Frequently Asked Questions: 2024/25 Season
When does the season start?
The first week of competition will be Saturday 14 September 2024, with training commencing the Wednesday prior.
Where and when is competition?
Weekend competition is run at the Manly Warringah Little Athletics Centre (MWLAC), Sydney Academy of Sport, Wakehurst Parkway, Narrabeen on Saturday mornings from around 7:30am for some events, but with most starting around 8am. After Christmas and before school returns, we have a few Friday Friday night twilight sessions instead due to the heat. Competition usually finishes before midday at the beginning of the season while the athletes acclimatise to a new season, with finishes typically between 10:30am and 11:00am later in the season.
Athletes compete in their club uniform during weekend competition –representing their home “clubs” of Seaforth, Manly, Cromer, Peninsula and Wakehurst. Seaforth and Wakehurst are the only two clubs that have separate management and training, rather than at the Narrabeen track where all the remaining clubs train on a Wednesday night.
Each age group is run by an Age Manager who controls and leads the group from event to event and supervises their competition. The Age Manager team normally have a few parent helpers who volunteer on an ad hoc basis to assist in the running of the competition. Athletes compete in a variety of events on each competition day. The running events are divided into heats where the athletes are graded by ability by the Age Manager on a weekly basis.
Some years ago, a perpetual trophy called the Colbert Shield was donated to the Centre to be awarded to the winners of the Inter Club Relay Competition. It normally consists of 4 athletes per age group from each club (2 boys and 2 girls) from U/7’s to U/17’s competing against each other in a 100m relay. Please check the Calendar page on the MWLAC website for when this is held.
How do I register?
The registration is completed online and opens in early August. Once online registration is completed, athlete packs can be collected on a date as advertised and uniforms purchased if required.
Details regarding registration are available on the MWLAC website under Registration.
Note that there will be NO athlete pack collections on the first day of competition.
Do I need to register or can my children trial to see if they like it?
In previous years, there has been the provision for new athletes to TRIAL on competition days for two weeks (usually weeks 3-5 of competition). Please refer to the Manly Warringah Little Athletics website (click here) for further information.
What does it cost?
Check on this years registrations costs via the MWLAC site. Remember, you can use your Active Kids Voucher if applicable – go to Service NSW to get your voucher.
What are parent duties?
Little Athletics can only function through the assistance of volunteers. Each Saturday morning competition requires a large number of volunteer to operate. Details of the types of duties you can choose from can be viewed on the Manly Warringah Little Athletics website.
As part of the registration process, you must select 2 duties between the start of the season and 31 December and two duties after 1 January.
Where and when is training?
Seaforth Club training is held on Wednesday nights at Seaforth Oval from 5:30 to 7:00pm. This involves age groups rotating through various track and field activities.
Manly Warringah Centre training for athletes U9 and up is on a Monday night at the Narrabeen track from 6:00pm to 7:30pm. Please note Centre training is not held on the Monday nights straight after State Relays, Zone and Regional or on a Public Holiday.
Training is not compulsory and no uniform is required, just turn up in something comfortable to run, jump and throw!
What is the uniform?
Each athlete must wear the Seaforth Club uniform for normal Saturday competition. Uniforms are available for purchase (cards only accepted) at the Athletic pack collections days prior to the season start.
Black running shorts or bike pants (without branding) can be purchased from any retailer to combine with a club t-shirt, singlet or crop top.
Once the season starts you may purchase uniforms from 7:30am – 9:00am most Saturday mornings at the Centre, however, please contact us in advance via email to ensure availability.
If you are selected to represent the Centre at State Relays or Zone, the Manly Warringah Centre uniform must be worn. This consists of a maroon and white singlet, crop-top, or T shirt, and maroon shorts, bike shorts or scungies, all available to purchase prior to the events.
Shoes, spikes and waffles
Under the LAA NSW regulations, shoes must be worn whilst competing in all events and there are no exceptions. Certain rules apply to the use of footwear that are for all athletes’ safety and must be strictly observed.
Spikes used for both jumping and running events can have a maximum length of 7mm and spikes can only be worn in events run entirely in lanes. In pack start events, athletes may not remove spikes from their shoes and run in those shoes. Spikes must be taken off at the completion of events in which they are permitted to be used.
U7 to U10 athletes (inclusive) may NOT wear spikes at any time during competition or training.
U11 to U17 athletes may wear spikes in laned events only as well as Javelin, Long Jump, Triple Jump and High Jump.
Following Children around at competition
Only parents that are signed on to perform a duty are allowed within the competition area (including helping the Age Manager). If you are signed on to perform a duty then you must perform the duty that you are signed on to do.
The children can be watched from outside the competition area (i.e. behind the fence or outside of throwing areas) by their parents. If you are keen to be with your child during competition then please sign on as an Age Manager helper at the sign-on desk located inside the front gates. The weekly need for parent helpers wearing the stylish parent helper vest is in addition to allocated duties under the bond system.