New Members

What makes the club run?

Every athletic club around the country is run wholly by volunteers which is inclusive of organising the week in, week out competitions, fundraising, managing equipment, coaching and facilities etc

  • There are various Committee positions that ensures the safe running of CLAC from year to year
  • The Annual General Meeting (AGM) is usually takes place on one of the last competition days of the Track & Field summer season (generally in March).
  • At the AGM, Committee members are voted in
  • There are several CLAC committee and Executive meetings conducted either on a fortnightly or monthly basis
  • The CLAC secretary will publish the and audited financial accounts prior to the AGM
  • New committee members are ALWAYS welcomed and encouraged at CLAC
  • You will be able to identify all committee members as they should be wearing their CLAC committee shirt.
  • You will be able to identify all the coaching team as they should be wearing their CLAC coaching shirt.

Behavioural expectations?

Little Athletics is all about family, having fun and participation – whilst having a go and striving for personal best achievements is a focus for the athlete.

  • It is expected that all parents/guardians, officials, volunteers and athletes comply with CLAC’s Code of Conduct
  • CLAC will attempt to make sure that all athletes, coaches, spectators, parents and officials are aware and understand the code of conduct
  • CLAC code of conduct will be enforced via club officials and committee – please respect.
  • Please remember that all coaches, committee members, officials, parent helpers are all volunteering their time – please respect.

Parent attendance responsibilities?

  • Little Athletics is not a child drop-off nor is it a child-minding sport
  • A parent/guardian must be present at the track whenever their child or children are competing
  • You are responsible for your children’s behaviour, welfare and making decisions in the event of any injury.

Parent helper points?

Typically, to conduct a Track and Field competition on a weekly basis, CLAC requires between 60-70 parents in a volunteer role.

The rationale behind why we require parents and/or guardians to obtain parent duty points is as simple as, CLAC like to encourage parents and/or guardians to participate at their child or children’s field events.  Without the parents (volunteers) assistance, the meeting simply cannot go ahead. 

The other reason being, is to ensure that your child receives an award at presentation, CLAC have implemented a points system whereby the parents or guardians are required to fulfil throughout the summer season to enable your child gets an award at the end of the year.  Each family is required to get 30 parent duty points per family, per year.

  • To register your parent helper duties, throughout the summer season is as simple as signing up to your child’s age group and then registering for what duty you would like to perform via Sign-up Genius, online.
  • The link to the Sign-up Genius is generally posted in advance to the weekends competition.
  • There is an assortment of parent duty points that you can be achieved, such as:-
    • Set up (you will be required to arrive early (before competition) in order to set up all the equipment required for each competition) – generally an hour & a half will be required (3 points are awarded to your tally)
    • Pack up (like set-up but you are actually packing away all the equipment at the end of the day’s competition) – (3 points are awarded to your tally)
    • Canteen (you are required to be in the canteen and serve customers)
    • BBQ (you are required to be at the BBQ area and either serve customers or cook food as required)
    • Each age group are required to provide a team leader for each gender, i.e. U6 girls and U6 boys (3 points are awarded to your tally)
    • Each age group are required to provide parent helpers (at least 3 helpers) for all field events.  Your duties may include, raking the sand pit after each child has jumped, measuring, retrieving an implement, either a Javelin, Shot Put or discus. (1 point will be awarded to your tally)
  • All families must nominate for a defined duty role per week.
  • Your obligation is to perform your role whenever your child/ren compete
  • There is no obligation for you to perform parent helper duties if your family is not in attendance at competition.
  • Look out for CLAC social media for sign up posts throughout the summer season.

Competition?

Age groups compete/participate weekly in structured competition, with competition generally occurring on a Saturday.

  • Any given weeks, each age group will generally participate in 4 or 5 events a week (this will be dependent on the age group)
  • There is generally 16 weeks of regular CLAC competition occurring on a Saturday
  • At CLAC, there are three different programs that rotate from week to week, such as Program A, B or C
  • Depending on which program CLAC are running, the actual events associated with that program will be advertised on Social media
  • The Track and Field (summer) season generally runs from anywhere between October through to March the following year.
  • Little athletics stops over the Christmas break
  • Boys and girls compete separately
  • The age group of U14-16 generally compete together due to a lesser amount of athletes competing but the results are maintained by each age group
  • Parent volunteers officiate and coordinate the week to week competition throughout the year
  • Age group officials (Parent helpers) will provide technical advice at weekly competition (particularly younger athletes/field events)
  • Each athletes weekly results tally up to club awards at the end of the year
  • There will be Medals and trophies provided for club awards – Personal best & age group champion at the end of the year.
  • At CLAC, there are Personal Best medals, awarded to any athlete that achieves the following in any one season:-
    • 10 Personal best achievements = Bronze medal
    • 20 Personal best achievements = Silver medal
    • 30 Personal best achievements = Gold medal
  • Your child’s results at the end of the competition (generally at the end of the day) are uploaded onto Results HQ.  You will be required to register an account for your child, whereby you will nominate a Username/email address and password.
  • By logging into Results HQ, you have the ability to look at your child’s results throughout the calendar year where you can personally keep a track of your child’s personal best achievements for any given event.

Training and Coaching?

  • Training is conducted mid-week by accredited coaches at Casey Fields
  • CLAC coaching team ensure that a safe and fun environment is conducted at all times whilst improving the athletes skills
  • There is no cost associated with training
  • Tuesdays, Wednesdays & Thursdays 4:45 pm – 6:30 pm in season
  • It is recommended that if your child is between the age group of U6-8’s, that your child only participate in Tuesday night’s coaching program
  • No commitment required, just come down and join in
  • Training may be cancelled at short notice (heat, high winds, rain) – All announcements about training will occur on social media