Little Athletics

Little Athletics is an Australian activity which introduces children aged 5 to 15 (or 16 in ACT, NSW and SA) to sport through modified athletics events.

Little A's or Little Aths, as it is affectionately referred to by those who enjoy it, is not just about competing, but also about having fun, making friends and getting families involved in healthy activities. It is little surprise, then, that the motto of Little Athletics is: "Family, Fun and Fitness".

Little Athletics recognises that children vary widely in shape, size and athletic ability, and is thus one of few sports that successfully caters for them all.

Little Athletics Events

Available Little Athletics events vary between age groups and from state to state. The following represents the breadth of events available, but not all are available in any given state.

• Sprints: 50 m, 70 m, 100 m, 150 m, 200 m, 60 m Hurdles, 80 m Hurdles, 90 m Hurdles, 100 m Hurdles,300m hurdles (U13,14,15,16)
• Distance: 400 m, 800 m, 1500 m , 700/1100/1500 metre walk (depending on age group)
• Relays: 4x100 m Relay, 4x200 m Relay, 4x400 m Relay, Medly Relay (100m,100m, 200m, 400m)
• Throws: Shot Put, Discus, Javelin (U11,12,13,14,15,16)
• Jumps: Long Jump, Triple Jump, High Jump
• Multi-Event (pentathlon)includes 100m, 800m, 60/80m/90m/100m hurdles (depending on age group), Discus and Long Jump
• Cross-Country 1km, 1.5km, 2km, 3km (depending on age group)
• There is often a race for 3 and 4 year olds of 50m

Structure and Governance

Under Australian Little Athletics (ALA), the independent governing body for Little Athletics in Australia, each mainland state and territory has its own Association, each responsible for running Little Athletics in its respective state. In turn, each of these Associations is composed of one or more geographical regions. These regions contain numerous localised Centres where normal weekly competition takes place. Each centre consists of one or more clubs with which each athlete is associated with at centre competition level.

Individual athletes and centre teams progress from localised competition to state competition as determined by the state Association. In Victoria, for example, each athlete or team must compete at a Regional Championship prior to being selected to compete in the State Championship. In Tasmania, on the other hand, there are only two regions (North and South) and no Regional Championships, and athletes must meet predetermined qualifying standards in order to compete in the State Championship. For under 13s a state team is selected each year after championships to compete against other athletes across Australia in the Australian Little Athletics Championships, a team orientated event.

History

In October 1963, three young boys went to a senior athletics meet held in Geelong, Victoria. Much to their disappointment, they were turned away by an official, Trevor Billingham, who told them that they were too young to compete.

It was later observed that the majority of children at a local coaching clinic designed for secondary school students were in fact of primary school age. Reminded of the three young boys, Billingham came up with the simple yet original idea of holding a Saturday morning competition for these children.

On Saturday, 3 October 1964, the first Little Athletics meet was held at Landy Field, just before the senior competition, with more than 80 children taking part in a short program of running events. From then on, Little Athletics grew at a phenomenal rate across the country.

In 1967, the Victorian Little Athletics Association (VLAA) of numerous Centres was formed. Other states also began to hold competition, and on the 31st March 1972, the Australian Little Athletics Union (ALAU) was formed in Perth by the Victorian, New South Wales, Northern Territory and Western Australian associations, later to be joined by new associations in Queensland, South Australia and Tasmania.

The first executive members of the ALAU were Bruce McKenzie (president) and Alan Triscott (secretary/treasurer).

During the 1992/1993 season, the ALAU's name was shortened to ALA.

Little Athletics remains one of the strongest junior sporting programs in Australia, with over 95,000 participants annually.

External links

• Little Athletics Australia
• Little Athletics Tasmania
• Little Athletics Western Australia
• Little Athletics South Australia
• Little Athletics Victoria
• Little Athletics New South Wales
• Little Athletics Queensland
• North Rockhampton Athletics Centre

Clubs

• Little Athletics Early History
• VLAA Centre Numbers including seasons Centres first formed
• Bargara Little Athletics Centre Queensland
• Casey Little Athletics Centre Located in Outer Melbourne South Eastern Suburbs
• Werribee Little Athletics Centre
• Hallett Cove Little Athletics Centre
• Reynella East and Districts Little Athletics Centre
• Magill Little Athletics Centre Eastern Adelaide
• Mount Druitt Little Athletics Centre
• Knox Little Athletics Centre Outer Eastern Melbourne Suburbs
• Bayswater Bullets Little Athletics Club One of eleven clubs within the Knox Little Athletics Centre
• Diamond Valley Little Athletics Centre
• Queanbeyan Little Athletics Centre
• Huon Valley Little Athletics Centre
• Kingborough Little Athletics Centre
• Queenborough Little Athletics Centre
• Hobart Districts Little Athletics Centre
• East Derwent Little Athletics Centre
• Clarence Little Athletics Centre
• Claremont Little Athletics Centre
• South Launceston Little Athletics Centre
• Caulfield Little Athletics Centre
• Little Athletics Waverley