Barking and Dagenham (KG)
KG001 This young lady is a 12-year-old, who has been attending Met-track in Barking and Dagenham for 2 months. She has very high energy levels similar to Attention Deficit Disorder and struggles to concentrate. At school she is a regular disruption because of her boundless energy. This energy has led to her being suspended from school and starting to become involved with troublesome teenagers. She has been encouraged to vandalise school property and spray paint onto walls in defiance against authorities. When she began at Met-Track she struggled to pay attention and disrupted the session. I suggested she use the energy for a purpose and try running a 400m. She wasn’t interested and I said I expected her not to be, as I didn’t think she could run under 80 seconds. This sparked defiance in her and she wanted to run to prove me wrong. She eventually ran 75seconds and I gave her a certificate for her performance. Since then she has been a regular attendee and has been using her energy more positively. I also found a spray can in her possession and she explained that she had been tagging with some other children. I told her I had seen police arrest taggers and put them in prison. I also explained how bad prison really was and she seemed shocked. Since then I haven’t caught her with any spray paint and she says she’s stopped.

KG002 This young lady was disillusioned with school and the benefits of it. She is 14 and would regularly bunk classes and go and walk about the town centre with friends. They would occasionally frighten elderly people and steal cycle bikes. Her teachers rarely saw her and her attendance was below 50%. Her mum was called into school and it was discovered that her mum struggled to control her since her father died 2 years ago. She thought school was pointless, as she didn’t want to be a mathematician! No subject interested her apart from P.E. but she wasn’t any good at it. Her teacher decided to send her to Met-Track to get her more involved in sport. Once she started at Met-Track, I could see she wanted to participate but wasn’t confident in her abilities. I encouraged her to join in with the shot put. I gave her a demonstration and asked her to give it a go. She threw the shot only 4 meters but the performance allowed her to come out of her shell. Her confidence began to grow and she participated in all the events. I gave her the opportunity to help me coach the other children and her confidence grew further. She said she wants to become a coach to help children in the future. She had discovered she didn’t have to be good at sport but could help others become better. Her confidence has come on leaps and bounds, and her school teachers have also been shocked by her change around within the classroom. One teacher said that Met-track had shown her how to channel her energy’s into a positive way, and looks to Met-Track as a prize if she concentrates and sticks in with school.

Croydon
The subject of this case study is a sixteen year old lad who I have worked with at Met-Track for around four months. During our conversations at training sessions it became apparent that he was having discipline problems at school. He told me he was placed on school report for poor attendance and lateness. I enquired as to what he did with his time instead of being at school. He confessed that he regularly hung around his local area with a number of other young people who have had various encounters with the police and generally caused a nuisance to the public. Amid another discussion between us he mentioned that he felt he had poor time management skills and low motivation generally. I was a little taken aback that, if this was the case, how come he was always on time to the Met-Track sessions. What’s more, he always performed at training with maximum effort and enthusiasm. Our talks prompted a general change in is attitude. In the following weeks he brought me his school report form for me to look at and it was clear that his attendance was back up to 100%. I enquired if this meant he was no longer hanging around the streets with the other young people in his area. He stressed to me that he no longer did so as he wanted to focus on school and athletics. He is currently looking into the possibility of joining a local athletics club in time for the summer season.

TESTIMONIES
KG001 I kept getting in trouble in school because the teachers said I didn’t listen. I couldn’t help it. After coming to Met-Track, I realised I liked running and it helps calm me down because I’m tired, and also puts my negative energy into something positive!
KG002 I didn’t relate to any subjects at school. They are all boring except P.E. I’m not great at sport and I felt I couldn’t compete with the other children. Met-Track made me realise I didn’t have to be excellent at sport but I could help others become better. I want to work in coaching in the future and work in a leisure centre, this has all come out of me trying Met-Track.

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Barnet (SX)
SX001 One young man was a real nuisance when he first started to attend the weekly squads, he continually disrupted the group and never listened to instructions, as the cold weather kicked in numbers started to reduce, this started to help this young man concentrate more and his attitude towards his peers and the coach improved. He is now a different character and is really engaging in the training. He has even said to the coach that his behaviour in school has also improved

SX002 This young girl was very shy when she first attended Met-Track at Barnet, she continued to join in and come down to the sessions and found that she was enjoying the sessions and had something which she had talent at, she still continues to come down to the sessions and has since the start started to come out of her shell and integrate with the rest of the group more. She has also in a couple of sessions taken the warm-up.

SX003 This young man gave the coach a bit of trouble when he first started to attend, he continued to come down, the coach took him aside after his second session and talked with him, explaining that he needs to start and concentrate more during the session and he may find that he will get much faster. The young man had a transformed attitude the following session and is now very polite and respectful to the other people around him. The coach commented saying that he is a different guy to what he was at the beginning.

SX004 This young man has been a great example of what hard work gets out, his times and distances have improved each week and he is now showing others how to do certain exercises, he has expressed an interest in joining a club.

SX005 This young lady is a fun loving, temperamental teenager who works we at Met-track although she can be slightly moody. I found out that at school before Met-track she nearly got exclude for her bad behavior. She puts her behavior improvement down to Met-track, she attends every session come rain or shine. She says, "I didn't respect adults till I started working with coach JJ who has a laugh but is stern too".

TESTIMONIES
SX001 Since I have been coming to Met-Track my behaviour has improved not only at the weekly squads but at school as well, I used to really mis-behave in classes and found it hard to concentrate, now I am a more focused guy.
SX002 Since I joined Met-Track, I have learned to stay healthy. I used to get into trouble at school but now have learned to focus more through the sessions with JJ.
SX003 I think Met-Track is really fun JJ has made the sessions fun but disciplined which is good for me as I think that is something I have needed.
SX004 I think Met-Track is a great opportunity as I used to be very bored after school which got me into trouble, Met-Track has given me something to do in my spare time and I am now dedicated to going every week.
SX005 Met-Track has been really good for me, it has given me something to do after school, instead of either sitting in my house bored or just hanging around the streets with my friends. I have really enjoyed taking part in athletics, which I haven’t really had a chance to do until now. The coach has been really helpful and it is great to talk with him to find out his experiences in the sport.
SX006 I think Met-Track is really good for young people it has given me a chance to meet people who are interested in keeping fit and doing positive things, most of my friends smoke and aren’t interested in doing sport, I definitely think that I could end up on the wrong side of the Police id I continue to do nothing after school.

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Bexley (RY)
RY001 This young man was under supervision of social services, in care, his behaviour was entering the policing radar, and his schoolwork was poor. He engaged with Met-Track, found new purpose in life, and has shown a hidden ability he now seeks to improve with 4 x / week training with an established athletics training group. His schoolwork is outstanding, his self-esteem is being rapidly restored, and his behaviour is no longer an issue. On 25th February 2007, he won two medals at his first ever National Indoor Athletics Championships, and produced the fifth fastest 400m for his age-group in the UK ever. More recently, he took part in the English Schools Championships, and won the 400m gold medal for his age-group, clocking the fastest time in the UK. He now features among the fastest all-time Britons for his age. He, and many of his peers, have changed their outlook on life significantly. He has since represented England Schools and is still fully engaged with school and is still a shining light for many young people to follow.

RY002 Pupil B was a former club athlete who had fallen out of the system, and was becoming a local problem in his community. Low-level issues showed the worrying signs that typify potential offenders. He joined Met-Track, and slowly returned to the fold he had previously abandoned. He would now appear to be back on the 'straight and narrow'. After being back in the sport of Track and Field, Pupil B has competed at the National Championships in Sheffield, where he made it to the Semi-Final in the 100m, this competition is where the best athletes in the country for there age group, in this case U-17, come together. After this competition, Pupil B has said he now has aims and a sense of achievement, for him to carry on and improve.

RY003 This 14 year old boy is so dedicated to the training and continues to turn up every week and still found time during his exams to come training. He has mentioned that at times when his friends are on street corners he is down at Erith training. He has changed both his behaviour and performance and is another great example of what Met-Track can produce.

RY004 This young man came out of prison and was told by the YOT to take part in Met-Track for a number of weeks he has done this and continues to come down off his own back, his behaviour was improving throughout the time he spent at Met-Track and engaged well with the coach and the young people in the squad.

RY005 This subject came along to see what MET TRACK was all about as her friends already attended and enjoyed sessions. To begin with, she displayed a negative attitude towards others during sessions. Following encouragement from her coach and peers, she now participants attitude-free and helps others with stretching (warm down) activities. The subject was awarded a certificate for her process.

RY006 When this subject first started attending MET TRACK, he was the leader of a small group who were heavily influenced by his actions. The subject’s language wasn’t acceptable and he was physical towards his peers if he didn’t get his own way! Following a conversation with his coach, it is now understood he reacts like this due to frustration, not malice. With this knowledge, the coach was then able to understand the subject and prompt him when needed. He has now learnt other ways to channel his frustration puts in 100% and sessions and has a new improved non-abusive attitude!

RY007 At first, these two young people were no where near the other young athletes in terms of their behaviour and attitude, they were very rude. Although they knew some of the other athletes, they wouldn't hesitate to use the f-word to others, and any time they came training they never said hello even to me. I began by watching them for two weeks, and then approached them. I started advising them, telling them how we work together as a group as well as having fun and working hard. They understood and promised to change. I called an ex athlete from the Bexley squad, I got him to talk with the other two athletes to let them know how Met-Track helped him, and how he turned around his bad attitude and behaviour. They understood and learned very quickly! Although I gave many of my athletes a 5-lap penalty, my advice and the ex athlete’s comments changed everything. They are now both the most polite people we have in the squad and they now firmly believe they made the right choice to join Met-Track. I am looking forward to giving certificates for their achievements.

RY008 This is another athlete whose behaviour started out as extremely poor. He was always looking for an excuse not to participate in sessions and was disruptive. He was given laps and extra sessions to demonstrate the standards I insist upon, and underlined what happens if you fail to live up to them. He responded very positively. I encouraged him to continue his good behaviour and I would take him to Battersea Park to compete in the first Met -Track competition. There he even managed to impress and gain praise from the Scheme Director both as a good athlete and a really polite and well-behaved young man. He has even now volunteered to come to both my Bexley Borough squad at Erith as well as the Westminster squad. He is now continuing to do well and he takes the group for warm up, stretches and most of the group look up to him.

RY009 This young man, was originally a member of the Sidcup squad, but for reasons that will become clear later, he is now attending both squads. This young man’s parents split up a couple of years ago and by all accounts he has taken it badly. He also just failed to make it into Grammar school, and his father has not made his disappointment unknown. Possibly due to the above and various other factors, he displays high levels of aggression & is very easily frustrated. It was not uncommon for him to push and lash out at other members of the squad or for him to shout, "I'm not doing this, I can't do it", then walk off in a frustrated sulk. After dis-engaging himself, he would promptly heckle & irritate the others from the sidelines. He was also excluded from his school for fighting and bullying other kids in the school. To tackle this I first spoke to his mother about his behaviour and she explained about his dad's influence in his life - his father is very "hands on". From that information, I tried to increase his confidence by giving everyone nicknames, his was "the clever one". This seemed to help immensely as he started to express himself more, and play up to the persona. I've also explained in detail the repercussions of fighting and physically striking others. It's been a gradual process but he has really benefited from the Erith squad. His mother noticed a major difference in his behaviour, so she doubled his Met-Track sessions; he now attends both the Erith & Sidcup sessions. Overall it's having a positive effect on his life; he is a much reformed character & is very settled in his new school.

TESTIMONIES
RY001 I think that Met-Track is a great project, it has kept me fit and healthy. It is a great opportunity for me to get involved in a positive activity instead of hanging around the streets smoking and causing trouble.
RY002 Met-Track has given me a new set of friends I recently was in a gang that got in trouble nearly every night with Police, and now I have left that behind. The coach doesn’t just teach us how to run fast he takes time to make us respect each other.
RY003 I think this is a good opportunity for me to improve my skills in sport and also improve my weaknesses, I have quite a bad attitude towards my teachers, Gus doesn’t let us disrespect him and has taught me to respect each other and especially our elders. The teachers at school have said they think my attitude has changed for the good, I say it is all down to Met-Track.
RY004 I think Met-Track is fun and keeps me healthy, I would never of thought of taking part in Athletics if it wasn’t for Met-Track, I now take part in more sports at school.
RY005 I have enjoyed Met-Track a lot as it has helped me get a lot healthier and it has kept me away from hang on the streets doing nothing with my life, I now feel better within myself as I am keeping fit.
RY006 Met-Track has kept me fit and kept me out of trouble, I have looked at some of the people I used to hang around with and they are all in gangs and causing trouble, I am now in the local Athletics club and train twice a week, it is great fun.
RY007 I am really enjoying Met-Track as it is giving me the chance to try a sport that I would not usually get to participate in, It is also showing me that there is more to life than hanging on the streets and is pushing me in the right direction.

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Bromley (PY)
PY001 This young man has really engaged well, I would of like to see him turn up on a more regular basis, but when he does turn up he works very hard, he was very shy at the start but has integrated well with the rest of the athletes.

PY002 This young girl has really showed some great talent, she has showed that she really could go far in athletics, loves to compete against other athletes, and has talked about joining a club.

PY003 This person was a real problem when he first started attending, he has slowly but surely engaged more and more with the sessions, and has now started asking me for advice on certain problems at school, he is now really engaged when I am speaking, where before his mind would wander and he would start to disrupt the rest of the group.

PY004 This young person has been a delight to coach, when he first started he was slightly overshadowed by some of the more out going athletes and didn’t really mix, he came every so often, but lately has been attending on a regular basis, and is now engaging with the other members of the group like he has known them for years. He has also taken warm ups and helped others with drills that they may not of been doing properly. A great example of what Met-Track can achieve.

PY005 This young man had a record of school misdemeanours which included low level disruption and occasional severe temper tantrums; he had a brother in school that had been particularly difficult. Along with his friends, he joined the Met-Track scheme from the out set and has never missed a sessions since; this is all more remarkable as previously he rarely took part in PE lessons. Not only has his athletics prowess increased markedly, there is real evidence of a transfer into the classroom. Socially he has developed a lot more self confidence and he has learnt more self restraint and even developed his leadership skills. He recently applied for Prefect status in school, despite reservations from some staff, he has been put on a probationary period to see if he is capable of coping with responsibility. Recently the TSG group, who visited, singled out this young man for praise with his application and interest in their presentation and he was also used in two demonstrations. Finally, it is with pride that we can point to the improvement in his academic development; please also see comments from his Head of year. Head of Years Comment: This young man’s appearance and behaviour have improved dramatically since joining the Met-track scheme, and he is developing into a mature, responsible and very likeable young man. Academically, he is performing at above target level and is set to achieve very well next year. I can, having worked with this young man for 3 years, only realistically put a large part of this progress down to his participation in the Met-Track scheme.

PY006 A 15 year old boy who finds school challenging but has athletic ability and loves football. He has developed his athletic skills and regularly attends Wednesday lessons, he was previously truanting. This young man sees Met-Track as a chance to train in a disciplined\way and test himself against others.

PY007 A difficult 13 year old girl who has behavioural issues. she has constantly challenged the boundaries but having lost her place once, was keen to re-establish herself and has regularly attended. To date her behaviour has only improved marginally but she now regularly participates in PE and has recently joined the rounder’s team.

PY008 A Kosovan boy, aged 13 who is aggressive and easily distracted. He has fought off the distractions of other boys who have dropped out of Met-Track and is demonstrating good athletic potential. Sport is his vehicle out of some difficult relationships in school.

PY009 This young man, aged 15, is a quiet and yet disaffected young man who was named in the initial Met- Track list. Although it was thought unlikely that he would participate, he has instead flourished and not missed a session in two terms. He regularly attends PE lessons and works out in the gym. There has been a noticeable improvement in his work ethic and self-confidence in and around school.

PY010 This young woman, aged 13 is a difficult individual in school. She has yet to establish her place on the scheme and yet is ideal if she can be nurtured. A bright girl, good athlete with potential, she has no discipline or focus. A hot headed temperament and yet with good intellectual capability, her issues will be challenged by the discipline required if she is to realise her potential as an all round athlete.

TESTIMONIES
PY001 Met-Track is really good, it has given me the confidence to be myself, and to meet new people, and understand that there is more than just my friends around my estate.
PY002 I had never tried athletics before I came to Met-Track, it has shown me how to run much faster and have even engaged with Police which I don’t think I would of done on the street.
PY003 I have really enjoyed coming here, I would usually stand on the streets doing nothing after school or sit indoors playing computer so this has given me something better to do and I really enjoy it.

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Croydon (ZD)
ZD001 This young man has really shown some great talent and has also been very dedicated to turning up every week, he could really make a great athlete in the future and has joined a local club at Crystal Palace where he has been attending regularly twice a week. He has since joined the Police cadets, and his mother has said that she has seen a complete change around in her sons behaviour.

ZD002 This young man has been a regular attendee almost from the start he has missed a few sessions. When he attends he gives his complete attention, when he first started coming he showed a slight attitude and tried to act like the big man in the group, I sat down with him after a few sessions and had a talk with him and he realised that this was the wrong way to go about and I saw a complete change in his attitude. He is a great guy to coach and to have around.

ZD003 This young girl has been really engaged with the scheme since she started, she loves to help with the warm-up, and some of the younger athletes she has helped out, she is very good at following instructions and continues to come down with friends and has said to me on many occasions that she promotes the Met-Track scheme to her friends.

ZD004 This young man was sent down by the Youth Offending Team, he first came down with his worker and wasn’t very interested in getting involved, he kept coming down as it was part of his reparation order, and slowly but surely got more involved each week. He has now finished his order and still comes down now and then which is a great improvement from his first session, he is also a much more pro active athlete.

ZD005 This young man first started with Met-Track after attending the Crystal Palace Grand Prix as a spectator last July. He was made aware of the scheme when he was given a leaflet by one of the Met-Track coaches and then also saw the website on the competition number that Usain Bolt wore. He wondered what it was all about and, when he got home after the event, he immediately had a look at the website and was really drawn into the scheme, and could not believe that something like this was going on so close to his home. When I first met this young man he was quiet, and he opened up to me after a few weeks, and mentioned that he had previously been bullied by gang members at his school. At first Josh was turning up when he felt like it and didn't really have much dedication, but as the weeks went on and I built up a better relationship with him, the pattern of turning up every so often turned into him attending religiously every week, and always on time. I found that he enjoyed the atmosphere and also felt safe at the squad, and enjoyed making new friends. Over a short period of time his confidence has grown, and he is now an extremely focused individual, that listens and learns fast. His attendance has been excellent and he is a great role model to younger and older kids that attend the Croydon Met-Track. He has helped me out as a coach and has helped mentor some of the young people that come down. As a result of his dedication he is now the English schools 400m champion in 2010 and the quickest under 17 for 400m in 2010. He has used Met-Track to turn a negative situation into a positive one. He has also represented Great Britain in 2010 at the European Youth Olympic Trials. He puts all his current success and also his turn around in confidence into Met-Track and believes this has given him such a positive outlook on life.

TESTIMONIES
ZD001 I really enjoy coming to Met-Track, the coach is a really nice guy, and he is really easy to talk to, he gives you his full attention, he has helped me in the past with problems I may have at school.
ZD002 I really enjoyed my time at Met-Track, it gave me the chance to find a talent that I didn’t know I had, I now run for a local club and train twice a week, I have also joined the Police cadets. I have left a lot of the friends that were starting to drag me down the trouble route behind.
ZD003 Met-Track is great place to come, I am getting fit and have stopped smoking as I want to stay fit, I even do exercise back at home when I am not doing Met-Track, the coach gave me exercises to do.
ZD004 Met-Track has kept me off the streets, I used to just hang around with my mates but I am now enjoying myself doing sport, and have even convinced my friends to come down as well.
ZD005 I have really enjoyed the sessions they have given me something to look forward to in the week. I have enjoyed the sprinting and have got much faster. If I wasn’t at Met-Track I would either be on the streets doing nothing and probably end up causing trouble, or in front of the tele.
ZD006 I have been coming to Met-Track over the last 2 months, it has been a really good thing to get involved in and I have seen myself improve in a few areas, one main one being my concentration. I used to get really told off in school as I could not concentrate when people are talking, the coach has helped me focus my mind when I need to, and this has been done using sprinting, 100m runners need to be fully focused in a race situation, and we have learned different ways to do that, it has helped me in school.

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Ealing (XB)
XB001 A young man with a lack of interest in anything, low levels of confidence and trouble making, mixed with the attitude of “I am right”, now a regular attendee of Met Track he has transformed into an individual with clear direction and focus. Mum also notes “Teachers are talking to me less and less now”.

XB002 Making trouble at school, due to “nothing to do” Met Track was presented to the pair via their school police officer, who suggested they should come and find out what Met Track is all about! Now a member of Met Track the pair are some of our most consistent athletes, providing encouragement and inspiration to the rest of the group.

XB003 Met Track has offered him an opportunity to develop his athletic ability alongside his own personal development, with attendance in school at a low, Met Track has shown that it is ok to be part of a group that works in a positive light and that the grass may be greener. Now a consistent member of the squad he regularly assists me during the training sessions.

XB004 A young girl with talent referred to Met Track by her Mother as she was mixing with the “wrong crowd” in and around town. Now attending Met Track with a smile on her face and an anticipation of training, she has now developed her athletic ability and is attending regular club nights for training outside of Met Track, a great change in character now with a bright future ahead.

XB005 An athlete with potential to go the distance in sport, more focused upon life, his school work is ever improving and his attitude towards the group if far more positive then his first session with Met Track. Now looking outside of Met Track, he would like to compete in athletics and Met Track will assist him with this, proving guidance and advice.

XB006 My son has been attending Met Track for nearly 2 years now. When he started he was lacking in self confidence and did not do very well in school in regards to being picked for any school teams and his lack of confidence stopped him from really pushing himself both in the classroom and in P.E. Since attending Met Track his confidence has slowly grown and his sporting ability improved immensely. Met Track has given him the opportunity to try different events which he did not really get to try at school and he has found a real talent for Triple Jump. He has recently won the Triple Jump competition for his year group at the school sports day and will soon be representing the borough for this event. Because of the coaching and mentoring he gets from not only the coach but from the Safer Schools Officers that attend the squad sessions, he and his sisters confidence has grown. They mix well with the other athletes that attend and have been given the opportunity to try out some competitions and attend some really great events like the Crystal Palace Grand Prix.

XB007 This young man was excluded permanently from school last month for admitting bringing, and showing a knife to other students at school, he also admitting bringing the knife to Met Track the same day to scare to other boys. Apparently there had been an argument between a group from Twyford High School and Acton High School students, as this young man was not present when the row happened at Met-Track. The following week the man in question brought the knife to school before bringing the knife down to the Met Track. He admitted to hiding the knife outside the venue on seeing the safer schools officers at the Met-Track squad. The knife was retrieved after the training session however no further argument took place between the two groups and the knife was thrown into the river close by, on his way home. This information came out a week after it happened when a student told a teacher about the young man showing a knife around school. He was permanently excluded from school for this. A home visit was carried out by PC McGuigan and PC Mountford who is the young mans Safer Schools Officer’s and also involved in Met Track. The young man and his parents were spoken to and it was agreed that he should continue to attend Met-Track and officers and parents to monitor his progress. A meeting between all the boys involved in the original incident was set up at Met-Track and the consequences of fighting and bad behavior discussed and there has been no further problems between the two groups. The young man that had the knife continues to attend and do well at the Met-Track sessions and support continues to be given to him via the schools officers. Met-Track has been a guidance tool for the young man, and has shown him a more positive way forward.

TESTIMONIES
XB001 Met-Track has brought a great opportunity to my life, I have been able to experience sport and interaction with the Police in a positive way, which is something I never thought I would do. Athletics has given me great discipline skills. XB002 I really love the Athletics sessions it is a great place to come and hang out and feel safe. The coaching is really good and has taught me some really great skills to take into life.
XB003 I have really enjoyed coming to Met-Track and has been a regular thing for me for about 2 months. If I wasn’t doing this I would probably be hanging on the streets doing nothing, at least here I am learning to be disciplined which has been something I have struggled with. I have also learned to run much faster!!
XB004 I have really enjoyed coming to Met-Track I have had some negative run in’s with the Police in the past, but Met-Track has made me realise that they are normal people that are trying to help us.
XB005 I really enjoy the Met-Track sessions, the staff are really nice and supportive, they have helped me with homework that I have struggled with, and have helped me with other problems that I have had at school. It is great place to make new friends.
XB006 Met-Track has got me involved in a sport I had never tried before, it is really fun to do and is keeping mefit. I never thought that I would be spending my Friday evenings here. I really like all the staff down here and look forward to the biscuits at the end!!

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Tower Hamlets (HT)
HT001 Met-Track has really given this young man a direction in life. He has really enjoyed the sessions and gets on really well with the coaches, He always wants us to help him and advise him with everyday life, and I have sat down with him on several occasions to talk him out of negative situations. He participates well throughout all the sessions he attends and gives 110% when training.

HT002 This young girl has been attending Met-Track on and off from the start. She is a real grafter and trains hard every week. This wasn’t the case when she first started to attend, she used to give plenty of attitude and never really took part, after a while she started to integrate and has really changed her attitude towards us as coaches. She has learned to respect us which we have taught her, and told her that giving loads of attitude gets you nowhere. She has at times thanked us for helping her, and has said that she now respects her teachers who she had many problems with.

HT003 This young girl has come along way since starting Met-Track, she had a real confidence problem, and found it very hard to integrate into the sessions and get on with the other athletes. The coaches used to work on a one to one basis with her for her to build her confidence, and they slowly integrated her into the main session. Since her first session she has come along way, and now is one of the loudest guys in the squad!! She has made many friends at Met-Track, her mum even congratulated us on how we worked with her and to thank us for bringing her confidence levels up.

HT004 This young man was a real nuisance, and had bags of attitude. He was brought down by the local Police who wanted him to get out of his area and get involved in positive activities and learn there’s more to life than hanging on the streets. He was hard to keep engaged, but kept coming every other week, he started to really engage and started to get on very well with the rest of the group. He has now started engaging on a weekly basis and hardly ever misses a session, his attitude is still there at times but has really improved from the early days.

TESTIMONIES
HT001 Met-Track has given me structure in my life and helped me to consider taking up sport as a career. It gives me motivation and ambition. It gives me something to do after school. I don’t hang around my estate anymore causing trouble. HT002 Met-Track has given me a chance to show my skills to others. The coaches have helped me a lot with my running. My speed has improved. I used stay after school and get into fights. At least now that doesn’t happen because I am at Met-Track.
HT003 With Met-Track I don’t get into fights after school because I have something to do. I enjoy running and jumping. Met-Track helps with that as well as my general discipline. Now I respect my teachers as I have been taught to respect my coaches.
HT004 Met-Track has helped me in numerous ways. Firstly, it has given me something to do after school. That has always been an issue for me. It has also made me organized and disciplined. Since joining Met-Track I have learnt that not everything will go my way. I have become more organized because I know I have to come on time and I have to go through certain warm up/drills. I have also improved my attitude towards people, my work and training.
HT005 Met-Track has benefited me in many ways, not just physically but also mentally with my confidence. Also it has helped me improve my athletic ability. I used to smoke but TJ has convinced me it is a waste of money and will affect my training, so I have cut down significantly. Also I used to get up to stuff with my friends, which was involving getting stopped by the Police, but now I have lost interest because I have new friends.
HT006 I love Met-Track! It has probably changed my life. A few of my friends are still on the streets. I used to get up to those kinds of silly things too but I don’t even want to anymore. One of the coaches Matthew talks to me at training and keeps me at Met-Track instead of outside. TJ said Met-Track is not going to stop. I hope not.

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Greenwich (RG) This scheme has only been active for a few weeks so it is too early for case studies to be constructed.

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Hackney (GD) This scheme has only been active for a few weeks so it is too early for case studies to be constructed.

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Harrow (QA)
QA001 This young man was a bit of a handful when he first started attending the Met-Track sessions he was disruptive and struggled to listen throughout the session. As the coach I sat down with him a few times and explained to him that he would get on much better if he tried to engage with the sessions a bit more. As weeks went on he did just that, and his athletic ability went up as well as his behaviour throughout the sessions, he is now taking warm-ups, and helping the other athletes.

QA002 A young man with emotional control issues was sent to Met-Track via his school. With problems channelling frustration and attention, Met-Track successfully engaged him after a few weeks, by giving him some trust and a role to assist the coaches during the session, he is now fully involved and arrives as a young man with a positive attitude. Aside attending the squad he confides in Met-Track, Harrow, as his weekly activity which helps him chill out and enjoy himself. Now with greater direction and motivation this individual recently participated in the Roger Bannister School Championships, 800m.

QA003 This young woman was a school athlete, who was entering the stages of becoming a teenager and all that comes with it, conforming to the pressure put on her by her peers, she was starting to become a problem within her community. After attending Met-Track as recommend by her Mum (whom in greater discussions, was immensely concerned for her daughter). Met Track was “something to do”, “thought it would be a laugh” as displayed in her first session, whereas she now regularly attends with the focus to improve, and desire to achieve. Met-Track was able to engage with this young lady by displaying that in order to be recognized in a positive light you may have to step out of the comfort zone, or as she puts it “im out of the gang now”. Now with a keen interest in high jumping, she regularly attends to train hard and keep healthy and fit. During further interaction with this individual Met-Track has become aware that several of her peers have been involved in robbery and other levels of crime

QA004 This young man has really engaged with Met-Track over the last few weeks. When he first attended he was a real nuisance and didn’t really show any signs of sticking with Met-Track past a couple of weeks, we tried talking to him on a one to one basis which worked really well, and he is now a changed man in terms of attitude. He isn’t the most talented athlete but as he put’s it, ‘’he stays fit and out of trouble’’. It is great to see someone who really is very enthusiastic and someone that has proved me wrong in terms of sticking with the sessions.

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Hillingdon (XH)
XH001 This young man has really turned his life around in the last 18 months since he has been involved in the Volunteer Police Cadets and Met-Track. He was described as a model client by the Youth Offending Team staff and helped them to deliver talks to other offenders on the dangers of carrying knives. Last year he received a Borough Commanders Commendation for a covert test purchase operation he took part in where he had to work alone wearing a covert camera to earn the trust of an off licensee over the course of a week. The subsequent successful purchase of alcohol by Dale led to the off license shutting down. Dale is currently on a Public Services course at a local college, he has been promoted to a Cadet Team Leader and is considering joining the Army, and has also said that Met-Track helped with his self confidence.

XH002 This young man turned up to the Met-Track launch last year and enjoyed it so much he has turned up to over 90% of my Hillingdon weekly squads. His behaviour in the first few sessions was timid & relatively insular, due to it being a foreign environment. Later on a few more of his friends started turning up to sessions and the real man emerged; he was loud, did not listen to instructions and he can be destructive to property. During some of his initial sessions he would kick random items of public property just for the sake of it, and throw random items against windows or walls, "just to see what happens." It came as no surprise when through conversation I discovered that him and his friends had spent an afternoon in an industrial estate area where they were throwing stones to smash windows, and it wasn't their first time. With this young man, I've had to speak to him many times on a one-to-one basis about his anti-social behaviour. I've explained in many different ways with various analogies the potential consequences of his actions. This is something that he initially didn't take seriously, but as he's got to know me through his regular attendance, he now seems to thoroughly understand. Having my Met-Track squad as a consistent and regular part of his life seems to have helped settle him; he no longer kicks or throws things for the sake of it; he now considers his actions first. His attention span when it comes to listening to adults has increased immensely; it's no longer a struggle to get him fully engaged in group activities. Also his mother has told me how much he enjoys the sessions and never likes to miss them.

XH003 This young man is another one of the founding members of the Hillingdon squad. I remember his first session very well, he was very disruptive if he could not do an exercise the first time around. He would say, "I can't do it, so I'm not doing it." Or, "that's crap." This would be promptly followed by him walking to the back of the group as a way of dis-engaging himself. I also found out that he had been reprimanded for carrying a knife into school, something that is inexcusable. With this young man, I managed to build his confidence through tweaking the exercises I taught, so he too was able to do them all, and where he completed the tasks well without the moaning, complaining or generally disruptive behaviour, he would be heavily praised. Within weeks a distinct difference in the young mans attitude was observable; he was much less disruptive and he even became a leader; demonstrating to others the correct way to do things. On hearing about the knife incident I had firm words with him; the use of a knife can have life-changing consequences for all parties involved, and that is something he is now fully aware of. With his higher level of confidence, and greater level of awareness of the ramifications of his actions.

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Lewisham (PL)
PL001 This young man was a very tough person to work with, he started to come to Met-Track after his mum had been given a poster. He continuously interrupted sessions and tried his utmost to annoy other members of the group. As time went on and after many one on one chats he started to understand that his behaviour was getting him nowhere and that it had to change. After about 2 months of him starting on the scheme I started to see his attitude changing and he had started to calm down significantly. He has since apologised to me (the coach) and has now helped with warm-up on various occasions. He approaches the sessions with an open mind and now integrates well with the rest of the group. The other members have also come up to me and said how surprised they have been with the change around of his behaviour.

PL002 This young man first came to Met-Track after his school had advised that this project would be something that could help him a lot. H e had come down with his school teacher the first session who explained that he needed something in his life otherwise he could end up on the wrong side of the law. He was very quiet at first but didn’t always want to take part, and most of the time in the first 3 weeks of him attending he sat out and just watched, but enjoyed taking part when we did sprints. After about 5 weeks of him coming he started to get more involved and started to get on really well with the rest of the group. He has since had a dramatic change around. I personally think he had a confidence problem, and needed to have someone give him more attention. He really enjoys the sessions and never misses a session, he is also a very talented sprinter, and is looking to join the local club.

PL003 This young girl has been a very good individual to work with and is very polite but struggles at time to concentrate and can occasionally be disruptive, she is not rude, but can annoy other members of the group and will climb on things to gain attention. She has been talking to me after every session so we can both try and work on her concentration. We came up with a solution for her to be more hands on with helping with the coaching, this has seemed to work wonders, and she really enjoys having a key role within the group where she is the centre of attention. She has taken this role very seriously and her main role is to take the group for the warm up, with my guidance. She has stated that she will take her coaching license when she is old enough.

PL004 This young girl first attended Met-Track in March and has been attending on and off for about 3 months, she first came with bags of attitude but really liked athletics and she had lots of talent. She liked to show off in front of the rest of the group and tried to act like the big I am in front of everyone. She has since joined the local club and has attended extra training sessions, her attitude has changed slightly but the main thing in my eyes is that this young person is involved in positive activity where she normally would be spending time on the streets.

PL005 This young man started 6 weeks ago and is very enthusiastic. He participates in every session and is very compliant. However, he didn't have any direction in his life until he was told by a friend about Met-Track. Since he has started he has joined Kent Athletics Club and trains regularly with them. He is eventually looking to compete this year. He said to me: "Now I can train and compete, I don't want to run around the streets".

PL006 This young man has been with me for around 3 months. He was very shy and reserved when he first joined and did not really talk to the other young people taking part. He said he regularly gets into trouble at school, but in a comparatively short period of time, he opened up, and now competes for his school in athletics and has joined the rugby team. He said: "I feel like I have something to give instead of just talking in class and getting into trouble when out of school."

PL007 When this young man joined he was pretty quiet but he was clearly a talent. He put effort into every session and has gone on to join Blackheath and Bromley athletics club. He and now competes on a regular basis, and says it has put him on the right path, as he didn’t know what he wanted to do before, and felt he could have followed his friends and ended up getting in trouble. He had been in the wrong company before, and recognises this now. Met-Track provided the means through which he was able to change for the good.

TESTIMONIES
PL001 I have really enjoyed Met-Track and still can’t believe its free!! I have learned so much from attending and have got much healthier, and much fitter, the sessions are really fun and are different every week. I learn new skills and have met new friends.
PL002 Met-Track has given me something to concentrate my mind, and also the coaches are teaching us all that to get the most out of our training we must watch what we eat and do away from the track. It has also kept me off the streets and away from the trouble that happens everyday.
PL003 I really enjoy Met-Track, before I took part in these sessions I used to spend my time hanging on the streets doing nothing with my life. I still have the same group of friends that still walk the streets all day, but I am trying to encourage them to do more positive things with there time. And have stopped a couple from smoking, from my addiction with being healthy.
PL004 I really enjoy all the athletics I am doing with the Met-Track project it is really good to get into and teache’s you athletics in more detail and from an international coach that I have seen on the TV!!! I have sat down with the coach before and he has helped me when I have had issues with school and general life, I haven’t had this sort of help before outside of my home, he also can relate to reality for young people these days.
PL005 I have been involved in Met-Track for a couple of months and really enjoy the sessions it has taught me so much but has kept me away from the streets and away from trouble, I have also learned about staying healthy.

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Merton (VW) This scheme has only been active for a few weeks so it is too early for case studies to be constructed.

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Newham (KF)
KF001 During a 6-month period before this young man joined the Met-Track squad he had been arrested for Public Order offences and possession of Class A drugs. Since attending Met-Track he has never offended. The coach at Newham has recalled this young man was very dedicated and hard working. He presented some attitude issues in the early stages, but came through to be a very helpful individual who was highly motivated by what he found in Met-Track.

KF002 This young man was arrested on 21/01/08 for carrying a lock knife in school. He soon attended Met-Track on 25/01/08 and has not offended since being part of the Newham squad. The young man was very dedicated to the squads for many weeks and showed a talent for Long Jump. He was very motivated turning up every week for 3 months. The coach commented on his great attitude and that he listened and implemented everything he was instructed to do. It is believed he has turned the corner in life as a result.

KF003 This young lady was a suspect in a theft when she started the weekly squad sessions and has never re-offended. The coach has commented that she presented significant attitude issues when she first turned up, but soon integrated more with the other squad members. She quickly developed a more positive outlook on the sessions, and was overheard to have commented on the sessions as ‘very enjoyable’.

KF004 This young man was given a final warning from the YOT, as he was caught criminally damaging a bus. He was also caught for ABH in late 2007. Since participating in the Met-Track squads he hasn’t re-offended. The coach says that this young man was a very pleasant individual when at the track, and really integrated well with the other young people, and seemed to make a new peer group throughout his time at the Newham squad.

KF005 This young man was a real nightmare around his local area, he was known for making noise at late hours and being rude to passers by, he has been referred to Met-Track and has since been shown that being rude gets you nowhere. The coach has sat him down several times after sessions to talk to him, and has found that his attitude has changed significantly his worker has also said that he has had no problems. He has also shown a great deal of potential at the sessions.

KF006 This young lady started Met-Track in early 2009. She attended every session and stopped hanging around her estate where she lives. She has now joined Newham Academy and attends every academy session which has extended her involvement in the sport from 1 time a week to 2 times a week. She says she is now in the academy full time and she feels as if she has a purpose in life, and no need to hang around Plaistow and get into trouble any more.

KF007 This young lady joined in early 2009 and has attended nearly all the sessions since. She isn't the most talented athlete in the group, but she said it keeps her busy on a Friday evening and she doesn't need to roam around on the streets that night because she is tired out from the Met-Track session. She has also now successfully been selected for her school netball team which she has put down to her hard work at Met-Track, she admitted to the coach that this means a lot to her as she has always wanted to be in the school netball team.

KF008 This young man joined around a year ago but stopped for a couple months due to personal issues. When he returned he said he had been in trouble with the Police. He gave Met-Track another chance though, and slowly became more and more positive. Since he has been back he has been every week and now competes for the Newham club. He recently competed in the Met-Track competition at Walthamstow over 800m, and is developing real ambition for the future. He has not been in any more trouble since returning to Met-Track.

TESTIMONIES
KF001 Met-Track helps me stay away from the TV and computer. Before Met-Track started I had nothing to do after school, I would normally get on the bus with my friends and hang around the streets making noise. I always got into fights with other girls. But now feel I have something to look forward to, and focus my mind on.
KF002 Met-Track has improved my athletic ability. Now, even though I can run faster, I don’t have to run from the police anymore, because I have learnt some discipline and positive life skills from Met-Track.
KF003 Met-Track has made me new friends, I have improved my fitness and have now joined Newham athletics club. So I now train three times a week. I don’t get into trouble anymore. Met-Track taught me that there is more to life than hanging on the streets, a lot of my old friends are coming into school saying they had a run in with police, I now don’t have the time for that because most nights I am training, this all started because of Met-Track.
KF004 I used to be very loud and noisy when I first started Met-Track. I also used to be a bully at school. Since I joined Met-Track, I learned that everyone is different and have been told not to bully, so I have stopped. Met-Track is something for me to look forward to after school.
KF005 I go to Met-Track to make new friends. I have some friends that always get into serious trouble, and I sometimes follow. But I prefer to go and train at Met-Track with other people who are into the same thing and not looking for trouble. I don’t have to be pressured into anything wrong anymore because I have new friends from Met-Track.
KF006 I know some friends who like to fight and because I hang around with them I end up fighting too. I got started on by four boys a few weeks ago because they say I beat their friend. I now can stay away from those type of boys, since I have something to spend my time doing and have a new peer group. I rather spend my energy to get faster and fitter with TJ at Met-Track instead of worrying about other boys trying to fight me.

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Richmond (TW)
TW001 This young person first came to me a few months back and wasn’t a type of person who had really got involved in much sport before and didn’t have a very positive attitude towards physical activity. He turned his back on getting involved but his Mum brought him down every week and as time went on he started to get more involved. After about 4 weeks of coming down, I sat down with him and talked about setting him some goals, he chose to lose a stone in the next 4 weeks and we wrote out a plan to help him achieve this goal. 4 weeks on and he has done it, and he is really enthusiastic at the training sessions and looks forwards to Wednesday’s.

TW002 This young man was sent down from the YOT and had loads of attitude in the early stages, he continued to come down and continued to give attitude which was turning other young people away from coming back each week, so I sat down with him and explained that this is not what I want to see in the future and if he were to continue, I would inform his YOT worked of his behaviour, which he really did not want to happen. The following weeks I saw a dramatic turn around in his behaviour. He now has a very positive attitude and I have sat down with him a couple more times to have a one on one, and review other parts of his life that he may be having problems with. He has stated that this helps get things off his chest, and helps him concentrate on more important things, which stop him getting stressed and giving attitude.

TW003 This young girl has really come a long way from when she first came. She is a very polite individual the majority of the time, but can at times be very stubborn, and won’t want to take part when she isn’t doing the events she wants. When we were doing events she wasn’t good at she would start swearing and giving attitude. I said to her after one session that you can’t be good at everything, and you can’t have everything your own way all your life and you sometimes have to take part in things you may not like. She didn’t really like what I was saying, but I could see she was taking it in. As the weeks went on I saw that her behaviour was changing and that she was taking part in everything, sometimes with an attitude and with a bit of messing around but this was a step forward from when she did not take part at all. She now takes part in the whole session and very rarely gives any attitude.

TW004 This young man was brought down by the local Safer Neighbourhood Team, and has been a young person that is in danger of getting involved in anti-social behaviour and the his peer group is a big factor in this happening. He has been coming to Met-Track for a few weeks and has really engaged well, his behaviour has been really good, and I have talked to him after sessions and he says that these sessions help him stay away from the peer group that are going down the wrong road. The Safer Neighbourhood Team, said that they haven’t seen him hanging around with wrong young people as much, and they think Met-Track has given him a positive outlook.

TW005 He joined the squad way back in 2009, and had a poor attention span, and was disruptive especially amongst his peers. But recently before Christmas 2009, and most notably now, he is one of the best kids in the group, as he shows attentiveness and is enthusiastic throughout the session. When he was awarded a gold certificate, even the other members of the group could guess beforehand, that he was the one receiving the award. It underlined to everyone that the group are fast learning How to behave, and can see what attitude promotes merit. Most importantly his behaviour away from the training group is also reportedly improved as a result of his taking part in something worthwhile.

TESTIMONIES
TW001 Met-Track has taken me away from the streets where I was getting involved with the wrong crowd. I have now found new people to hang around with that are not getting into trouble.
TW002 I really enjoy the Met-Track sessions it gives me a chance to try a sport I never have been interested in, but as it is free it tempted me to take part and gives me something positive to take part in.
TW003 I really enjoy taking part andfeel very comfortable in the environment that we train. The sessions have given me extra confidence, not just at the sessions but also at school and everyday life.
TW004 This has made me realise that hanging on the street and doing nothing with your life is a complete waste, I really enjoy coming to the sessions and meeting new people.

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Redbridge (JI)  This scheme has only been active for a few weeks so it is too early for case studies to be constructed.

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Richmond (TW)
TW001 This young person first came to me a few months back and wasn’t a type of person who had really got involved in much sport before and didn’t have a very positive attitude towards physical activity. He turned his back on getting involved but his Mum brought him down every week and as time went on he started to get more involved. After about 4 weeks of coming down, I sat down with him and talked about setting him some goals, he chose to lose a stone in the next 4 weeks and we wrote out a plan to help him achieve this goal. 4 weeks on and he has done it, and he is really enthusiastic at the training sessions and looks forwards to Wednesday’s.

TW002 This young man was sent down from the YOT and had loads of attitude in the early stages, he continued to come down and continued to give attitude which was turning other young people away from coming back each week, so I sat down with him and explained that this is not what I want to see in the future and if he were to continue, I would inform his YOT worked of his behaviour, which he really did not want to happen. The following weeks I saw a dramatic turn around in his behaviour. He now has a very positive attitude and I have sat down with him a couple more times to have a one on one, and review other parts of his life that he may be having problems with. He has stated that this helps get things off his chest, and helps him concentrate on more important things, which stop him getting stressed and giving attitude.

TW003 This young girl has really come a long way from when she first came. She is a very polite individual the majority of the time, but can at times be very stubborn, and won’t want to take part when she isn’t doing the events she wants. When we were doing events she wasn’t good at she would start swearing and giving attitude. I said to her after one session that you can’t be good at everything, and you can’t have everything your own way all your life and you sometimes have to take part in things you may not like. She didn’t really like what I was saying, but I could see she was taking it in. As the weeks went on I saw that her behaviour was changing and that she was taking part in everything, sometimes with an attitude and with a bit of messing around but this was a step forward from when she did not take part at all. She now takes part in the whole session and very rarely gives any attitude.

TW004 This young man was brought down by the local Safer Neighbourhood Team, and has been a young person that is in danger of getting involved in anti-social behaviour and the his peer group is a big factor in this happening. He has been coming to Met-Track for a few weeks and has really engaged well, his behaviour has been really good, and I have talked to him after sessions and he says that these sessions help him stay away from the peer group that are going down the wrong road. The Safer Neighbourhood Team, said that they haven’t seen him hanging around with wrong young people as much, and they think Met-Track has given him a positive outlook.

TW005 He joined the squad way back in 2009, and had a poor attention span, and was disruptive especially amongst his peers. But recently before Christmas 2009, and most notably now, he is one of the best kids in the group, as he shows attentiveness and is enthusiastic throughout the session. When he was awarded a gold certificate, even the other members of the group could guess beforehand, that he was the one receiving the award. It underlined to everyone that the group are fast learning How to behave, and can see what attitude promotes merit. Most importantly his behaviour away from the training group is also reportedly improved as a result of his taking part in something worthwhile.

TESTIMONIES
TW001 Met-Track has taken me away from the streets where I was getting involved with the wrong crowd. I have now found new people to hang around with that are not getting into trouble.
TW002 I really enjoy the Met-Track sessions it gives me a chance to try a sport I never have been interested in, but as it is free it tempted me to take part and gives me something positive to take part in.
TW003 I really enjoy taking part andfeel very comfortable in the environment that we train. The sessions have given me extra confidence, not just at the sessions but also at school and everyday life.
TW004 This has made me realise that hanging on the street and doing nothing with your life is a complete waste, I really enjoy coming to the sessions and meeting new people.

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Sutton (ZT)
ZT001 This young person suffers from ADHD and is prescribed Ritalin which can make him feel stressed and anxious at times. However he worked very hard to overcome these feelings and to integrate fully into the programme, assisting the coaches whenever possible and working hard with his YOT peers. He also encouraged other young people from the community to fully engage and became a very valuable member of the team.

ZT002 This young man attended every session on time and engaged very well throughout. He was a great member of the YOT group and helped to motivate the other young people attending from the community and the YOT, and always gave 100%.

ZT003 Met-Track I think has given this young man some discipline and structure in his life. When he first started attending he was very disruptive in the sessions, and found it hard to attend 2 sessions in a row, and sometimes came once a month. I told him that he had great talent and that he was someone that if he committed himself to the sessions he could become a very good athlete. He then started to attend on a more regular basis, and found that his times were getting quicker. He has since joined the local club and is competing on a regular basis.

ZT004 This young man came from the YOT and really engaged well, he has been sent down on a reparation order but has stated that he enjoys the sessions and feels they are keeping him fit and also off the streets, so he may come off his own back once his time with the YOT has finished. He is a real asset to the coach as he loves to take the warm up and has bonded very well with the coaches and other athletes in the group.

ZT005 This young man was a referral from the YOT, he has not offended since he has been attending the Met-Track project. His confidence increased significantly during the time he attended Met-Track which was evident in his engagement with the YOT. Connor felt a huge sense of achievement when he completed his Order particularly his reparation at Met-Track.

ZT006 This young man was a referral from the YOT, he has not re-offended since attending the Met-Track project. Daniel was very aggressive at times with other young people, however working with the younger kids who attend the project helped this young man to address this side of his personality, and by the time he had completed his hours his attitude and general behaviour had greatly improved.

ZT007 This young man was involved in a group offence involving racial undertones, and I felt that referring him to the Met-Track project which is a very ethnically diverse project, would be very beneficial. He did not display any racist behaviour or attitudes during his attendance at the project, and made friends, and got on very well with the staff and other young people attending irrespective of their ethnicity. He worked very well at the project and helped to lead the warm up and cool down sessions with the group which he really enjoyed. He has not re-offended since he attended and completed his reparation at the Met-Track project and his Referral Order at the YOT.

ZT008 This young lady has a good record of attendance despite it being extra hard for her as she has attention deficit disorder. Over the sessions she has attended I have showed her how to develop a bit of self-discipline in sport. This has helped her at school as well as at our sessions, as before she didn't no how to keep still and would often get into trouble with her teachers. Now, after several Met-Track sessions, I have been able to show her that, if she tries to focus all that energy into one thing, she will accomplish alot more. She has adopted this approach and I hear this has brought a better overall behavior within school.

ZT009 This young man has been a regular attendee for a couple of months after being referred to the scheme by the local Youth Offending Team. During the first couple sessions he was very negative, but over time we managed to start getting through to him that there was some worth in what he was doing. He now attends happily, says he is looking for a job and has given up smoking, and the whole Met-Track experience has given him new belief in himself, and made him realise how negative his behavior has been in the past.

ZT010 This young man started Met-Track 7 weeks ago, having been introduced by the local Youth Offending Team. When he first started he was very negative and did not want to participate. Gradually over 3-4 weeks he began to participate in every session and put a fair amount of effort in too. He is now going on to take a Level 1 coaching course, and plans to stay in sports and stop offending. To my knowledge he has not offended since engaging with the scheme.

ZT011 This young lady has been attending since 2009, she has been a regular. When she first started she really didn't want to take part, as she would rather just sit and watch. However once she had the confidence she would take part in every session. She has recently had some family issues. She told her coach recently that she's glad she has Met-Track, as it takes her mind off her problems at home, and keeps her off the streets . In the past this has lead her to get into trouble, and before engaging with the scheme she was heading in a very negative direction. She told her coach she understands that what some of her friends get into is not the route that she should take, and after joining Met-Track, is seeing things in a completely different light.

TESTIMONIES
ZT001 I have really enjoyed Met-Track I was referred by the YOT and have been told I have to come here, but after my order runs out I may look to come off my own back.
ZT002 Overall I found Met-Track very beneficial not just for me but for the other young people that took part as it gives you a good understanding of some of the field and track events. I’m planning to still keep going to Met-Track even after my Reparation Order finishes as I found the project enjoyable as I used to like sports and running when I was at school. I haven’t re-offended since I started attending the Met-Track project.
ZT003 Met-Track has given me a life line, I was ordered to come here by the YOT, and I have really enjoyed the sessions, I think this has given me a different look on athletics, I think it is a very hard sport to do, and has made me cut down smoking to make me slightly healthier.
ZT004 Met-Track is a great way to keep kids off the streets I have made new friends and have got so much out of the sessions, I would never have got this sort of training at school, and think that this has helped so many kids stay out of trouble.
ZT005 Met-Track is a great scheme as it gives me something to do after school, I am usually really bored and would sit in and do nothing or just hang out with my mates on the streets, this keeps me healthy and I am way to tiered to do anything after the session.
ZT006 I have worked with the Met-Track project for the last two years and the young offenders that we refer to the project have enjoyed it immensely and have got a lot out of attending. The coaches are great role models for the young people who attend and it has been a great project in terms of helping keep young people on the right track and reducing their chances of reoffending! Nina Santiago – Sutton Youth Offending Team

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Waltham Forest (JC)
JC001 Subject is a 15 year old who has been in and out of the learning support unit of his school. He was deemed as being disruptive and had to constantly be monitored as he behaved aggressively towards his teachers and peers. Now nearly a year on, his character has changed completely and he is heralded as a success of MET TRACK. His Father has himself quoted to have said "Thank you for giving him the opportunity to attend MET TRACK. I want him to grow up to be a good man. Now I can see that happening." Coaches are also amazed at his talents in the track events. He is one to watch out for the with the Olympics coming up in 2012!

JC002 Subject is a child in care who has recently been experiencing many emotional issues. He feels MET TRACK is a place where he can be himself and can improve his track and field events whilst feeling like he is part of a group. He is very fond of the entire group and is fairing well.

JC003 Subject is a prolific offender, gang member and a vulnerable victim who has been seriously wounded by other gang members. He too enjoys MET TRACK and finds there is no need to impress others at sessions and can still feel part of a group at the same time. Although he still offends and had to change schools due to his behavior, he has at no time displayed any violent behavior at any sessions. During the time he attends MET TRACK he is able to keep out of trouble and not offend which is the very essence of what MET TRACK is all about.

JC004 Subject is a self harmer and although she is quiet, she appears to completely come out of her shell and enjoy the sessions she attends. Social services are aware that she loves MET TRACK and have arranged a member of staff to pick her up from her residence and accompany her to the scheme each Monday.

JC005 Subject is autistic and requires more supervision than others. Both parents are pro MET TRACK and find it incredibly encouraging to see him participate and enjoy the sessions along with others.

JC006 Subject has been having many behavioral issues in school due to his dysfunctional home life. Recently he was reported as missing to the police. Despite being missing, he still attended MET TRACK and police were able to confirm with his Mother that he was well.

JC007 Subject is regularly referred to the learning support unit and has anger management issues. MET TRACK is undoubtedly something that she absolutely loves to attend as she is always the first to attend and always the last to leave the session.

TESTIMONIES
JC001 I specifically think that Met-Track is a great project that inspires a lot of kids to get active and to think of doing something positive in life instead of hanging round the streets. Met-Track has helped me stop all the street fights and hanging around with friends who have a bad influence.
JC002 I think that Met-Track has changed me for the good. The sessions have given me a real focus to train hard and do positive activities with my spare time, I used to get into trouble with the police, but not anymore. Met-Track has made me more disciplined. I am going to aim to be part of the 2012 Olympics.
JC003 Met-Track has given me something to do after school. Some of my friends are out there getting pregnant and having fights. Met-Track is keeping me away from all of that in the evenings.
JC004 I am now out of trouble and trying to get my friends to forget about hanging on the streets getting in trouble, and to come to Met-Track. Before I started with Met-Track I was fighting at least 3 times a week! I knew I was fast in sprints, but ever since I joined Met-Track a couple of months ago, my speed and fitness has improved a lot, and have dedicated myself to training on a Monday.
JC005 Met-Track is a great project for us young people to get involved in, it has definitely shown me that there is more to life then being rude to teachers and hanging on the streets. I really like all the staff that help out, it feels safe when you are here and you get added bonuses of free stuff and healthy fruit after every session.

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Westminster (CW)
CW001 This young woman is an athlete with great talent and a fantastic attitude to the group. She comes wanting to train hard and she does. Her behaviour has never been a problem in my presence, but she has become far more focused and attentive the more she has attended. She’s mature enough that I’ve been able to ask her about this and she says it’s because she really wants to be able to improve her athletics so she sees it something she wants to focus on. She has in some sessions taken the group through there warm up and is very motivating to the others. She has recently been appointed a Sports Ambassador for the Borough of Westminster.

CW002 This young man has a lot of character and has really changed from the shy guy who first showed up to have a lot of presence in the group. He’s always late and often tired, but usually puts in good effort and has really good skills, especially technically. The group also welcomes his presence and they often want to wait for him to arrive before getting underway. He really benefits from being in the group atmosphere because he gets on well with everyone and has visibly grown in confidence around us since he first came. Not only has his confidence increase but also his focus. He has said that being in the group has shown him he can improve in himself if he focuses more and has made great efforts to do that. He also trains with a club and has access to weekly competition, which he wasn’t involved in before Met-Track. Even though he is now at the point where his club is not coaching him (as they are in their winter break) he still attends Met-Track as he says he wants the activity and the opportunity of something to do other than “hanging out on the street.”

CW003 This young man has really integrated well with the group, he first came with bags of attitude and just wanted to be mischievous, I took him aside several times and told him that this isn’t ‘cool’ and that he needs to change. As weeks went on he got to know the others in the group and started to really engage. He is now one of the first to turn up and has in some sessions taken the warm-up. His attitude has completely turned round. He isn’t a very talented athlete but I can see that he just wants to be part of something and he has found that in Met-Track.

CW004 This young Woman was sent down by the YOT and was a regular problem around her area, and the main cause for her causing trouble was having nothing to do. She said to me when she first came to the squad that she wasn’t very keen to take part but was going to give it ago. She isn’t the most talented but has really gave her all. She was very polite every time I coached her and gave her full attention every session.

CW005 When the subject began to attend MET TRACK his attitude towards others wasn’t at an acceptable level. Following consistent encouragement from his coach, he demonstrated an improved attitude and a new respect for himself and others. In addition, he is also improving on the track. He was then awarded a certificate to congratulate him for these achievements.

TESTIMONIES
CW001 Met-Track has given me a lot of opportunity because I am doing something more constructive with my time instead of hanging around on the streets with my friends. I hope that Met-Track can continue because I absolutely love it, I go every week and never miss a session.
CW002 I think Met-Track is a wicked project and has given me something to do and has shown me that sport is fun even if your not the most talented. It has kept me away from the gangs that are around my estate, I look forward to Wednesdays because it’s Met-Track day.
CW003 Met-Track is a really fun place to be, all the coaches are fun and make every session enjoyable. I never thought athletics could be so fun. I have also got my friends involved, and we are all there every week.
CW004 Met-Track has given me confidence I used to be very quiet and not talk to very many people. Since coming here I have made some great friends and am much more outgoing.
CW005 I have been in trouble with the Police a few times and was not very keen on coming down to Met-Track as it was run by the Police. I have been attending now for about 2 months and really enjoy coming down, I have met new friends that don’t get in trouble, and the sessions have kept me away from the trouble and away from hanging on the streets.
CW006 Met-Track has given me something to do instead of sitting indoors or causing trouble on the street. It has given me the chance to meet new people.

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Wandsworth (WW)
WW001 Joining the squad as a suggestion from his teachers at school, this young man was slowly becoming a problem in his community, engaging with his older brothers in neighbourhood and gang related events was becoming a concern, as such his attitude was a reflection of his peers at that time. Initially being a nuisance and a hindrance at the squad he has now developed into a young man with confidence and an attitude for hard work and success. Having recently achieved his Level 2 COOL award accompanied by his Silver certificate I believe this young man has a lot to offer. Currently developing an active interest in coaching, he gives up two of his school lunch breaks to assist the physical education staff with their lunch activities for the younger children in the school.

WW002 A young man with low self-esteem and confidence arrived at the track, intimated by others and shy to communicate, now regularly trains with the squad on a weekly basis. With an extreme passion for endurance training and distance running I believe he now posses the confidence to enter into the club set up and compete at county level. Also just recently achieving his Level 2 COOL award and Silver certificate.

WW003 Poor focus and an extreme lack of respect and attention for authority figures, this young man entered Met- Track with the conceived idea that he would “have to do this” and “have to do that” he was wrong, having only observed during his first visit he later returned the next week and questioned my style of coaching towards him “why didn’t I tell him what to do” because I knew that is what he wanted. Respect and focus is now Sam’s greatest strength when he is at training, working alongside the country’s elite athletes Sam discusses and notes their training methods with a dream of becoming a coach. This is something Met Track will assist him with in the future. Also just recently achieving his Level 2 COOL award and Silver certificate. Having be informed by his parents that he is beginning to “turn things around” at school, it is evident that sport and Met-Track provides the youth of today an opportunity to learn life skills.

WW004 Having nothing to do was an opportunity to cause trouble within the local community until Met-Track arrived and gave this young man the opportunity to do athletics. Now with a positive outlook on life and a desire to stay physically active he is a regular Met-Track squad participant. Also being a regular squad member he assists me with the recoding of data for the other squad athletes, such as their running and jumping times. Also just recently achieving his Level 2 COOL award and Silver certificate. Denzel has continued his fitness regime away from the track by creating and carrying out his own weekly training programs, currently he is training 3-4 times a week. During personal discussions Denzel is considering a career in the fitness industry, which I am giving him some direction with.

WW005 This young man, unlike his brother was not mixing in the same circles as his brother but regularly attends Met-Track to keep fit and develop his athletic potential. Since being a member of the squad he has started to come out of his shell and interact with member of the squad and other track users, initially feeling intimated and very self aware. This young man has the desire to train and posses a true can do attitude, which is rare among individuals his age. With the right training and personal development coupled with more self confidence and belief Met-Track will take him a long way. Also just recently achieving his Level 2 COOL award and Silver certificate.

WW006 Having recently been suspended from school this young man attended his first ever squad because all his mates were at school whilst he was at home doing nothing. Finding out more and more about the squad as the weeks went by, he is now back at school and on track to perform well in his exams and on the track. Having also achieved his Level 2 COOL award and Silver certificate Jordan will be soon ready to progress into the club system within London.

TESTIMONIES
WW001 Met-Track is really good fun, but is keeping me away from the streets and the trouble that happens regularly on my estate, I have learned many skills while attending these sessions, and will continue to attend.
WW002 I can’t believe how fit I have got, I feel very secure when I am at the sessions and feel at ease with all the other athletes which is something that has been a problem at other activity’s I have attended.
WW003 Met-Track is really good, and the coaches are always there for advice, which I have used on occasions, and has given me a more trouble free outlook on things. The sessions are really hard but it has made me determined as I hate to not finish, or get beat!!
WW004 I have been coming to Met-Track since the start and have really engaged in the sessions, they are really good and always fun. The coach is always encouraging, and has given me the confidence to take the warm up which I know I would never of done at the start.

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