Profiles

Ashford Athletic Club was formed on 24th March 1965 after two Ashford Public Schools' physical education teachers realised that they had a number of talented youngsters attending the schools who required extra athletic training that they could not provide. The first training night was held at the South Secondary Girls' School on April 13th 1965. It was attended by 23 people. In its first year the club won county medals in discus and 4 man relay, and won 3 interclub Kent meetings. By the end of 1970 the club membership consisted of 103 boys and 43 girls, and by 1980 the club was regularly winning county and national medals.

At this time the club was training in the grounds of the Stour Centre but it soon became clear that proper track facilities were  desperately needed. There were no track facilities in Kent, the nearest faciliy with competition type surface was at Crystal Palace in London which was already overused. In September 1979 talks began with the council to see how more athletics facilities in the Ashford area could be provided.