HAAC is a friendly and welcoming club aimed at helping to develop and inspire the athlete in every member and providing each member with support in the fulfillment of their own individual goals.
We cater to all abilities, from beginners to winners. The club has over 60 senior members and 80 junior members covering a wide mix of ages, abilities and interests, split roughly 50/50 between male and female.
Senior training nights take place on Tuesdays and Thursdays weekly, as well as one Sunday morning per month. Tuesday night speed sessions take place on the roads around Helensburgh, with the main focus being speed work and hills. Thursday nights are trail runs taking place in Helensburgh and the surrounding areas. These cover terrain similar to (and sometimes including!) The Trident Trail, our September hill race, with mud, banter and laughs always guaranteed! Sundays track sessions take place at Posties Park Athletics Track in Dumbarton.
We also enjoy regular social events – from group participation in races, to dinners out and our annual awards night. Additionally, we meet at Levengrove Parkrun in Dumbarton on the first Saturday of each month for a 5Km run followed by coffee and cake at the Pavilion Cafe!
Junior training takes place up to 4x a week throughout the year! These sessions cover a variety of different ages (9-18 years old) and disciplines (sprint, endurance, throwing and jumping). For more information please email Amy at haac.dev.officer@gmail.com.
Seniors
The senior members of the club, who must be 18+, meet every Tuesday and Thursday throughout the year for group training sessions. As well as one track session per month on Sundays at Posties Park.
Tuesday nights the focus is on speedwork and takes place mainly on the roads around Helensburgh. It is essential to wear bright clothing (no dark colours), to ensure you are seen while on the roads (especially in the darker months).
Thursday sessions are trail runs, which cover tracks and trails similar to our September hill race, The Trident Trail. These include hills, mud and banter! But are a longer distance with the requirement of proper trail shoes, appropriate clothing and torches in the darker months.
Sunday sessions take place at Posties Park Athletics Track in Dumbarton once per month.
All of our sessions are planned and led by volunteer UK Athletics qualified Run Leaders.
HAAC Vision and Club Values
Helensburgh Amateur Athletics Club…inspiring participation, progress and performance.
Club vision – To develop and inspire the ‘athlete’ in every member and provide support in fulfilment of their goals.
Inclusive – Welcoming and developing every level of athlete; from beginners to winners.
Friendship – Building friendships through shared involvement, enjoyment and goals.
Community – The club is run by the members, for the members and is an active part of the Local Community in Helensburgh and the surrounding area
Grit – Encouraging determination and commitment in each member.
Having fun – Enjoying athletics with like-minded and supportive friends.
History Of Helensburgh AAC
Helensburgh Amateur Athletic Club’s roots go back to 1982 when some members of the Helensburgh Rugby Club formed a jogging group to train for the Glasgow Marathon.
A notice was placed in the Helensburgh Advertiser inviting any other marathon runners to come along and join in. The response exceeded expectations, so it was decided to formally constitute the group and in 1983 Helensburgh Amateur Athletic Club was formed. This was very successful, so they decided to open it up to Junior athletes too.
In the following years, the Club continued to grow and develop, despite some fluctuations in fortunes. Today, Helensburgh Amateur Athletic Club has over 150 members – Junior and Senior, male and female, from ages 9 to 70+! This includes some members of the original jogging group back in 1983 and therefore founding members of the Club.
Club members take part in numerous events throughout the year, these include:
Outdoor Track & Field – Central and Southern Athletics League (Senior and Junior) and the Youth Development League (Junior), during the summer season
Indoor Track & Field – Scottish Athletic Indoor League (Junior) during the winter season.
Local Road Races and Cross-Country including – West Dunbartonshire XC Championships, West District XC Championships and National XC Championships.
Anyone wishing to become a HAAC Junior Member or who are looking for information on joining the Club should email Amy at haac.dev.officer@gmail.com.
Please note that there is a minimum age limit of 9 years old, however we will add those under 9 to our waiting list.
Anyone wishing to become a HAAC Senior Member or who are looking for information on joining the Club should use the ‘Contact Us’ form.
Junior Coaching at HAAC
The Junior Coaching Team are all UK Athletics qualified volunteers, currently consisting of 3 Athletics Coaches, 5 Assistant Coaches, plus 3 Young Assistant Coaches.
The team work hard and allocate a lot of their free time to provide 4 sessions/week all year round, for up to 80 athletes, as well as attending multiple competitions throughout the year. Helensburgh AAC can only run thanks to the help and dedication of our volunteers, we are very lucky to have such committed coaches who give thousands of volunteer hours per year.
New coaches are always welcome, and anyone interested in joining the coaching team should contact Amy at haac.dev.officer@gmail.com or speak to any of the coaches.
Some of the Coaching Team pictured at Posties Park Athletics Track – August 2025.
Charitable Status
Helensburgh Amateur Athletic Club, OSCR Number – SC048176
Helensburgh Amateur Athletic Club is a Scottish Charitable Incorporated Organisation (SCIO) regulated by the Scottish Charity Regulator (OSCR).
Our constitution is available here.
Our most recent Trustees Report as a SCIO is available here.
Membership is great value with benefits including:
- Only one annual membership fee – there is no additional fee to use our clubhouse facilities on training nights, unlike many other clubs.
- The club covers the entry costs for track and field competitions (CSSAL, YDL and SAIL), West District and Nationals cross country.
So, if you like the idea of enjoying athletics with like-minded and supportive individuals why not give us a go? Please feel free to come along and try us out before you join the club. (Senior enquires only).
Just drop us an email using the link below and let us know when you will be coming to the club. (Senior enquires only).
If you are interested in joining the Juniors, please email Amy at haac.dev.officer@gmail.com.
We can then make sure that someone will meet with you to determine which of our training groups would be best for you to join.
If you feel that the membership fee is a barrier to joining then please contact the membership secretary to discuss options, this will be treated in confidence.
