Page 3 - BBHAC Winter 2017-18 Gazette

President’s Profile 3

Your Club President for 2018/19

Paul Byfield
WO. Having been asked to
Succeeding two immediate past assume the Presidency by
presidents who have both gained Nick Brooks what connection
international distinction on the in club terms do you have
track albeit many years ago, Paul with him?
Byfield is another in the mould of
distinguished athletes who after PB. To be honest prior to my
retiring from competitive athletics becoming Chair of Active
has played a dedicated and com- Athletics in 2009 our paths
mitted role in the administration hadn’t really crossed over as
and development of the club. He such as he is several years older
joined in 1983 and was Young than me and I knew of him
Athletes Captain in 1985; then anyway as an athlete who had
he competed regularly for several set a number club records at
years in the British Athletics
League and the Southern League 400m and 800m and an athlete
at various events and also at to whom I looked up to and I
college meetings. After retiring aspired to be like as an under 17.
from representative athletics he As well as him there was Julian President Paul Byfield…the
was made a Vice President in Spooner one of his peers who athletes’ Barack Obama
2001 and later on he served as had previously held the records
Chairman of Active Athletics at those distances, particularly someone who was a former
from 2009 to 2011 and since running 47’ for the 400m. athlete, one who knows and
2013 has held the brief of Chair Despite this however Nick was understands about athletics and
of Development. just a name in the record books. has been involved in the track
and field side of the club. That
In March he was introduced as We never really competed was also the case for Bill Foster
the new president by outgoing against each other but we once in the matter of selecting his
president Nick Brooks. He has successor but like all who have
the distinction of being the first ran together, the only time we become president it has been
black president in the club’s long ran on the track in the same race such a well kept secret.
history and will probably be the which was the 4 x 400m relay
last to be installed in the club’s in 1986. When you think about it the
present headquarters. It was at new president is picked from the
the club HQ that I was able to WO. Every year the choice
talk to him about his life in ath- of a new president can defy existing pool of Vice Presidents
letics, and his year as president. prediction. Do you think so it’s a fairly small group
that presidents are chosen of people anyway. I’ve been
to be a complete surprise, or involved in the guessing games
in the course of time will a over the years but there’s always
president be chosen who is 4 or 5 names that come to the
the expected one? fore, and last year Nick’s name
was one of those that came out
PB. Outgoing presidents will of the pot. Some new presidents
always look to people with seem because of their high
whom they an affinity and profile to be the obvious choice
whom they can see as fulfilling but the element of secrecy is one
a certain role as president. From of the conditions which I’d like
Nick’s perspective he wanted to keep.