When can I join Melton City Little Athletics?

The Little Athletics year begins in October and runs through to the following September (this includes the summer season as well as the Cross Country season). You can register at any time during the athletic season providing you are between the age of 5 and 16. Registrations should be made on line. Instructions on how to register are available 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 Northcott St Recreation Reserve, Northcott St, Melton South (at the rear of Melton South Primary School).

Please Note: All new registrations must provide a copy of their birth certificate.

 

How much does Little Athletics cost?

Registration fees are set by the Centre and season fees are around $130 per child. 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 a small fee is applicable.

 

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

Click HERE to access the Little Athletics age group calculator. Select the month and enter the year you were born, then click Go, this will calculate your age group for the current season.

 

What do the children do?

Each competition day, usually Sunday morning, the children participate in a selection of events that rotate through different weekly programs with some Wednesday 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.

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 Melton South Recreation Reserve, Northcott St Melton South (behind Melton South Primary School).

Cross Country events are held at Hannah Watts Park, Navan Park and Mt Carbury. See the Cross Country section for further details

 

What time does the program start and finish?

A summer morning program begins at 8:30 am unless otherwise advised in the fixture and finishes around 12:30 pm.

During the winter Cross Country Season, competition starts at 9:00 am and finishes around 10:00 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.

Cross Country begins around April and runs through to July.

 

How are the children’s performances monitored?

Performances are posted on the website, soon after the day of competition. Parents can print tickets from our website that 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 LAVIC 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 Melton City Little Athletics Centre.

· Parent Code of Behaviour

· Little Athletes Code of Behaviour

· Spectator Code of Behaviour

Click here to download our Centre Handbook containing 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. Melton South Little Athletics strives to uphold the principles of:

 

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

 

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

 

Respect
Melton City 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 Melton City Little Athletics 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

Trophies, Medals and certificates are typically awarded.