Frequently asked questions

What services does Corroboree Athletics offer?

As of 2022-23, Corroboree are able to accept 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 able to compete as Corroboree athletes in Senior Athletics ACT events if they have signed up as dual members.

Athletics ACT 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 Athletics ACT website and athletes can choose their own events.

What is Little Athletics?

Little Athletics is a uniquely Australian modified athletics program for children from 5 to 16 years. 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 2023–24 will begin in October 2023.

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 2023–24 this means the age you will turn in 2024).

e.g. Athletes turning six during 2024 will be the U6 years group. Athletes turning seven during 2024 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) 2006-2017, your child is in the right age range to compete in Little Athletics for the 2023–24 season. Find out what age group your child will be in by selecting the year below:

Age group table

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

Can my child try Little Athletics 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.

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 are completed online here. We also accept mid-season registrations after Christmas.

What does it cost to join?

Each season is confirmed once ACT Little Athletics set their rates. LAACT raised their portion of the fee by $5 per child in 2023–24 and this has been passed on directly in our fee structure for this season.

Fees (not including a t-shirt) for 2023–24 season are as follows:

• 1 child: $150
• 2 children: $280
• 3 children: $390
• 4 children: $485

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.

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 8:45am for some age groups and 9.00am for others. Meets normally finish around 10:30-11.00am. 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.

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

Wet weather cancellations

Every effort is made to conduct regular competition meets but, due to safety concerns, events may be reduced or cancelled if the ground is wet and/or the weather inclement. An announcement of cancellation will be made as soon as feasibly possible on the morning of the meet via our Facebook page, Twitter and website.

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. There are NO changes for the 2023–24 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.

Senior Athletics – Full Service Club

In 2022, Corroboree applied and were successful in becoming affiliated with Athletics ACT. 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.