Ratoath Athletics Club based in County Meath are the perfect example of a club trying to create a team-sport atmosphere to retain juvenile members and build their growing cohort of competing seniors.

The club have recently returned from Portugal, where last weekend they competed in the DNA European U20 Clubs competition and had their best finish yet.

“We were seventh overall in 2023, and last year we were sixth, a few other things went wrong on the day but we were happy with the progression. This year was the best ever as we won our semi-final on Saturday and then finished third in the A final on Sunday. Third in Europe so we are really happy with that,” club coach Peter Doherty explained.

The club has enhanced their focus on relay events and national league competitions in recent years, and this, along with the DNA, has helped it retain more underage members into the senior ranks.

“We focus on relays and we find it does keep the girls and the lads in it longer, you know, because they’re getting success at national level, even if they’re individual isn’t going great.

“The DNA thing has been huge as well. That’s been very attractive for athletes to stay on; a chance to compete in Europe is huge.”

The women’s side won the indoor national league earlier this year and finished third outdoors. Doherty says the goal is to compete with “bigger” clubs in the senior ranks, which he said they are beginning to see.

“Our women are probably stronger at the minute. But we have some really good athletes coming through next year.

“The plan is to try and be one of the top clubs, like a DSD or Clonliffe. Leevale obviously is very strong as well. So to kind of be at that level and stay at that level, and not just be a flash in the pan.

“We’ve been top 3 or 4 at national league for the last, three to four years. So we have been maintaining a presence there. But the first win we had was the women’s indoor team this year.” `

Doherty became involved with the club when his children became interested in athletics, but did compete himself.

Daughter Katie has gone on to represent Ireland at the EYOF in 2023, and it seems there is some emphasis on keeping girls in the sport in particular and Doherty feels the social side is important.

“I found if we’re retaining athletes at 15, 16, and you have a good group there, like 20 to 30 athletes… It’s a real social thing, and they’re coming down for the craic as well, not just the training.

“That’s why a lot of the girls in particular will stick at GAA, because they get that at GAA, because there’s always teams for them. Whereas in clubs, smaller clubs don’t have that, they might have one or two at training, and they just don’t have that social side of it. So, that’s important.”

The club also tries to reduce the separation between sprint and endurance groups.

“We try and keep our groups together as well. Generally, our distance and our sprint junior athletes would train at the same time. So they can have any friends that would be within both groups, so they’re socialising there as well.”

The coach isn’t afraid to admit that they have ambitions of winning the senior outdoor league title in years to come and is hopeful of a return to European competition for the current crop of juniors.

“It would be nice to get a win outdoor, but easier said than done. There is talk of the European senior clubs coming back as a competition. So if that did come back, obviously we’d be very interested in that.

“We’re looking to keep building because that might come in at some stage. And again, I keep saying to our athletes, if that comes back, we’re going to have a chance to compete in Europe again.”

Like all clubs across Ireland Peter and the rest of the coaches and committee members are volunteers, but what keeps him engaged in the sport?

“A bit of madness maybe. I like seeing athletes improve, whether they’re breaking national records or whatever, I just like seeing athletes make an improvement.

“Over the years I’ve seen athletes that come through, particularly the lads who would not have been anywhere at under 14 and 15, and next thing they’re just developing into guys that are winning national medals. I get a good kick out of that.”

There is a large team involved in getting the Ratoath juniors to the DNA club event and they receive support from various avenues, as well as fundraising to get the team out.

“Athletics Ireland obviously gave a grant for it. We also got some money from Athletics Leinster. And we got money from Meath Athletics who are really good to us they have given us money for the last four years. And Leinster, which really helped along with the grant from Athletics Ireland.”

You can find the club’s website HERE

They are also very active on social media and you can find them on Facebook, Instagram and Tiktok.