Foreword
This information is intended as a starting point for parents new to the sport of Little Athletics.
Welcome to Little Athletics, a sport the whole family can enjoy.
Little Athletics is all about everyone, parents included, getting fit, having fun, making friends and learning new skills.
How to help at Little Athletics has been written for the new parent or anyone who hasn’t been involved with the sport before. It aims to provide basic information about all events that make up the weekly program at most Centres.
Where do you fit into the picture?
Every parent is an important part of the Little Athletics’ family. Without your help there wouldn’t be anyone to conduct the events for our children. Parents, like our athletes, come in many shapes and sizes with all sorts of experience and talents that they don’t even know they have.
Athletics West has a structured pathway for parents to become officials.
During the Little Athletics season you will be asked to help out as an official or you might be asked to assist each week with your child’s age group.
By reading this booklet before you go out to help you will have a basic idea how best to assist at each event. This knowledge will make things better and easier for you, the other officials and athletes.
If you wish to gain more knowledge then you can contact the person responsible for the Officials Accreditation Scheme at your Centre and ask for information.
Track Events
[expand title=”Sprints” startwrap=”” endwrap=”” rel=”sprints”]
Sprints are short running events from 70 to 400 metres.
At the start of a sprint the athletes are placed in a lane, one metre behind the line.
The starter gives 3 signals:
- On you mark – the athlete puts the toes on one foot to the line.
- Set – the athlete leans forward on the front foot. The opposite arm is held out in front to help balance.
- Gun sounds – the athletes run.
The athlete must stay in their allotted lane for the whole race.
You can help by:
- Marshalling athletes and placing them in their lanes.
- Timing the race – you might use a manual stop watch or learn to use an electronic timing system.
- Judging the places – deciding which runners finish 1st, 2nd, 3rd etc.
- Marshalling runners after the race and making sure their times are recorded.
- Recording the athletes’ times.
- Learning to become a starter with the officials’ accreditation level D, C and B course.
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[expand title=”Distance Races” startwrap=”” endwrap=”” rel=”distance”]
Distance Races for Little Athletes are 800 metres which may be run in lanes (U9-U17) and 1500 metres (U11-U17). Some do other distances with pack starts.
For distance the starter gives only two signals to begin a distance race:
- On your mark.
- Gun sounds.
The athletes can’t use crouch start and do not have to run in set lanes.
You can help by:
- Marshalling athletes and placing them in their lanes.
- Timing the race – you might use a manual stop watch or learn to use an electronic timing system.
- Judging the places – deciding which runners finish 1st, 2nd, 3rd etc.
- Marshalling runners after the race and making sure their times are recorded.
- Recording the athletes’ times.
- Learning to become a starter with the officials’ accreditation level D, C and B course.
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[expand title=”Hurdles Races” startwrap=”” endwrap=”” rel=”hurdles”]
Hurdles Races are sprints with obstacles (hurdles) placed in each lane. Hurdle sizes change with the age of the athletes. They start at 45cm in height and go up to 76cm.
Distances range from 60 metres to 200 metres. All hurdle races are run in lanes and the starter gives the same signals as for sprints. Your Little Athlete will need some coaching and practice with low, training hurdles before they try the real thing.
You can help by:
- Doing the same jobs as for sprints.
- Setting up hurdles – most Centres have marks on the track to show where the hurdles have to go.
- Picking up hurdles that fall because they are knocked by an athlete or blown over by the wind.
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[expand title=”Relays” startwrap=”” endwrap=”” rel=”relays”]
Relays are probably the most spectacular events our Little Athletes can do. It’s one of the few opportunities they have to compete as a team. Relays always seem to bring out the best in our athletes.
Some Centres run relays as part of their weekly program; others just train and enter teams in the WALA State Relay Championships. Relay teams consist of four runners who each run a set distance (either 100, 200 or 400 metres according to the type of relay).
The athletes carry a baton which must be passed on to the next runner. This change must take place in a specified 20 metre change box (in U8 to U10 age groups this rule is not strictly adhered to).
If you would like to know more about relays ask you Centre Education Officer or Centre coach.
You can help by:
- Marshalling the athletes and escorting them to their starting positions.
- Learning the rules and becoming a Change Over Box Judge.
- Doing the same jobs as for sprints.
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[expand title=”Race Walking” startwrap=”” endwrap=”” rel=”walks”]
Race Walking is a technical event. It’s a distance race, so athletes don’t have to stay in lanes. Walking races are 700, 1100 and 1500 metres but some Centres may have shorter events for younger children.
Race walkers have to keep one foot in contact with the ground at all times and make sure that the supporting leg is straight at first contact with the ground until it is under the body.
You can help by:
- Doing the same jobs as for distance races.
- Learning to walk judge by doing your level C accreditation and being an “apprentice” to a qualified judge for a certain amount of time.
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Field Events
[expand title=”Long Jump” startwrap=”” endwrap=”” rel=”longjump”]
Long Jump sites are made up of a run up (grass, dirt, asphalt or synthetic material) and a sand pit. The athletes run along the run up until they reach the take-off area, then launch themselves in to the air, landing in the pit.
U7 to U9 take off from a one metre mat.
U10 to U12 take off from a half metre mat.
U13 to U17 take off from a 20cm board.
Athletes usually have three jumps. They must make sure that their take off foot is on or behind the mat or board. They must land in the sand pit and walk out of the pit forward of the mark they made on landing.
You can help by:
- Watching the athlete’s foot doesn’t go over the edge of the mat or board.
- Spiking (marking the spot where the athlete landed). You place a spike with a tape measure attached at the edge of the mark in the pit closest to the take-off area.
- Measuring the jump. You hold the other end of the spiker’s tape, pull it tightly over the take-off area and read the measurement. When a mat is used the measurement is taken from the front of the imprint made by the take-off foot. If a board is used the measurement is taken from the front edge of the board nearest the pit.
- Raking the pit after each jump to remove the evidence of the last jump and make it safer for the next athlete.
- Recording the athlete’s performance and writing out results tickets.
- Supervising the athletes waiting for their next jump.
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[expand title=”Triple Jump” startwrap=”” endwrap=”” rel=”triplejump”]
Triple Jump is technical event is usually introduced at U9. Triple Jump needs a pit and run up just like Long Jump, has the same basic rules and is measured the same way. The run up has several take off lines marked at 1 metre intervals (usually 5 to 9 metres) and the athlete chooses which of these lines will be their take off line. For under 10 to 12 a half metre mat is used. U13’s to U17 take off from the board.
Triple Jump has three distinct stages:
HOP – Take off from the mat/board on one foot and land on that foot.
STEP – Take-off on that same foot and step onto the other foot.
JUMP – Jump forwards and land in the pit.
You can help by:
- Doing the same jab’s as for Long Jump.
- Moving the mat from one mark to another.
- Checking that the athlete is actually performing a HOP, STEP, JUMP (this takes a lot of practice).
- Supervising the athletes waiting for their next jump.
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[expand title=”High Jump” startwrap=”” endwrap=”” rel=”highjump”]
High Jump equipment consists of a landing mat, two uprights, a bar and a measuring stick. The athlete must run up, take off from one foot, clear the bar and land on the mat without knocking the bar off the upright. Each athlete usually has three chances to clear a height. If they achieve it first or second time they wait until the bar is raised before having another jump.
You can help by:
- Picking up the bar if the athlete knocks it off.
- Raising the bar after all athletes have finished at a particular height.
- Recording the athletes’ performance.
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[expand title=”Shot Put” startwrap=”” endwrap=”” rel=”shotput”]
Shot Put sites consist of a ring and landing area (sector). The shot is a metal ball. Its weight and size varies according to the age of the athlete.
The athlete stands in the ring with the shot balanced on his/her fingers and held close to the neck under the jaw bone. The shot is pushed forward so that it lands in the sector. The arm must not be pulled backwards or dropped downwards – this would give the delivery an illegal throwing motion. The athlete must wait until the shot has landed and walk out the back of the ring. Athletes usually have three puts.
You can help by:
- Spiking – marking where the shot lands. It must land inside the sector lines.
- Pulling the tape through the centre of the ring so that the put can be measured.
- Measuring – reading the distance from the inner edge of the ring to the place the shot landed.
- Retrieving the shot and returning it to the ring.
- Learning how to judge a fair put so you can judge the event.
- Recording the athletes’ performance and writing tickets.
- Supervising the athletes waiting for their next throw.
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[expand title=”Discus” startwrap=”” endwrap=”” rel=”discus”]
Discus uses a rubber or wooden disc which is thrown from a ring and must land inside a marked sector. The discus is usually thrown one handed, using a backward swing to build up momentum before launching it into the sector. For safety reasons the discus ring is usually surrounded by a cage. All officials and other athletes should be outside the cage when someone is throwing. Discus rules are much the same as for Shot Put.
You can help by:
- Spiking.
- Pulling the tape through the centre of the ring.
- Measuring the throw.
- Retrieving the discus.
- Recording the athletes’ performance and writing tickets.
- Supervising the athletes waiting for their next throw.
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[expand title=”Javelin” startwrap=”” endwrap=”” rel=”javelin”]
Javelin needs a run up, something like that used for Long Jump. The athlete holds the javelin on one hand and runs along the run up towards the line. He/she then pulls the implement back, turns side on and throws it into the sector.
The javelin must land tip first inside the sector. The javelin doesn’t have to remain standing. The athlete must not go forward across the front of the run up line. A javelin throw is spiked in the same way as discus. The tape is pulled through a spot marked on the run up and the distance is read from the inside of the run up line. As the javelin is a dangerous, spear like implement all athletes and officials should keep well away from the run up and sector.
You can help by:
- Doing the same jobs as for discus.
- Watching that the athlete doesn’t cross over the run up line.
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Winter Events
[expand title=”Cross Country Runs and Walks” startwrap=”” endwrap=”” rel=”winter”]
Cross Country Runs & Walks is what many Little Athletes do in the winter. Cross Country involves running or walking at different venues every Saturday afternoon. It is a distance event with courses varying in distance and difficulty to suit the age of the athletes. Cross Country is a great way to stay fit and keep in touch with your friends from Little Athletics.
You can help by:
- Setting to the venue early to help set up if it is your Centre’s course.
- Acting as a course marshal – making sure the athletes follow the correct course (marked by flags).
- Registering the athletes when they arrive at the venue.
- Timekeeping.
- Recording the athletes’ times.
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