by Mia Grey
Student athlete, Track Academy
Since I was 14 years old, I’ve been a sprinter and student at Track Academy, an athletics, education and mentoring charity based in the London borough of Brent.
Being here has enabled me to develop and mature into a disciplined and hardworking student athlete. The support I’ve received in the past seven years has been crucial in helping me get through high school and sixth form.
It gave me a space to hone my talents and meet inspiring athletes, while providing the means for me to do my study and homework. Now, I combine studying at university and working for Track Academy, providing fundraising and operations support.
This Black History Month, I’ve thought about how Track Academy’s entire approach celebrates and amplifies black history and culture – not just for a single month but all year and in every aspect.
Most of the staff, coaches, mentors, tutors and trustees reflect the demographic of people who attend. Many of our student athletes are of Afro-Caribbean descent (49%) and are conscious of the very high proportion of black athletes who represent countries within athletics.
Due to that, students are able to experience and learn more about black history through the staff, workshops and visitor athletes.
For example, foods and music are the most basic ways that Track Academy integrates black culture and history into its events and workshops.
Brent is historically known for housing many of the Windrush generation, and immigrating cultures, so we’ve had the opportunity to work with a diaspora of student athletes who represent their culture.
Culture can be seen through the colloquial speech, traditions and norms in the community and weaving through the work. Track Academy does all it can to encourage the athletes to strive for the best, by running life-skills workshops on aiming high, being creative, staying disciplined and being positive.
Over the years I’ve made many friends through the academy and I’ve been able to see the lives of many of them change for the better. The staff have supported me in all areas of need, specifically with mentors, to whom I could talk about everything else going on in my life and have some sort of extra guidance.
