CAAC prides itself on being a family-friendly athletics club. Many families train, race, and volunteer together across our groups, supporting each other in keeping an active and healthy lifestyle. The Mouraos are one such family, and they’ve been valued members of the CAAC community since 2018.
This year, Elson Mourao steps into the role of CAAC Club Captain, and he sat down to share a little about himself and his plans for the year ahead.
“The core role of the captain is to be a key supporting person for athletes at training and in competition. It’s about regularly competing, and being a known friendly face,” says Elson.
“My favourite distance is the 200m. I did sprinting when I was a teenager but stopped after an injury near the end of high school. After a break from doing much sport at all, it’s great to be back training and competing with the CAAC sprint squad.” Elson stepped up to the 400m distance in 2024, an event many regard as one of the most punishing, as the lactic hits hard down the home straight. “It’s better than I used to think” he admits. Keep an eye out for him and his one-lap performances in 2026.
The Captain’s role is usually a two year appointment, and Elson takes over the mantle from team mates Jack Fullerton and Janet Grigor. The role is deliberately light on fixed tasks or responsibilities: each captain focuses on how they can best support their fellow club members. And of course, the captain also has the privilege (or perhaps punishment!) of wearing the CAAC panda suit at least once a year at club events.
“At a minimum I am hoping I will be able to help encourage more participation across the various leagues, such as the Scottish National Athletics League (SNAL), Central & Southern Scotland Athletics League (CSSAL), and Forth Valley League (FVL)” explains Elson. “My favourite thing about CAAC is that it is truly an all-inclusive and supporting club. Everyone is very friendly, supportive and always willing to celebrate each other’s achievements.”
What he doesn’t mention is that he’s also pretty tech savvy. Away from the track, he’s part of the CAAC comms team, supporting on website improvements to make it easier for members new and old to find the joining or event information they need.
Elson is one half of CAAC’s new captaincy duo, Kirsty MacAuley also joins the ranks this year, bringing her passion for longer-distance racing and her experience across road, cross country, and endurance track events. Between them, the club is in good hands, with both sprint and endurance athletes well represented.
Please join us in welcoming Elson and Kirsty as the latest CAAC Captains. Next time you’re at training or a league meet, feel free to say hello! They’re both keen to hear how they can support you.
By Scott Jenkins, CAAC Publicity Officer.