Corroboree Little Atheletics

Frequently asked questions

What services does Corroboree Athletics offer?

Corroboree accepts memberships for athletes ranging from 5 to 100 years of age (and older if you feel up to it). Corroboree runs a Little Athletics program for its U6-U17 age group as well as two events after our Saturday Little Athletics meet for its Adult members (anyone from U18 and older). Our U12 and older members are also able to compete as Corroboree athletes in Capital Athletics meets and competitions.

Capital Athletics is a member association of Athletics Australia and conducts competitions for athletes in U12 age groups and above. During Summer (Oct – Mar) these are held on Saturday afternoon or on Thursday / Friday night. During the Winter season (May – Sept), meets are held on Sundays at 12pm. These competitions are held at either the AIS or  Woden. The program of events for each meet is posted ahead of time on the Capital Athletics and athletes can choose which events they wish to compete in.

What is Little Athletics?

Little Athletics is a uniquely Australian modified athletics program for children from 5 to 16 years of age. Corroboree Athletics runs a Little Athletics program as well as running a couple of events every Saturday morning for our adult membership.

It is based upon the sport of athletics (track and field). There is a wide range of events from running, jumping, throwing and walking and events are modified to suit the age, developmental stage and ability of the children.

When does the season run?

Corroboree meets run from mid to late October through to late March with a break from Xmas though to at least mid January (usually starts again when school goes back). The season works around carnivals that are conducted by Little Athletics ACT and ground closures by the ACT government so they change slightly each year.

Season 2024–25 will begin in October 2024.

How old do you have to be?

Age groups are based on a ‘calendar year’ age structure, the same that is used for School Sports, i.e. age groups will be based on the age an athlete is turning the year the season concludes (for 2024–25 this means the age you will turn in 2025).

e.g. Athletes turning six during 2025 will be the U6 years group. Athletes turning seven during 2025 will be in the U7 years group.

Note: Proof of age is required for all new athletes (i.e. those not previously registered with a LAACT affiliated centre).

What age group will my child be in?

If you child was born in the years between (and including) 2008-2019, your child is in the right age range to compete in Little Athletics for the 2024–25 season. Find out what age group your child will be in by selecting the year below:

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Children born in 2020-2021 can participate in our Tiny Tots program which will also be run on a Saturday morning and capped to 35 registrations.

What is Tiny Tots?

Tiny tots is a 45 minute long session each Saturday starting at 8.30am and run by our U15+ athletes. The Tiny Tots group is focused on group activities full of fun, colour, team work and skills. The Tiny Tots’ activities are designed to improve the children’s basic motor skills, co-ordination and ensure the children have a great time in a fun safe group environment. Read more about our tiny tots program.

Age group table

Note: senior age groups change on 1 January of each year.

2001 and older-OpenOpen
2002-OpenOpen
2003-OpenOpen
2004-OpenOpen
2005-U20 or M/F19U20
2006-U20 or M/F19U20
2007-U18 or M/F17U18
2008U17U17 or M/F16-
2009U16U16 or M/F15-
2010U15U15 or M/F14-
2011U14U14 or M/F13-
2012U13U13 or M/F12-
2013U12U13 or M/F12-
2014U11--
2015U10--
2016U9--
2017U8--
2018U7--
2019U6--
2020Tiny Tots--
2021Tiny Tots--
2022 and youngerToo young--

Can my child try before joining?

Yes. At the beginning of the season we have a come and try day in September. (Keep an eye on our calendar for the exact date). We also allow competitors to compete in one meet for free with permission from the Club President. Email info@corroboree.org.au for more information. However, keep in mind that some age groups fill up quickly and priority will be given to those who have already registered.

Is there a uniform?

Every competitor is required to wear the Corroboree t-shirt with a registration number attached to the front, along with an age group patch. If you already have a shirt you can reuse it the following season. If you are new or need a replacement, they can be purchased from the club for $35. See the uniform page for an example. We also have singlets, crop tops, shorts and hats which are available on the link shown on the uniform page. There are sample sizes available at the tent every Saturday morning. These are not compulsory for the Saturday meets but we do find athletes like to wear the Corroboree shorts when competing at the ACT Carnival meets.

All athletes must were their registration number and age patch on their shirt at each meet to ensure we can record all results accurately. You will receive these in your registration pack at the start of the season.

How can I register?

Registrations do not usually open until early to mid September. Registrations are completed online here. We also accept mid-season registrations after Christmas for age groups that are not full. You can email info@corroboree.org.au to be added to an email list so that you will be advised when registrations are open.

What does it cost to join?

Each season is confirmed once Capital Athletics set their rates. For the upcoming season they have raised their portion of the fee by $15 per child in 2024–25 and this has been passed on directly in our fee structure for this season.

Fees (not including a t-shirt) for 2024–25 season are as follows:

  • Corroboree Froglets (Tiny Tots): $90
  • Little Athletics
    • 1 child: $165
    • 2 children: $310
    • 3 children: $435
    • 4 children: $545
  • 18+
    • Adult membership: $165
    • Community membership*: $80

An extra cost for new members in particular will be a compulsory $35 Corroboree competition t-shirt which can be purchased from the club when you pick up your registration pack. If you are a returning member and your child’s shirt no longer fits, you are also able to purchase a new shirt for the season.

* An additional membership option for our 18+ athletes has also become available. A community membership of $80 is being offered to allow our parents to compete in events at the end of the regular meets against other parents. Two events are offered each meet. Athletes will not be able to compete at the Capital Athletics senior events if they take up this option.

What events will my child be competing in?

At Corroboree we offer the full range of events for our athletes, however we do progressively add events as athletes move into older age groups to ensure that the events are age appropriate (for example, high jump from U9, and javelin and triple jump are offered from U11).

Our U6 to U8 athletes participate in a special program called On Track, which offers a combination of track races (always the most exciting!) and games and activities designed to develop the core skills children will use for events as they get older (jumping, throwing, starts etc).

We run a rotating program for our weekly meets. Programs for the forthcoming weekend are published on our website and Facebook page.

When do you hold your meets?

We compete most Saturday mornings between October and March each year, starting at 8:30am for some age groups. Meets normally finish around 10:45-11.00am. We have a season break between Christmas and when school goes back.

Where are Corroboree Athletics Club meets held?

Our track can be found on Antill St on the far right hand side of the Dickson Ovals.

Do we have to live in the Dickson area?

No, Corroboree membership is open to anyone who is eligible to compete in the ACT.

Training and coaching

We are lucky to have the services of some great coaches in the club, so if you would your child to get some help in a particular event, we run training evenings as follows:

  • U9-U17: Mondays and Wednesdays from 5.30-6.30pm during the season.
  • U6-U8: Wednesdays from 5.30-6.30pm during the season. NOTE: training for this age group can only go ahead if we are able to source new coaches as the previous coaches have moved on.

Training is provided at no expense to club members and is not compulsory.

Wet weather cancellations

Every effort is made to conduct regular our meets but due to safety concerns, events may be reduced or cancelled if the grounds are too wet and/or the weather unsuitable for competition. Cancellations will be announced as soon as feasibly possible on the morning of the meet via this website as well as our WhatsApp group, Facebook page and X account. The same channels will be used in the case of mid-week training cancellations.

Do parents/guardians need to help at meets?

Absolutely! Little Athletics is a sport that requires many more helpers than your average sport. Each age group and gender requires an age group coordinator to assist with the smooth running of the meet for that group of children. The age group coordinator always needs assistance from other parents in measuring, recording, raking and general group control.

Parents are asked to keep an eye on their children and address any behavioural issues that arise with your child. The age group coordinator is not a baby sitter. At least one parent or guardian of the child is required to be on site at all times during the meet.

Why are athletes not allowed to compete with their friends in higher age groups?

Little Athletics Australia defines age groups using an end of year cut-off. Every year we receive some requests to allow athletes to compete with their friends in a higher age group.

While we understand the desire of the children to do this, we cannot accommodate these requests for the following reasons:

  • The events athletes participate in differ per age group, for example the distances they run change as they get older, and events like high jump, triple jump and javelin are not introduced until a specified age. Moreover, the weights of the throw implements and height and spacing of hurdles change with age. These specifications have been set by Little Athletics Australia and are based on the development stage of the children. Little Athletics Australia does not allow us to let athletes compete in higher age groups, as there may be liability and insurance ramifications, e.g. if we allow an athlete to use a higher weight implement or size of hurdles.
  • During competition on Saturday morning, the committee and coaches try to ensure that the age appropriate weights, hurdles heights etc. are being used. It would be too confusing and difficult to monitor, if some children in a group would have different requirements than others.
  • If children participate in LAACT carnivals, they would also have to compete in the appropriate age group.

So, please encourage your child to be positive about making new friends in their appropriate Little Athletics age group. They will be able to catch up with their friends after the competition, as well as during the training sessions during the week.

Can my child wear spikes to a meet?

The below is for all our training sessions and meets:

RULE 143 CLOTHING, SHOES AND ATHLETE BIBS
IAAF Rules 143.2, 143.3 and 143.4 have been replaced by the following:
Footwear

  • Appropriate footwear is compulsory for all athletes in all events.
  • No athlete may wear football boots or cleats in any event.
  • Athletes in the age group up to and including U10 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.
  • Athletes in the U16-U17 age groups may wear spike shoes in all track events including walks. Spike shoes may also be worn for long jump, triple jump, high jump and javelin.

Spikes shouldn’t be any longer than 7mm for running events and horizontal jumps, and 9mm for High Jump and Javelin.

What changes have been made to the rules this season?

Each year, Little Athletics Australia refine the rules around what events age groups and genders are approved to participate in. Corroboree also look at their calendar and may make some changes by age group to suit the current atnosphere. There are NO changes from Little Athletics Australia for the 2024–25 season. The latest changes were made for the 2020-21 season to ensure children threw the same weights they threw at the ACT Championships. No other changes have been made since that time.

Corroboree Changes

For season 2024-25, U8s will no longer do On-Track. They will compete in High Jump (scissor mats), 700m and 2 other events on top of what is listed above.

Age Group Event Old New Impact on records?
U14 Boys Shot Put 3kg 4kg No
U14 Boys Javelin 600g 700g Yes
U14 Girls Javelin 400g 500g Yes
U16 Boys Shot Put 4kg 5kg No
U16 Boys Discus 1kg 1.5kg No

Senior Athletics – Full Service Club

In 2022, Corroboree applied and were successful in becoming affiliated with Athletics ACT (now Capital Athletics). This means we can now accept members of any age. Saturdays will still concentrate on our Little Athletics meets but at the end of the meet we will offer two events for U18 and above. This will allow parents to join the club and compete along side their kids, or get some valuable experience before joining in and competing in the Senior Athletic calendar.

Little Athletics Australia Sponsor

Coles