Williamstown Little Athletics

When can I join Williamstown Little Athletics?		What other forms of competition are there?
How much does Little Athletics cost?		Code of Conduct
Cross Country Season Registrations		What is expected of Parents?
Clubs in the Williamstown Centre		What is expected of the Children?
How do I know what age group I will compete in?		Is there any training provided?
What do the children do?		What about Safety, Insurance and First Aid?
What are the events?		What types of awards / trophies are presented?
Where are the events held?		What level of ability do children have to have to join?
What time does the program start and finish?		What is available to children with disabilities?
How long is the season?		Can children try Little Aths before joining?
How are the children's performances monitored?

When can I join Williamstown Little Athletics?

The Little Athletics year begins in October and runs through to the following September (this includes the summer season as welll as the Cross Country season). You can register at any time during the athletic season providing you are between the age of 5 and 15. Registrations should be made on line. Instructions on how to register are availabe once registrations have opened for the season. Registration day/s are usually held in September when you can collect your Registration Pack and nominate for duty. Registration Days are held at the Newport Athletics Track, corner North Road and The Strand, Newport (at the rear of Lifestyle Gym). Please Note: All new registrations must provide a copy of their birth certificate.

The first week of competition is usually the Saturday following Grand Final Day. Competition is usually on Saturday mornings between 8:20 am and around 12.30, however there are several Friday Twilight meetings held during the season; twilights commence at 5:20 pm. Please refer to the Season Calendar for the full list of competition dates and times.

How much does Little Athletics cost?

Registration fees are set by the Centre and season fees are around $100 for one child, with discounts for two or more children. Discounts are also available for Healthcare Card holders. As Little Athletics is totally run by volunteers, costs are kept to a minimum and for a season that runs from October to March, the registration fee is extremely good value. As well as the registration fee there is a small charge to participate in additional events such as Region Relays and Region Track and Field Events.

Cross Country Season Registrations

Registered Little Athletes can also participate in Cross Country from April to July for a small additional fee. Children who have not registered for the summer season may still participate in Cross Country but the full fee is applicable.

Clubs in the Williamstown Centre

Williamstown Little Athletics Centre has five affiliated clubs:

Club name	Uniform
	T-shirt	Shorts/Bloomers	Socks
Newport	Orange	Black	White
Spotswood	Yellow	Black	White
Wembley	Maroon	Black	White
Westport	Light blue	Navy Blue	White
Williamstown	Royal Blue	Royal Blue	White

Socks must be ankle or short socks. Bike shorts can be used for Centre competition days but are not permitted to be worn as part of the Centre Uniform (The Centre uniform is used at Region and State Events). Bike shorts and shorts must be at least 10 cm above the knee with no logos.

Whilst the clubs are geographically named, members are not required to reside within the geographical region of the club they wish to join. We encourage new members to join and support our smaller clubs (Wembley, Westport and Spotswood).

How do I know what age group I will compete in?

Age groups are determined by the year and month of birth as detailed in the following Victorian Little Athletics Association (VLAA) Registrars Ready Reckoner – 2009 / 2010 season.

Age group by month and year of birth:

Age group	Athlete born between
	October 1	September 30
Under 15	1994	1995
Under 14	1995	1996
Under 13	1996	1997
Under 12	1997	1998
Under 11	1998	1999
Under 10	1999	2000
Under 9	2000	2001
Under 8	2001	2002
Under 7	2002	2003
Under 6	2003	2004

What do the children do?

Each competition day, usually Saturday morning, the children participate in a selection of events that rotate through different weekly programs with some Friday twilight competitions.

Throughout the season athletes have an opportunity to participate in additional events including Region Relays, Region Track and Field, State Multi Event competition and Open Days run by other Little Athletics Centres. Region events are open to all athletes from Under 9 – Under 15. Region Track & Field is also open to Under 8 children, however they cannot progress through to State Championships. The State Multi Event is open to any child from Under 9 - Under 15; there is no qualifying round for eligibility.

The Under 6 age group will participate in a modified program, which consists of a combination of track and field events, and skills training called the "On Track" program.

During the Cross Country season, the athletes run a single race of a distance between 1 and 3 km, depending on their age. Region and State Championships are held each year for Cross Country. Open to all athletes Under 9 – Under 15.

What are the events?

Athletes compete in a series of events on a rotational basis.

Track:

Sprints (70 m, 100 m, 200 m)
Middle Distance (400 m) depending on age
Long Distance (800 m, 1500 m) depending on age
Hurdles (60 m, 80 m, 90 m, 100 m, 300 m) depending on age & gender

Field:

Long Jump / Triple Jump / High Jump
Shot Put / Discus
Javelin (U11-U15 only. Note there is an 8am start for this event only)

Cross Country (Winter Season)

Where are the events held?

During the summer Track & Field Season, events are held at the Newport Athletics Track, Cnr North Road and The Strand, Newport (behind Lifestyle Gymnasium).

Cross Country events are held at Newport Lakes. Enter off Johnston Street, Newport. See the Cross Country section for further details

What time does the program start and finish?

A summer morning program begins at 8:20 am sharp unless otherwise advised in the fixture and finishes around 12:30 pm. The Under 6 Program generally starts at 9:00am and finishes earlier, depending on the events being offered on the day.

During the winter Cross Country Season, competition starts at 10:00 am and finishes around 11:00 am.

How long is the season?

The summer Track and Field Season consists of about 18 weeks of competition, beginning in October and running through to our last day of competition in March the following year concluding with a Centre Championship day. We have a break from just before Christmas to mid January. NB the season will finish earlier in 09/10 due to the resurfacing of the Newport Athletics track which will commence in February 2010.

Cross Country begins around April and runs through to July.

How are the children’s performances monitored?

Children receive tickets detailing their performance the week after they compete. Performances are posted on the website, soon after the day of competition. Tickets can then be placed in a ticket book provided at registration. The ticket book is a great way to see if you have improved your performance from week to week and achieved a personal best otherwise known as a PB.

Following each week’s competition, all recorded performances are collated within a database to determine trophy winners etc at the end of the season. A points system is in place to measure performances.

Note: No athlete can compete for points if registration has not occurred at least 24 hours prior to a program commencing and if they are not in correct uniform displaying their registration tag.

What other forms of competition are there?

During the season, there are:

Open Days: Competition held at other Centres and an opportunity to compete against other little athletes in Victoria. More information is available on the VLAA website.
Region competitions (for Under 8 to Under 15) - Competition with other Centres within the Western Metropolitan Region.
State Championships - (for Under 9 to Under 15)Children may progress from Region to State Championships to compete against all Regions in Victoria.

Code of Conduct

There are a series of Codes of Conduct and Behaviour within Williamstown Little Athletics Centre.

Parent Code of Behaviour
Little Athletes Code of Behaviour
Spectator Code of Behaviour

Click here to download the Codes of Behaviour for full details.

The Essence of Sport
Sport in Australia is held as a positive influence that enriches the lives of all who are involved. Sport performs a major role in shaping the Australian identity and is seen as a vital component in the continuing prosperity of the nation.
By committing the Essence of Sport to all roles and decisions, athletics in Australia can ensure the benefits it has to offer are realised. Williamstown Little Athletics strives to uphold the principles of:

Fairness
Fairness is about making informed and honourable decisions. Williamstown Little Athletics Centre believes that everyone should be given the opportunity to pursue their goals and aspirations.

Safety
Williamstown Little Athletics Centre believes that everyone has the right to participate in an environment that is physically and emotionally safe.

Respect
Williamstown Little Athletics Centre believes that respect involves recognising the contribution of every person and treating him or her with dignity and courtesy. It also incorporates taking care of the environment, equipment and property.

What is expected of Parents?

Parents are expected to assist with the operation of Little Athletics by participating in the duty roster. The number of times that this is required varies but generally every third or fourth week however your flexibility will be required from time to time. There are several types of duty possible with most parents enjoying ‘officiating’ at an event. Other typical club type activities include Marshal roles (Under 6 – Under 10), canteen, club administration, etc. Additional assistance is always needed on the Centre and Club Committees and all parents are invited to help here.

What is expected of the Children?

Children must:

Behave in a proper manner with their fellow competitors, officials and parents.
Uphold our motto 'Family, Fun, Fitness'.

Is there any training provided?

A training program is currently being developed and details of training sessions will be posted on the website. Special training sessions are held for relay teams by volunteer parents. It is essential that parents volunteer to coach as without a coach a team cannot be entered. Athletes wishing to participate in relay championships must attend relay training where practical. Information regarding training times will be posted on the Website and can be obtained from your coach.

What about Safety, Insurance and First Aid?

The Williamstown Centre has a strict safety policy and all athletes are covered by Insurance provided by the Victorian Little Athletics Association. First Aid trained volunteers are in attendance at each session of Little Athletics. Parents must sign on as ordinary members to be covered by the insurance.

What types of awards / trophies are presented?

At the end of each season, presentations are made to children based on:

The child’s performance
The child’s improvement
Perpetual Awards
Memorial Awards
Breaking Centre Records
Breaking Outside Records

Trophies, Medals and certificates are typically awarded.

What level of ability do children have to have to join?

Williamstown LAC promotes family, fun and fitness. Little Athletics is for the whole family to enjoy. Children can join with any level of skill or fitness. Children are given plenty of encouragement to achieve personal bests and to enjoy making friends.

What is available to children with disabilities?

Williamstown LAC currently has no specific program for children with disabilities; however, our Executive Committee encourages all children to join. If a specific program is required to accommodate the needs of an individual we would welcome your contact to discuss available options.

Can children try Little Aths before joining?

Yes, try out days are conducted at Williamstown in the early part of each season. Alternatively, just turn up on a competition day and make yourself known to the Team manager. You will be introduced to a club, placed in the appropriate age/gender group, and given the opportunity to see if Little Athletics is for you.