The National Junior Athletic League was founded in 1989 with 16 men and 8 women’s teams contesting the inaugural match at Haringey on the 1st May.
The aim of the League was to provide athletics competition for the under 20 age group, under 17’s are allowed to compete within the older age group. This then provided the necessary bridge from young athlete to senior.

In the Leagues first season, male and female athletes competed in three fixtures, and due to the amount of interest created within the athletics circle this encouraged many more clubs to apply for membership. This then quickly resulted in the formation of a National Division One and Regional Divisions.

Over the years that followed, and with the increase in membership of the League it was found that restructuring was going to have to take place.
It was also noted that within the National Division the athletes were having to travel some long distances to the venues and this was having a detrimental
effect on their performances and in some cases affecting the athletes health.

It was from here that a decision was made to divide the countrywide
competition into the Northern and Southern Regions which would then be
sub-divided into area divisions, each would then support their own Regional Premier Division for both male and female athletes.

Club teams that finished in top place in the Regional Divisions were invited to a promotion match, and the teams finishing in first and second would gain promotion to their Premier Division for the following season.
Teams finishing in the bottom two positions in the Premier Divisions were then relegated to their nearest regional division.

During the same period, club teams in the two Premier Divisions would be
involved in their own competition. The top four men and women’s teams from each Premier Division, after the four annual fixtures, would meet in the
National Junior Athletic League’s Grand Final to compete for the title of
National Junior Athletic League Champions.

To win this title also meant that the successful teams would then represent the United Kingdom in the European Junior Club Cup Competition the following season.

Again due to the Leagues  popularity and by the endeavours of the Management Committee to reduce travel for the member clubs it is time to restructure the League.
2006 saw major changes to the structure of the League.
The country was divided into three, with the introduction of a Midland Region which consists of a Premier Division and three sub-divisions.

The League also introduced joint scoring, whereby clubs compete as a club and not as two separate teams. Clubs with only single sex athletes will still be allowed to compete within the regional divisions but will not be eligible for promotion.

The 2006 season saw some 100 plus clubs enjoying this new innovation in the under 20 track and field athletics, and we are convinced that this is the way forward for our sport.

The National Junior Athletic League continues to encourage Junior age group
athletes to remain in the sport. We invite non-member clubs who have a
limited number of Junior members to join with other non-member clubs to form a composite club and compete in their own right or to compete as a
second claim member of a club already within the League membership.

This League is proud of its achievements in track and field athletics and is looking forward to an exciting future with the opportunity of making a vital contribution to the future of the sport.

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