The Team

Our Team

Our team of dedicated volunteers come from varied backgrounds and bring many years of relevant experience that is essential to providing the guidance and direction to make our club the best it can be.

Our Committee

Our Committee is made up of an enthusiastic group of volunteers possessing a comprehensive knowledge of athletics and complimentary business and technical skills.

Mark Exley

Mark has been involved in Athletics since his teens. In his early years he was a road runner and now spends his time as a volunteer coach and official. Mark is a qualified throws and endurance coach and a field official.

Mark co-owns and runs an independent HR Consultancy business in Northampton with his wife.

Interesting fact:

Mark’s Grandad was an International Track Judge and an experienced sports administrator in the 1950’s, 60’s and 70’s.

Joe Horsley

Joe came to Athletics late after numerous shoulder injuries put paid to playing badminton. He competed as a road runner and soon found he wanted to give more to the sport so became a committee member. He regularly marshals events and has been chief marshal for cross countries at Abington Park for a number of years.

Interesting fact:

Joe has been the General Manager of a steam heritage railway for over 30 years.

James ‘Jim’ Elder

Jim started athletics whilst at school in his native Scotland, initially as an 800/1500m runner with Bellahouston Harries in Glasgow. After his family moved to Essex in 1970, he joined local club Colchester AC who saw greater potential as a sprinter. Moving into late teens, he became a 400m/400m Hurdles runner, and did long jump and triple jump. In his early 20s he qualified as an accountant, but sadly injuries throughout his 20s meant that any potential in athletics was never fully realised, but he continued to compete as a good club athlete, first with Colchester and then with Swindon, to where he moved due to a promotion at work. Eventually he had to give up running in his late-30s due to a complete Achilles tendon rupture and trained as a sprints/hurdles coach. Jim qualified as a UKA technical official in 2008, and after almost 15 years of coaching both with Swindon and more recently with RNAC, he gave up coaching to concentrate on officiating. Jim is now a qualified Start Team and Field Judge official and is training to be a Track Judge.

Interesting fact:

Jim has played drums since a teenager and has played in many groups over the years. He is currently drummer for a local band called Back In Time, playing music hits from the 60s, 70s, 80s and 90s.

Adam Henley

Adam only started athletics as a veteran having been inspired after attending the World Championships on holiday in Berlin in 2009.

Adam’s throwing career was relatively short and undistinguished (just like his distances) but he enjoyed helping out and became a qualified field official. Adam is currently a regional level field official and is seeking to progress to national level.

Adam works full time as a Finance Analyst at Kettering General Hospital and is also a Town Councillor for Wellingborough Town Council.

Interesting fact:

Adam has seen 2 men’s 100m world records live – Berlin and Atlanta.

Jaclyn Robson

Jaclyn first joined the club after her two sons started running as a hobby.

However, it wasn’t long before athletics became part of their and also her, lives. Jaclyn has been with NAC since the day it began and has slowly started to become more involved with different aspects of the club over the last year. From starting a Senior ladies squad to organising bi-annual awards evenings, Jaclyn is involved in numerous club activities and is a friendly face to everyone in the club.

With over 14 years experience within the school and welfare systems, Jaclyn has always had our member’s wellbeing at heart, so offering to be our newest Welfare Officer was a no-brainer for her!

Interesting fact:

Jaclyn ran her first Marathon in 2022 raising money for Tommy’s charity even though growing up she hated running!

Dawn Exley

Dawn started running to keep fit and then began competing in road races; she later moved into swimming and cycling and even managed to complete a couple of sprint triathlons! She stated getting involved in track and field to support her daughter and helps out with league matches and new member enquiries.

Dawn co-owns and runs an independent HR Consultancy business in Northampton with her husband. For the past 9 years she has been a school governor at a special school in Northampton and has a keen interest in child and athlete welfare.

Interesting fact:

Dawn celebrated her 50th year on this planet by completing the London to Paris cycle event raising money for Breast Cancer.

Our Coaches

Our coaching structure provides all the skills and experience required to develop athletes of all abilities. Our coaches are all qualified and hold enhanced DBS checks.

Coaching Co-Ordinator

Emma Cooke

Endurance
Coaches

Eden Bates

Niall Gardiner

Gavin Reeves

Tanya Longden

Hannah Groves

Ian Moore

Neil Glover

Steve McGowan

Jaclyn Robson

Emma Cooke

Adam Alexander

Barbara Willison

Hurdles
Coaches

Britt Wood

Mark Lambeth

Multi-Event
Coaches

Kate Hall

Linda Thomas

Pere Raphael

Chris Brook

Britt Wood

Mark Exley

Jumps
Coaches

Rachel Palmer

Iain Drage

Throws
Coaches

Finn McCabe

Steve Barford

Britt Wood

Mark Exley

Sprints
Coaches

Barry Crisp

Kevin Smith

Iain Drage

Upcoming Competitions