TLAA Starting Line
January 2012
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… the news starts here!
President’s Message...
I hope everyone had a very Happy Christmas and New Year.
To date, a number of State meetings have been conducted with the McDonald’s Northern and Southern Life Member Centre Challenge Days being a great success. Unfortunately the Northern All State Meeting was cancelled due to very wet conditions. The decision to cancel a major event is never an easy one to make, however after a meeting with Centre Presidents present on the day, the decision was made based on the safety to the athletes, the number of events which could not take place due to the condition of the ground, and the lack of officials present to run the events. I take this opportunity to thank Brett Johnson from Hobart Districts who invited all athletes present to enjoy some free laser games at his new Zone3 venue in Launceston. Zone3 is a new sponsor this year for the Association, and this gesture by Brett was greatly appreciated.
We have reached the halfway point of our season and it is an opportunity to look forward to the second half of the year which will consist of our Southern All State, Race Walk and Multi‐
Event Championships, followed closely by the State Individual Championships. I take this opportunity to thank all our hard working committees, our volunteers, officials and coaches for the great effort that you all do. Our volunteers are the backbone of Little Athletics and I ask everyone to help out in any small way they can – it is your children who benefit from the work undertaken.
The TLAA is looking forward to hosting the Australian Little Athletics Championships in April and extend an invitation to everyone to come along to the Domain on Saturday 21st April as our Under 13 and Under 15 State Teams compete against the best from all other States and the ACT.
Sponsorship
We continue to have great support from our sponsors, Aurora Energy, McDonald’s, IGA, Department of Sport and Recreation, Medalmania, Southern Cross TV, and Robbie’s Confectionery.
Aurora Energy has been a major part of Little Athletics for many years, and we thank them sincerely for their continued support of our
State Meetings. Each year Aurora provides a giveaway prize to all participants at the State Individual Championships, and we continually see our athletes wearing the Aurora Sock, carrying their Aurora shoe bag, or one of the other great giveaways over the years. Aurora also sponsor the runner up Sportsmanship Award to our Under 13 athletes.
IGA have previously sponsored our Cross Country events. A change in the sponsorship now sees IGA recognised more widely as one of our major sponsors and is also the sponsor of our ever popular regional clinics which are held in September each year.
This year as part of the great sponsorship by McDonald’s, they are offering two athletes the opportunity to go to Sydney with a parent and participate in a coaching clinic with Athletics Australia Flame athlete; John Steffenson. This is a wonderful prize and a great opportunity to learn from one of our best 400m runners. Make sure you complete your entry form which is on your McDonald’s Achievement Certificate and send through for your chance to win. The winners will be announced at the State Individual Championships in March.
We have been fortunate to be granted funding from the Department of Sport and Recreation to grow the participation of Little Athletics in Tasmania. This funding is very welcomed and will give support to the hard work done carried out by our Administration Officer; Matt Hey.
Best wishes to all for the remainder of the season.
Rhonda O’Sign President
Inside this issue:
Introducing ‘My Results’ Page 2 Under 14 State Team; Newcastle Page 2 National Conference Dinner Page 3 Roll of Excellence 2011 Page 4 Regional Clinics Page 5 New State Best Performances Page 6 Under 12/13 Coaching Camp Page 7
Under 14 State Team
The Tasmanian Little Athletics Association recently announced the Under 14 State Team who will travel to Newcastle this January.
The team made up for eight athletes (four boys and four girls) will compete at the Hunter Track Classic on Saturday, 21st January 2012. The Hunter Track Classic is a Grand Prix meet part of the Athletics Australia National Series.
The Hunter Track Classic features not only the Little Athletics Teams Challenge but showcases some of Australia’s best Track and Field Stars in what is a unique and spectacular event. The 2012 event also serves as a stepping stone for Australian athletes towards the London Olympics.
The Sunday morning following competition, the Tasmanian team will take part in an
‘All Stars Coaching Clinic’ with Tamsyn Lewis, Dani Samuels and several other Athletics Australia Flame Team Members.
Congratulations to the following athletes on being selected in the Tasmanian Team:
Matthew Hosie Deanna Wadley Zachery Buick Nicole Walker Logan Reynolds Cara Digney Curtis Murfett Jasmine Turner
Travelling with the team will be Team Coach; Wim Vaessen & Team Manager; Kay Knee. Congratulations to these athletes on being selected and good luck for the event.
Introducing ‘My Results’
Little Athletics Australia and IMG Sports Technology Group are proud to announce the launch of My Results. My Results is a digital initiative by Little Athletics Australia to allow a Little Athlete to record and track their individual progress in all events on the Little Athletics program. It’s a fun way to keep track of your own performance and a great supplement to the Little Athletics Achievement Book which athletes receive annually upon registering.
My Results includes a web app for use on your smart phone so that as soon as your event is finished you can add your result to your results database. Then when you’re in front of a desktop computer you can see graphs showing your results over time.
To access ‘My Results’ go to the TLAA Website and select the link from the left hand menu… alternatively go to myresults.littleathletics.com.au
Join the online Little Athletics community and stay up‐
to‐date with what’s happening in the world of TLAA…
search for Tasmanian Little Athletics Association.
Christmas… with North East Little Athletics Centre
The North East Little Athletics team got together recently to have some Christmas Fun.
The Scottsdale Christmas Parade was held on Saturday the 3rd of December and we decided to join in the festivities. A wonderful day was had by all. Thanks to everyone for the hard work involved in arranging our float. We were all very excited to learn that we had won a prize.
Also on the same day and time we held a stall that was selling fruit salad, fairy floss, hamburgers and sausages. The whole day was a huge success and we achieved a terrific boost to our fundraising efforts for the 2011/2012 season.
Thanks everyone for such a terrific effort.
Looking forward to next years Parade...
Where will you be?
Saturday, 21st April 2012 Domain Athletics Centre, Hobart
playbytherules.net.au
South Launceston Health Expo 2011
South Launceston introduced a Health Expo as a new initiative this season. The aim of the day was to provide information to athletes and parents about health issues associated with competing in a physical activity outside during the summer months. Various health
organisations were invited to participate and we were fortunate enough to have Di Mason from the Cancer Council, Susan McLeod (One of Little Athletics’ own from Hobart Districts)
representing Sports Medicine Australia, and Renee Lightfoot from Lightfoot Podiatry (Sacred Heart Little Athletics Club) representing the Tasmanian Podiatry association. Resources were also provided by the Heart Foundation and Eat Well Tasmania which were distributed by Lynn Halaby.
Popular items were the zinc cream and sunscreen products from the cancer Council, the display of foot models, choice of shoes and guess the number of foot lollies in the jar at the Podiatry Association tent, Fact sheets on preventing injury at the Sports Medicine Australia tent and the balloons and tattoos from the Heart Foundation and Eat Well Tasmania.
A side show alley of shade tents was set up with athletes and parents visiting and discussing healthy topics in between their events. Di Mason was interviewed on the PA answering questions such as “Is it possible to get sunburnt on a cloudy day?”, “Why is it important for children to wear hats and sunscreen?”, and “what techniques would you recommend to encourage young athletes to wear hats?”
Our canteen on the day offered healthy alternatives including popcorn instead of chips, Sultanas instead of confectionary, corn chip nachos with low fat cheese and salad rolls. For every item on sale there was a healthy alternative offered.
Another highlight of the day was that all athletes were given an apple following their 100m event to promote healthy eating.
President Mick Halaby, dressed in an apple outfit, was pleased to hand out the apples, kindly donated by Millers Orchard in Hillwood and Bolands IGA in Newnham, to each athlete as they lined up for the ticket tent.
Feedback from participating organisations has been positive and South Launceston is pleased that they have been able to help athletes understand the importance of a healthy lifestyle when participating in Little Athletics.
National Conference Dinner
As you may be aware, TLAA is hosting the 2012 Australian Little Athletics Championships. A part of the championships includes the Little Athletics Australia National Conference, and the Annual Conference Dinner. This is being held at the Royal Yacht Club in Hobart on Friday evening, 20th April, with the cost being approximately $60.00 per person.
An invitation is extended to members to attend this dinner. Get a group together from your Centre and come along for a great night. The night will include a great 3 course meal, entertainment from a well known comedian, and live music from the “Doctor Rocksters” a very well known duo from Smithton.
A formal invitation with full details will be issued to all Centres shortly.
The 2011 asics Australian Little Athletics Championships were held at Sydney Olympic Park’s Athletics Centre on Saturday, 30th April.
The Tasmanian team departed from Hobart and Launceston on
When competition got underway at 10:00am it didn’t take long for Tasmania to claim its first medal with a fantastic performance by Jasmine Turner in the girls Shot Put Final. Jasmine had a put of 11.27 metres to claim Bronze in the event.
In the boys 80 Metre Hurdles, Curtis Murfett ran second in his heat with a performance of 12.62 seconds which put him into the final of the event ranked third. With the vocal support of the Tasmanian spectators in the grand stand Curtis pulled out a magical performance to claim Gold in the final running 12.28 seconds.
A short time later Stuart Lade took to the track in the boys 400 metres. After running 56.70 seconds in his heat, Stuart went into the final ranked fifth overall. As the clouds in the sky darkened, Stuart ran an impressive 56.23 seconds in the final to claim a silver medal, bringing the Tasmanian medal tally to three.
In the girls Long Jump at 1:40pm, Deanna Wadley left it until her last jump to claim Gold with a jump of 4.95 metres. Upon hearing the result from the official the Tasmanian Parents who were sitting directly in front of the pit jumped to their feet in excitement , with dad Dean running to the fence to hug his gold medallist.
The Tasmanian Team successfully retained the Dick Healy Trophy as winner of the Smaller Associations and ranked third for the Handicap Alan Triscott Trophy.
Congratulations to all athletes on an amazing day of competition and the true sportsmanship shown by all. It’s always a long lead‐up to the Championships and each athlete should be truly proud of their achievements. As always a massive
State Event Schedule
Aurora Energy Southern All State Sunday, 22nd January 2012 Domain Athletics Centre, Hobart
Aurora Energy State Multi‐Event & Race Walking Championships Saturday, 11th February 2012
St. Leonards Athletics Centre, Launceston
Aurora Energy State Individual Championships Saturday, 10th & Sunday, 11th March 2012 Domain Athletics Centre, Hobart
**All TLAA State Meetings commence at 9:00am with first events marshalled at 8:45am. The only exception to this is Day 2 of the State Individual Championships where first events will be marshalled at 8:15am for an 8:30am start to competition.
Little Athletics Australia Roll of Excellence 2011
Eight outstanding Australians, including Wallaby, Matt Giteau, were inducted into the Little Athletics Australia Roll of Excellence at a gala dinner on Saturday, 22nd October 2011, at Rydges Capital Hill.
The Little Athletics Roll of Excellence recognises former participants in Little Athletics who have subsequently excelled in their chosen field within four categories: Track & Field, Sportsmen, Achievers and Volunteers.
Being inducted alongside Giteau was fellow sports star and captain of the Australian Netball Team, the Diamonds, Natalie von Bertouch, AFL grand final field umpire and 2011 All Australian umpire, Brett Rosebury, 2UE Drive Show host, Paul Murray, Athletics Olympians Bronwyn Thompson and Darren Clark, and Little Athletics Volunteers Maxine Boyd and Jim Arkins.
Giteau, via video link, apologised for not being at the dinner in person.
“Little Athletics has given me everything that I’ve been able achieve in sport; I am very thankful and honoured to receive the award”, Giteau said.
Natalie von Bertouch was also thrilled to be honoured in this way.
“I have great memories of my time in Little Athletics, since I started at a young age at under 6’s. It was huge for my development in netball and I really look back fondly on the skills and other lessons it taught me”.
The octet inducted this year join a special group that have been awarded Little Athletics Australia Roll of Excellence membership;
which includes Olympic and world champion track and field athletes Steve Hooker, Jana Pittman‐Rawlinson and John Steffensen, AFL player and coach John Worsfold, former Wallabies captain George Gregan, winter Olympian Kirsty Marshall, Olympic Gold medallist, Kathy Watt (Cycling), and many other worthy recipients.
2012 Under 13 & Under 15 State Team
Are you an Under 13 or Under 15 athlete? Have you considered nominating to be part of the Tasmanian State Team for the 2012 Asics Australian Little Athletics Championships?
If so now is the time to submit your nomination! To obtain an information package see your registrar or go to the TLAA website.
Devonport Centre News
Devonport have had a busy December with not only our weekly programs but also many other events away from our track.
We have participated in the Devonport and Latrobe Christmas parades. We also held our 100km Relay‐a‐thon for Ronald McDonald House on the first night of the Devonport Athletic Carnival. We were lucky enough to have grandparents, parents, an uncle and a local politician join us. It was another great night and I’m sure all athletes can not wait to do it again next year.
On the second night of the carnival we held our 100m handicap race with Tiny Tot Lachlan Riley the crowd favourite. The athletes were lucky enough to sit and have a chat with Melanie Daniels after their heats were run. It was great for them to listen to a former Little Athlete. The U12‐U15 boys and girls also held a high jump demonstration.
Coming up in January we are having another handicap race on Australia Day at Latrobe. It should be another great day with some extra fun events included on the day.
At our centre we have had several centre records broken, with U7 boy athlete Ethan Clark breaking the shotput, vortex and discus records.
We have been lucky enough to receive another grant from Sport and Rec and will be purchasing new equipment with it soon.
Devonport had three athletes go the U12‐13 Coaching Camp.
Mitchell, Eli and Erin all had a great time. It was another terrific camp and I am looking forward to next year.
Championships, Competition and Family, Fun & Fitness
Little Athletics provides competition for age qualified boys and girls with the emphasis on self improvement. Whilst the emphasis is on self improvement with the athlete striving for personal bests, this is generally achieved in competition with other boys and girls. This is where part of the fun comes in because for children simply competing against themselves is not fun.
Athletics primarily is conducted in this manner.
Whilst the competitor competes against others in the event he/she also competes against
themselves in an endeavour to improve on past performances. The exception to the individual competition is the team aspect of relays. This generates further fun as athletes have the experience of being part of a team.
Championships also play an important role as they enable athletes to compete against others of a similar age from all parts of Tasmania. When the team and championship aspects are drawn together we have the exciting day of State Relay Championships which is conducted every December.
As always, we would expect our members to “Play by the Rules” in all aspects of the sport, however at times there is a fine line in the interpretation of these and it seems there is currently some confusion. The TLAA will address this and set clear guidelines for invitational relay teams, and the athletes who are eligible to compete in these.
We believe this will ensure that fair play is at the forefront at all times and will enable the maximum number of athletes to be part of this exciting day whilst providing safe guards to ensure that the spirit of the competition is protected.
Tasmanian Little Athletics has the motto of Family, Fun and Fitness at the forefront of our planning and decision making. Since the inception of championship relays, there have been cases, for one reason or another, whereby some team members have not turned up on the day which has resulted in athletes not having a complete team. In some instances, these athletes and their parents have travelled long distances to attend the event and it is disappointing for all concerned that they are unable to compete in the championships. To compensate for this disappointment, the TLAA offer these athletes the opportunity of competing by “invitation”.
An invitation relay is a relay team made up of athletes who do not have a team and who would not normally have the opportunity to compete on the day (the team may consist of an athlete who is already in a team). The team is not eligible for medals, nor is their placing in the event recognised – but, the athletes do get to compete and be a part of the day. Where possible, the invitational team will run in the heat, but not the final. If it is a straight out final, the team does have the opportunity of competing in that event.
Regional Clinics
For the past three years, Tasmanian Little Athletics has held free regional coaching clinics, which have been very well attended and provides excellent coaching for our athletes, and those interested in joining Little Athletics.
The clinics held in late September, were held in conjunction with Athletics Tasmania and we take this opportunity of thanking AT’s Development Officer Simon Bennett. Simon, along with Matt Hey, Kaylene Knee and Wim Vaessen, were responsible for organising the clinics, taking entries, producing the marketing material, and assisting at the three clinics, and the TLAA is very appreciative of the huge effort put in by these people. The TLAA also thanks all coaches, parents and members who assisted in any way at the clinics.
The clinics were held in Launceston, Hobart and Penguin and we were fortunate this year to have in attendance, former Burnie Little Athlete; Maverick Weller. Maverick competed in Little Athletics from under 6 through to Under 15, continuing onto senior athletics. Maverick is now a member of the Gold Coast Suns AFL team, and is in his second season with the team. Maverick was certainly a popular edition to the clinics. He spoke to all athletes about his experience in Little Athletics, the struggle to overcome injury, his desire to achieve his goal, and his dream of playing AFL football.
The clinics will be held again this September, with new sponsor IGA providing assistance. Keep your eye on our website, and your school newsletter in August for details of the 2012 clinics.
The 2011 asics Australian Little Athletics Championships were held at Sydney Olympic Park’s Athletics Centre on Saturday, 30th April.
The Tasmanian team departed from Hobart and Launceston on
When competition got underway at 10:00am it didn’t take long for Tasmania to claim its first medal with a fantastic performance by Jasmine Turner in the girls Shot Put Final. Jasmine had a put of 11.27 metres to claim Bronze in the event.
In the boys 80 Metre Hurdles, Curtis Murfett ran second in his heat with a performance of 12.62 seconds which put him into the final of the event ranked third. With the vocal support of the Tasmanian spectators in the grand stand Curtis pulled out a magical performance to claim Gold in the final running 12.28 seconds.
A short time later Stuart Lade took to the track in the boys 400 metres. After running 56.70 seconds in his heat, Stuart went into the final ranked fifth overall. As the clouds in the sky darkened, Stuart ran an impressive 56.23 seconds in the final to claim a silver medal, bringing the Tasmanian medal tally to three.
In the girls Long Jump at 1:40pm, Deanna Wadley left it until her last jump to claim Gold with a jump of 4.95 metres. Upon hearing the result from the official the Tasmanian Parents who were sitting directly in front of the pit jumped to their feet in excitement , with dad Dean running to the fence to hug his gold medallist.
The Tasmanian Team successfully retained the Dick Healy Trophy as winner of the Smaller Associations and ranked third for the Handicap Alan Triscott Trophy.
Congratulations to all athletes on an amazing day of competition and the true sportsmanship shown by all. It’s always a long lead‐up to the Championships and each athlete should be truly proud of their achievements. As always a massive Age Group Event Athlete/s Centre Old record New Record Date
U14 Girls Javelin Jasmine Turner SL 31.3 32.14 12/11/2011 U10 Boys 4x200m Relay Nicholas Gibson QBG 02:13.4 02:12.0 11/12/2011
Ewan Sloan
Christopher Law
Taine Sookee
U11 Girls 4x200m Relay Amy Halaby SL 02:15.7 02:06.9 11/12/2011
Jade Longstaff
Arabella Phillips
Georgie Williams
U13 Girls 4x200m Relay Olivia Reid KGB 02:00.6 02:00.5 11/12/2011
Belinda Panton
Ruby Brothers
Liana de Wit
U14 Boys 4x100m Relay Zachery Buick CLA 50.7 50.2 11/12/2011
Matthew Hosie
Taylor Walker
Andre Witek
U14 Boys 4x200m Relay Zachery Buick CLA 01:49.1 01:46.8 11/12/2011
Matthew Hosie
Bailey Elmer
Andre Witek
U15 Boys 4x200m Relay Alex Bessell CLA 01:49.6 01:47.3 11/12/2011
Callan Sutcliffe
Ned Absolom
Taylor Walker
U15 Girls 4x100m Relay Maddison Hill (LFD) COM 55.2 54.2 11/12/2011
Ashley Gibson (LFD)
Lauren Hall (LFD)
Isabel Wright (HD)
U15 Girls 4x200m Relay Maddison Hill (LFD) COM 01:59.8 01:56.5 11/12/2011
Ashley Gibson (LFD)
Lauren Hall (LFD)
Isabel Wright (HD)
New State Best Performances
Congratulations to the following athletes who have achieved State Best Performances.
East Derwent Little Athletics Centre Celebrates 30 Years
The East Derwent Little Athletics Centre celebrated its 30th birthday on Saturday the 19th of November with a huge party at Weily Park. The weather was a major concern with rain most of the previous night and early morning but by 9am it had cleared up and the ground was bathed in sunshine.
The Centre was a buzz with excitement all morning. Children were treated to a variety of fun and novelty events throughout the program along with some normal track and field events. The face painters and jumping castle were kept busy all morning and Eddie and Dotti made a few appearances throughout the day. One of the highlights was the 100 metre handicap which was won by Toby Springer an Under 11 athlete. Children also made their marks by placing painted handprints on the two equipment containers. The day ended with the cutting of an enormous birthday cake and the children celebrating with balloons and bubbles. Special commemorative sports bags were presented to all athletes along with other birthday giveaways.
The Centre will continue to celebrate throughout the season with a disco planned before Christmas and then the Birthday Dinner to be held at the Brighton Civic Centre in February. Live entertainment, prizes and a trip down memory lane are planned for what promises to be a special evening.
The 2012 McDonalds Coaching Camp for U12 and U13 Athletes was once again held at Camp Banksia at Port Sorell from the 8th January to the 12th January.
I sincerely thank McDonalds who supplied additional funds this year to allow a rebate on camp fees.
78 athletes participated in the program.
Weather over the Camp was a big improvement over last year, the small amount of rain did not hamper the program.
Athletes participated in 4 key coaching events of their choice, together with warm‐ups twice a day, sprint drills, competition events, Hurdles, 100m Handicap and the Team Challenge.
Many athletes recorded PB’s during the camp.
Apart from the obvious athletic events, athletes participated in a hut competition where two huts are combined and points were awarded (or lost) for such things as tidy huts, wearing hats in the dining room, behaviour, sports hall competition etc.
Camp would not have been successful without parent participation.
I wish to thank the following people for giving up their time to assist at Camp: Peter Weldon, Paul Mommers, Roger Hosie, Paula Brown, Brian James, Jenny Duffy, Peter Kearney, Craig Phillips, Sam Robertson, Paul McShane, Debbie Pulford, Lisa Cashion, Amanda Robertson, Carolyn Cox, Sally Stuart, Angela Bransden, Brett Johnstone, Catherine Imlach, Matt Hey, Wim Vaessen and Wayne Hall.
To Peter McConnon who arranged the line marker together with the delivery and return of the High Jump gear, I sincerely thank you.
Thanks also to Devonport Centre for the loan of their High Jump gear.
A special thanks to the team at Camp Banksia, who could not do enough to ensure that we had great meals and the facilities were up to scratch for our athletes.
For those parents contemplating sending their child to the 2013 Camp, please send in the forms well before the closing date. Remember we need Coaches and Parents to ensure that our camps continue. It is a great 5 days, and extremely enjoyable by all. Apart from athletes making friends, parents also have a great time.
(if you require a form, they will be on the web‐
site in September)
Last but not least, thanks to Matt Hey for the design of the Camp T Shirts, which were greatly appreciated by the Athletes.
Garry House
CAMP CONVENOR 2012
McDonald’s Under 12 & Under 13 Coaching Camp
Send your completed puzzle, along with your details to TLAA, PO Box 812, Moonah, 7009 by the 1st March.
The first completed entry drawn will win the prize.
Address _____________________________________________________________
Email: __________________________________________ ___________________
MedalMania Relay Incentive Award
Congratulation to the following Centre on receiving the 2011/2012 MedalMania Relay Incentive Award for participation at the 2011 Aurora Energy State Relay Championships in December.
Clarence 165.8 $300.00 MedalMania Credit East Derwent 134.8 $250.00 MedalMania Credit Queenborough 134.4 $200.00 MedalMania Credit Hobart Districts 125.3 $150.00 MedalMania Credit Kingborough 112.5 $100.00 MedalMania Credit
Huon Valley 50.7 Longford District 47.9 South Launceston 43.1 NL‐White City 22.7 South East Districts 20.2
Presentations to the winning centres will be made at the 2012 State Individual Championships in Hobart.
Deloraine Centre News
Deloriane Little Athletics Centre got off to a fantastic start for the season at the TLAA Northern Centre Challenge Day on the 12th November taking out the challenge with 3902 pts, followed by North East with 3757 & Devonport with 3741.
Club president Robyn Bailey was extremely proud of the centres athletes, many whom were new to athletics. We had 37 athletes compete, which was 75% of our club which was great to see.
For us it was all about trying to do better then last year rather then whether you win or not.
Everyone who went from our club did fantastic PB's including Tyler Armstrong who did a 5m PB in his vortex, Samuel Anderson who broke our U15 boys Long Jump record, Kye Chilcott who not only won his 100m but also did a huge PB and qualified, and Jesse Harris who had never thrown a Javelin before and came 4th.
