Page 82 - Phonebox Magazine October 2016

Olney Town Football Club
On the Field: September has been a great month for Olney Town FC with all the hard work in pre-season seeing the 1st Team and Reserves through a tough set of xtures with ying colours!
As we write the 1st Team currently sit top of United Counties League Division 1 after 10 games. This massive effort has been a testament to the Management Team led by Neil Grif ths and Ben Hill.
13 points from the last 15 has been an exceptional return and the Team are beginning to nd a consistency in play, free scoring yet “mean” at the back – both Josh Crawley and Vinny Shrieves amongst the goals! Similarly the Reserves are also showing strong form and currently sit 3rd in the UCL Reserve Division.
The xtures come thick and fast now all the way through to Christmas so watch out for all of our xtures on our new website at www.olneytownfc. com
A new addition to the Football Club is our portable oodlight set up on the Charity Field – whilst not quite perfect lighting it will enable our 1st and Reserve Teams to train mid-week at our home without the need to pay for all weather astro training in Milton Keynes!
Off the Field: Over the close season the club took the decision to cancel its Sky TV contract, at approaching £400 per month we were not entirely sure we were getting value for money. Step in BT Sport who are now providing us with the key matches at our peak times and at 25% of the price. If you fancy the 5.30pm matches on a Saturday then the FC is the place to be!!
The FC Diner continues to develop its match day offer and in addition to the normal teas and coffees and fresh rolls now sells burgers and hotdogs at half time.
All of the internal decoration is now nished so if you are looking for a venue for a party then the club can provide an ideal space for up to 120-140 people with fully equipped kitchen and great stage for live music and DJs. For more details go onto our new website www. olneytownfc.com.
Our sponsorship package continues to thrive and if you are a local business looking for great exposure then please contact Paul Tough on 07764 183485.
Olney Runners
Olney Runners has gone from strength to strength over the last few years and the club now has over 300 members. Our team of experienced coaches and run leaders cater for all levels over-seeing a mixture of varied sessions.
We do have several speedy runners, Dean Sartin who runs 5k in 19 minutes (and that’s in ip ops!) but we also have complete beginners and we make it our goal to encourage anyone to run.
Donna Lee started running as part of the Couch to 5K group earlier this year and this is what she has to say: “ I could never have imagined how much joining Olney Runners would change my daily life. In a short few months, I have gone from someone who sat watching TV most evenings, to someone who really looks forward to meeting up with the club three times a week to run! You could not hope to wish to meet a more positive group of people, who constantly give support and encouragement, and the social side of the club is a great way to make new friends.”
It’s been a great month
Going from strength to strength
We would also love to hear from any experienced runners. Our quali ed coaches are there to guide and support individuals helping them meet all variety of running goals. Craig Austin, who currently coaches our top runners, offers a high level of coaching combined
with bucket loads of enthusiasm. His hard effort track Mondays, hill sessions, half mile reps, strength and speed conditioning, alongside the basic skills, will improve your running no end and you’ll have the added bonus of these sessions being set against a background of fun and laughs.
Craig says: “I can’t think of a better way of being able to train for events that range from fast 5ks to Ultras with such a great group of people.” So if you’d like to give us a go, come and say hello on a club night - Wednesdays in the Market Place at 7pm. Just introduce yourself to one of the coaches and we’ll guide you to an appropriate group. Or if you’d like more information call me, Anne-Marie Hunter, on 07919 522926 or check out Facebook page for more information.
82 Phonebox Magazine | October 2016