (Sprints/Hurdles, Jumps, Endurance and Throws) on Tuesdays, and Potentials Squad athletes will also attend a physical literacy sessions on Fridays. Athletes should show a strong interest in athletics and a desire to maximise their potential with a growth mindset. Athletes should be competing at a regional level and should be at an appropriate age and stage of development (generally at Under-13 level).

THE DEVELOPMENT SQUADS are designed for athletes looking for dedicated training in one of the event groups (Sprints/Hurdles, Jumps, Endurance or Throws) and focusing their training on one of these event groups or combined events (5hrs p/w). Squad members will attend two event group sessions (Tuesdays and Fridays) in addition to a strength and condition session at a squad-specific time. Athletes in the Development Squad should be focused on one event group or combined events, competing at a regional to national level, approach training with a dedicated and growth mindset as well as being at an appropriate age and stage of development (generally at Under-15 level and above).

As Team East Lothian athletes grow and evolve, their event group coaches may tailor their training and add additional training sessions with their development squad or assign them training sessions to execute individually. Competition success at regional, national, and international levels also opens up opportunities for athletes to be financially supported with travel and other expenses through the Team East Lothian Athlete Grant programme.