Birmingham High School Athletics Clubs Grow Membership, Strengthen Local Communities

High school athletics enrollment across Birmingham rose 28 percent from the same period last year, with summer sessions at two longstanding clubs now drawing more than 450 students each week.

The increase arrives during the July school break, when families look for low-cost, structured outlets that keep teenagers active and connected to nearby streets and parks instead of scattered online activities.

At Alexander Stadium in Perry Barr, Birchfield Harriers runs weekday evening track groups that feed directly from King Edward VI Handsworth Grammar School and nearby secondary sites along the A4040. Coaches there have added extra sprint and relay slots on Tuesday and Thursday nights to handle the extra numbers. Across the city in Kings Heath, the Moseley Road Athletics Project uses the old track behind the former Sparkhill Library building for its under-18 squad, drawing runners from Camp Hill and Balsall Heath schools who finish drills then walk home along the same routes they use for school.

Club records show average monthly fees held at £14 per athlete, with concession rates at £9 for families on income support. A Birmingham City Council youth sport audit released in May counted 1,872 registered high school participants citywide, up from 1,460 the previous summer, and noted that 62 percent of those athletes live within two miles of their training venue.

Neighbourhood links strengthen around shared facilities

Trainers at both sites now coordinate with local businesses for kit donations and post-session food, turning training nights into informal gatherings that pull in parents from the same postcodes. The Perry Barr group meets at the stadium car park after sessions, while the Kings Heath squad uses the café at Moseley Road Baths for recovery talks. These patterns have produced volunteer coaches from the 2024 intake and a small rota of older athletes who now lead warm-ups for the newest arrivals.

Next steps for families

Both clubs hold open registration evenings on 18 July at their usual venues, with places allocated first to current high school students who bring proof of address. Parents can check availability through the clubs’ websites or by calling the Perry Barr office before the end of next week.