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There are just 12 active athletics volunteers recorded on our membership database who are aged over 95. Ernie Cripps is one of them.
England Athletics CEO Chris Jones, Chair of East Midlands Regional Council Jane Pidgeon, and Club Support Manager Heidi Bradley recently paid a visit to Derby Athletics Club where 99-year-old Ernie still attends club training twice a week to help in the clubhouse, among other duties.
Ernie doesn’t like a fuss, so the England Athletics team attended under the guise of an ordinary club engagement visit. After the club visit session, some of his athletics colleagues and family members gathered in the clubhouse for the presentation of theaward for 70+ years of service to the sport.
Chris Jones told us:
Spending time with long-serving volunteers is one of the highlights of my job. Meeting Ernie that evening was an honour and very humbling. He’s an inspirational man!”
Why volunteer?
Ernie has given over 70 years to the sport: many committee roles for club and county, officiating, and ever-present at club nights doing much needed administration and supporting other club officers. Why does he still volunteer?
Ernie has given over 70 years to the sport through many committee roles for club and county and as an official, and most recently supporting with administration at club nights. So, why does he still volunteer at 99 years-old?
“I’ve enjoyed it. Keep going if you enjoy it – that what I say.”
Ernie qualified as a timekeeper in 1985 and went on to also become a Level 2 field judge, a Level 4 endurance official and an event adjudicator – and whilst he has recently retired his licence, he is looking forward to mentoring some of the younger ones this summer and get them interested in timekeeping. In fact he won the East Midlands Inspiring Official award at the 2022 England Athletics Volunteer awards.
Starting out
James Walsh JP first met Ernie in 1962 when he joined Rolls Royce Harriers; he was a new apprentice while Ernie worked in the Experimental Department.
“In his spare time Ernie organised the Rolls Royce athletics. It was he who arranged for the Harriers section to compete against the Grammar schools in the Derby area at cross country events. In those days all travel was by bus and notification was by postcard via Royal Mail.”
In the summer Ernie took Rolls Royce staff to open track meetings within the Midlands area, himself competing in the sprints and relays (he recorded sub 10 seconds for 100 yards).
“He took on the mantle of promoting our local BBC Blue Peter fun runs in the 1990s and was the ‘go to’ person for Derby City Council in the organisation of our City’s marathon known as Derby Ramathon.”
Chris Cohen – himself celebrating 60 years in the sport that started with him competing as a young teenager – recalls Ernie very early in his sporting career; his encouragement when acting as a team manager and his support for Derby AC. Both Ernie and Chris also rose to the national level technical official in the sport, officiating at many international events across the country.
Ernie was a timekeeper from the days when a team would record on stopwatches and average the results, but he still stays abreast of today’s electronic systems. Ernie did this locally and also for the Northern Counties AA. In fact, even at his advanced age, he is amongst the most accurate timekeepers in the country.
After his competing days were over
Later, when Chris was coaching, Ernie was still there – by now acting as an administrator for both the club and for the Derbyshire County AA – then recruiting him to the committee.
“He is always thoughtful and forward-looking in his ideas to promote the sport locally. During my own time as a committee member, I always found his support invaluable and his work behind the scenes in whatever role needed doing was essential for the progress of athletics in the area.”
After retirement
On retirement from work, Ernie’s involvement in club and county athletics increased and he also took on the role of granting race permits which were introduced to maintain the integrity of the sport. Although this has reduced as he has become older, he is still to be found at the athletics club at weekends officiating and supporting young athletes, even at the age of 99.
James Walsh continued:
“Such was Ernie’s reputation that Derby benefitted from his expertise in being chosen as the venue to host a variety of prestigious events such as the English Schools’ athletics and cross country events on numerous occasions, the sports county, area and national championships.”
It seems that Derby Ac and the sport beyond his club are still benefitting from his knowledge and expertise. Thank you Ernie – and a well-deserved award!
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