With the summer season approaching shortly the Wallasey track and field athletes are beginning their pre-season training.
For Wallasey's senior men's team their aim is to regain a place In the Northern Premier League. To do this they will need to win the North Western League which includes Blackpool and Fylde A.C., Stretford A.C.; Waterloo Harriers A.C., Manchester A.C., and Oldham A.C.
Wallasey should be capable of a high place, but much will depend on the field event athletes in the three meetings. As is reflected in all standards of British athletes, the standard in these events is very low, and it could well be that Wallasey's field event specialists could see Wallasey through to a high place.
Much will depend on the performances of Alan Cheers in the triple and long jump competitions, Alan's previous bests of over 43 ft. in the triple and 21 ft. in the long jump have seen him in high positions in the Northern events.
ln the throws, Wallasey will be very hard to beat; discus specialist Carl Gee and shot putter Andy Fulton have been training hard all winter with the weights and could be unbeatable. Phil Holmes, the club hammer thrower, has been having some trouble with his technique, but should have this sortedj out by the summer.
In the high jump Wallasey has no ready successor to Brian McGrath and will be forced to field a non-specialist.
On the track a lack of 'sprinting strength' can be compensated for by a strong middle distance group. Former Northern junior 400 metre champion Pete Lewis will be anxious to reduce his time in this event to below 50 seconds which could be one of the fastest performances by a Northern athlete, he is also likely to be unbeatable over 800 metres.
Also in the 800 metre event will be Phil Wealthy for the first time attempting the shorter distance.
Doug Hanna will be alternating between the 400 metres and the 800 metres, while Mike Teahan will be joining Dave Lindsey in the 1500 metre event.
Dave should be a great asset to the club with a best of 3 mins. 55 secs. two seasons ago, he was also showing good form in the Sutton '7' where he finished 27th.
In the steeplechase event, Bob Brimage will be very hard to beat; he has already set a personal best in the 800 metres last week.
While the men's section will be contesting the Northern League, the ladles will be competing in the newly formed Cheshire League.
Here their main rivals will be Wirral A.C., with the prospects of a National Women's League being setup next season, both teams will be anxious to perform well.
Wallasey's strength will lie in their large numbers, and success will depend on the ability of Mary Caldwell and Janice Watts to organise the group into a team to be reckoned with. Mary should run well this year over the 1500 metres and 3000 metre events, and claim some high individual places.
Janice will be competing in the 800 metres event and with a best of 2 mins. 25 secs. could establish herself as a force.
Ends
Source - Wallasey News - Saturday, 27/03/1971
Ref 1574