Phoenix Athletics and Triathlon club

About Phoenix

Phoenix Athletics Club was formed in 1981 by Matt Paterson and Olympic champion Steve Ovett. Having widened our appeal to include triathlon in 1998, we now have more than 300 members – from juniors to veterans competing at local, national and international level, to those simply looking to get fit and stay healthy. Throughout this time the club has stuck to its core beliefs that only by respecting the personal ambitions of the individual athlete can the club help every individual achieve to their potential.

Our aim is to match the commitment of any individual coming to the club; so that they not only improve to reach there goals but understand more about the sport they are taking part in. We do this by having a fluid system of coaching where we cross over group training sessions to meet the athlete’s ability and vary the training in a progressive manor.

      There are five main sections to the club:

• Juniors (from age 9-13) – the largest group in the club.
• Youth and Senior sprint group.
• Youth and Senior middle distance group.
• Seniors long distance Group – including very competitive women’s and veterans’ groups
• Multisport – catering for the specific training needs of triathletes.

Phoenix Athletics and Triathlon Club Membership Commitments

At Phoenix we consider it important to set out our core beliefs, below are the six beliefs that we consider most important to driving the club forward.

• Inspiration – At Phoenix our core belief is that only by respecting the personal ambitions of the individual athlete can the club help every individual to achieve their potential. “The difference between the impossible and the possible lies in a person’s determination, if you have the determination Phoenix Athletics and Triathlon Club will help you get there.”
• Fairness – Phoenix will offer the same equal opportunities to every club member whatever the level, and through our network and coaching structures help the athlete to try to achieve their goals.
• Friendship - Phoenix operate a network of training groups at every level so that the athlete can feel comfortable working towards their goals at their own pace with like minded individuals. Phoenix realise the social side is just as important in integrating into the club and as such have regular social nights, and club trips
• Help – All aspects of your training can be overseen by one of our UKA or BTF qualified Coaches so that you know you are in good hands, whatever your initial level we can find the right fit for you.
• Competition - Phoenix cater for all levels of competition from Track and Field, Road, Cross-country, and Multi sports. We encourage and support our members at all levels of competition from fun run’s to international level
• Value – Phoenix is an amateur athletics and triathlon club and as such all Members fees are spent ultimately on athletic activities to better development and improve the sport for all its members.

Coaching policy

At Phoenix we believe that only by respecting the personal ambitions of the individual athlete will we get the best from them. We do this by placing each individual in a group according to their ability. Groups are run by one of our experienced and enthusiastic coaches, who give up their time to look after athletes free of charge. Coaching Director Malcolm Kemp oversees the groups and there are regular meetings to improve training standards and to adjust the size of groups to keep them at manageable levels. The club's philosophy is to enjoy athletics while getting the most from your potential.

To this end coaches provide a wide variety of training sessions to stimulate the interest of our athletes. Competitions – ranging from events such as the London Marathon to the South Downs Way Relay – are available throughout the year, and coaches will give athletes every encouragement to enter.

Club night

Phoenix is based at Withdean Stadium, where we meet every Wednesday, come rain or shine, throughout the year. This is the best time to come and meet coaches from the club as members of all 5 sections of the club will be training at somepoint during the evening. Training sessions for the juniors are from 5:30pm onwards according to age and ability; those for seniors are from 6:45pm.

You will find details of additional sessions, such as our weekly long runs, Saturday-morning cycle rides or our coached swimming sessions, on the Training page. For details on how to join Phoenix AC, go to the How to join page. You can also keep updated by being put on the specific group email lists as training locations and sessions vary throughout the year, please see the contact page for more information.

Benefits of membership

Our coaching team have been competing and coaching for decades and through this comes a wealth of knowledge, learned first hand, and past down to up and comming coaches. With the added opportunity to train and compete with other athletes of a similar or better ability Phoenix are able to offer a service that cannot be matched by any paid coach or gym membership, and all we ask in return is that you share your enjoyment for the sport with us.

Throughout the competition year we run two training trips, so that you can better learn about the sport and bond with club mates. We also travel abroad so that club members can get a taste of international racing, for the past couple of years this has been the Loto Cross Cup series in Brussels, Belgium. Giving our members as many opportunity to try something new has always been of high priority to us, because as important as tradition is in athletics you cannot be afraid to do something different.

There are some other useful financial benefits. Club members are able to obtain a 10% discount at: RUN, Blatchington Road, Hove; Sweatshop, Queens Road, Brighton; and the Jog Shop, George Street, Kemptown, Brighton. They also receive a discount on race entry fees.

For Members who reach required standards and are competing in the British Milers Club (BMC) races, membership is paid for by Phoenix. There are also a number of bursaries available to junior members reaching required standards, please contact the club for specific details on these.

But perhaps the most important benefit of being a member is being able to compete for the club and wear our distinctive and iconic Phoenix vest. Steve Ovett became an Olympic gold medal winner and, although we can offer no guarantee that you will follow in his footsteps, we will support you in all your efforts to do so!