Frequently Asked Questions 

Where and when do WWPLA meet?

Competition is held at McEvoy Oval Umina, on Friday night from 6 pm during the summer season. The season starts in October (the first week back after school returns) and runs through to mid-March each year. With a break over the Christmas/New Year period.

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

Our emphasis is on Family, Fun & Fitness. Children can join with any level of skill or fitness. Children are given plenty of encouragement to achieve personal bests (PB’s). Little Athletics recognises that children vary widely in shape, size and athletic ability, and thus is one of few sports that successfully caters for all.

When do registrations open?

Registrations open early-mid August each year at via the registration platform – keep an eye on the Facebook group for announcements.

 

How much does Little Athletics cost?

Registration Costs are $195 for the first child and $170 for each additional child.

All registered athletes from 6 – 18 years of age can compete in Little Athletics and Athletics NSW (ANSW) events.

Can I use Active Kids Vouchers for the registration?

Yes definitely!

If you are eligible you can use your active kids vouchers with us.  The Active Kids program provides two vouchers for parents, guardians and carers of eligible school-enrolled children to use towards sport and active recreation costs each year.  See here for more details:  Apply for your Active Kids voucher here.

What is included in the fees? 

Little Athletics offers great value! Our fees for the season cover: 
  • Friday afternoon competitions at McEvoy Oval 
  • LANSW fee
  • Multiple events each season
  • Use of the Centre equipment and facilities
  • Expert coaching weekly with event-specific training
  • Access to Zone, Region, and State Championships (pending qualification)
  • Access to State Relays (pending qualification)
  • End-of-season certificates, awards, and trophies to acknowledge athlete achievements
  • Personal Best tracking and online access to results
  • Friday nights full of family fun!

 

How do I register my child?

Registrations typically open at the beginning of August for the upcoming season. Keep an eye on our Facebook page to find out when registrations are officially open.
Simply visit the Registration page to get started.

What documents are required? 

If you are new to Little Athletics (registering for the first time), proof of age is required. You can either upload a photo of your child’s Birth Certificate or Passport during the registration process or show it to the Registrar when you pick up your registration pack.

 

What if I live out of the peninsula, can I still register?

Yes! WWPLAC welcomes all athletes, no matter where you are living.

What age group does my child compete in?

Little Athletics Australia determines how the age groups are determined, based on their date of birth. To work out the age group for your child, please use their Little Athletics Age Group Calculator.

Is there a uniform to wear?

All registered athletes must wear our approved centre uniform when competing in Little Athletics competitions. There are also patches that need to be applied to the centre uniform. It is important that these are placed in the correct location.

Uniforms can be purchased online from our supplier Sportsmagic, and picked up from the centre at the start of each season

Appropriate sports footwear is compulsory for all athletes in all events. Athletes must wear shoes, and no athlete may wear football boots or cleats in any event.

Spikes are not compulsory, but if you choose to wear them, the following rules apply:

  • Athletes in the U9 – U10 age group may not wear spike shoes
  • Athletes in the U11 – U12 age group may wear spike shoes in events run entirely in lanes, long jump, triple jump, high jump and javelin
  • Athletes in the U13 – U15 age groups may wear spike shoes in all track events except walks. Spike shoes may also be worn for long jump, triple jump, high jump and javelin

More Uniform information

 

How do I volunteer and what can I do?

We are a non-profit organisation that raises funds through our registration fee and operates through the support of our local community. We are run solely by a team of volunteers who put their heart and soul into making the club a success.

The successful operation of our club relies solely on parents volunteering to assist.  All parents are required to volunteer in some capacity every season. There are a variety of activities that you can nominate to do.  Little Athletics is a family movement in which the mums, dads, grandparents, and friends of children can do something together. The children compete and parents are part of that by getting involved by assisting on the night.  Our club is what we make it and we are all committed to making it good fun.

The following roles need to be filled by our parent volunteers each week, so get active and get involved.  You can participate by helping us to set up, becoming an Age Manager, or helping out on canteen or BBQ duty from time to time. If you have a bit more time you could take up a role on the management committee or assist with coaching if you have relevant experience.

What happens on competition nights?

Children are organised into age-based gendered groups that are determined by date of birth.  There is more information about the age groups available on the LANSW website.

Activities are coordinated by an Age Manager (who is a volunteer parent) and follow an age-appropriate rotating program of track and field events that include a mix of the following activities:

  • Running including sprinting, middle distance, and hurdles
  • Throwing including shot-put, discuss
  • Jumping including long jump, high jump, and triple jump

Each week there is a rotation of 3-4 activities per age group so that children have the opportunity to learn the basic level of athletic skill required for each activity and have the opportunity to participate in a variety of them several times over the season.

The weekly competition is usually finished by around 7.30 pm.  However, it depends a little on the type of events, the number of children in each age group, the number of volunteers we have, and even the weather conditions on any given competition night. Older children compete in longer-distance events and these take longer to complete.  Every effort is made to make our competition nights run as smoothly as possible, and the more support we get, the better it works for everyone.

Updates regarding weather conditions, etc for competition nights are shared on our Facebook page as soon as decisions are made.

What happens if it’s raining?

Check our Facebook page for updates regarding wet weather cancellations.

Is there a Code of Conduct that I should be aware of?

We provide a respectful, supportive environment for children of all abilities. In order to provide this, it is important that all athletes and adults abide by the Little Athletics NSW Code of Conduct.

Are competition results recorded and where can I see them?

Results from each competition night are uploaded into a database and are available in the results section of the Results HQ website.

How flexible is attendance? What if we miss a Friday?

While regular attendance helps athletes improve, there’s no penalty for missing a week. Events are individual, and participation is flexible there is no need to advise you are absent or sick unless you are rostered onto a parent/adult helper duty which would need to be filled by another person in your family or age group.

Are there coaching sessions we can join?

Our club offers track and field training and coaching during the competition season for those athletes who are interested in improving their performance for competition. Refer to the Coaching & Development page for more information.

What awards are there and what do they recognise?

An encouragement award is given each week by the relevant age manager. Children are also awarded trophies and other prizes based on the weekly results and participation in other events at the end of each season. All children will receive a participation medal for their efforts. We hold a presentation ceremony each year at either our clubhouse or at the venue of one of our sponsors. There are a number of perpetual trophies awarded at these events and you can find out more about them on our About Us page.

For additional questions on registration, please contact our Registrar, Raewyn Burden, via email at registrar@wwplac.com.au