Things have been moving very fast! A lot more has become clearer since the last newsletter and there's further info that cannot wait until the November issue.
Season 2021/22 Registrations are Open!
Before we get into all that, however, a reminder that it's time to register for Season 2021/22!
Follow this link to sign up: https://www.athleticswollongong.org.au/registration/. It includes info on pricing and membership types (we've even knocked $10 off the price of Open, Concession and Community memberships!)
Tell your friends! The best kind of advertising is word-of-mouth.
Beaton Park Track Opening...and closure
Beaton Park and the Kerryn McCann Athletic Centre re-opened last Tuesday. Great news! Unfortunately...the track area will now be closed Monday to Friday of next week. Beaton Park have had maintenance planned for some time but with the specialist company based in Melbourne they were unable to complete it during the shutdown. The track will be cleaned, a few areas will undergo minor repairs, and some of the lines will be re-marked. This work has to be completed ahead of some major events that will be happening this season. (There will be some other welcome improvement works occurring this year as well, but they will not impact track operations). The track will re-open (again) from Saturday, 30th October.
ANSW events return with Nitro
Athletics NSW has released their Summer Calendar of Championship and High Performance Meets. It's a packed schedule as is, but there's plenty more yet to be added: State Masters, Combined Events and a host of Interclub and Specialist Meets. First off though, is a new one: Nitro. Both school and club teams can enter and there are some "interesting" rules, check out all the info HERE. While Nitro will be just for U19s, Opens and Masters will also have a team "Back on Track" event, rules on that one are HERE.
To be held at the SOPAC Warmup track on 6th November, these are complicated events with little time to organise. Athletics Wollongong has an Expression Of Interest form up now. If you would like to participate in the event (and are fully vaccinated or 16 and under) please complete this form by the end of the month. Note that submitting the form is your personal guarantee that you will be available for the event (if we get the required number of team members). We will know we have a team before the close of team entries on 3rd November.
Club team entries are submitted by Athletics Wollongong and to encourage participation in the return of competitive athletics, the club will cover the team entry fees (unless the team subsequently drops out). Team entries will cost the club $60 for Nitro and $30 for Back On Track. These events are open to all competitive club members (i.e. Community, Dual, Concession and Open) and club uniform will need to be worn. The best way of getting a team together is talking with your clubmates and encouraging them to submit their interest.
Athletics Wollongong Meets return Nov 3rd
In news closer to home, we were able to lock in the return of Athletics Wollongong's Wednesday Meets. We'll be back at Beaton Park each week from November 3rd, starting at 5:30pm. Differing from previous seasons: participants will have to RSVP. Due to COVID regulations, there are participant caps on Community Sport currently in place. While our attendance will be absolutely nowhere near the cap, just saying so is not enough: for the time being at least we need to have some idea of how many people will be attending on a Wednesday. This is a request from Beaton Park to include in our COVID Safety Plan, as they will be controlling entry to our events.
To RSVP for the coming week's Athletics Wollongong Meet, go to the club homepage and click the Details button next to the event you will be attending. The RSVP button is just above the time and date. Click on RSVP and enter the required information, most importantly: how many people are coming along with you.
Note also that Beaton Park is operating with reduced opening hours at the moment, closing at 7:30pm on a Wednesday. We are usually finished by then but also have to account for the time needed to pack up, so we'll be quite firm at starting our final track event by 7pm. Please be particularly mindful of how long your event is taking, whether you could join in with another heat/group to make things go quicker, and - of course - to pitch in and help wherever possible.
COVID News
With our meets starting in November, it means that those from regional areas (i.e. outside of Wollongong, Shelllharbour and the rest of Greater Sydney) will be able to attend. Those who aren't fully vaccinated though, will be unable to enter the Leisure Centre until December 1st - per the State Government's roadmap previously announced.
This isn't the only COVID-related restriction relevant to our meets, of course. Given how fast-moving this area is, it is highly recommended to read the COVID breakdown on the club website before heading to the track; updates have been required every day this week! It's a stickied News item on the homepage, else the direct link is HERE. There's an indication of when the info was last updated, so you know if anything has changed since you last read it.
State Relays
There's little info available at this stage regarding the State Relay Championships, aside from the venue (SOPAC) and the date (20th and 21st November). Once a draft timetable is available, we'll put up an Expression Of Interest form; it's tough to ask people to commit to an event when they're unsure even what day it's on. The availability of the form will be advertised on Facebook and the club website.
It's been two years since they've been held, so perhaps a reminder regarding the event is necessary! Relays are held in both track and field events. Entry is open to Dual, Concession and Open members (who are either fully vaccinated or 16 and younger). Here is the 2019 timetable, which gives an indication of the events likely to be available for ages, how they'll probably split track events across different days, etc. (don't count on it being the same this time).
Just like with Nitro, you'll have the most success in sourcing a team if you talk with your clubmates and encourage them to submit an expression of interest (when available). If there's no such submission we presume you cannot participate; not that you're waiting to be asked. Also just like Nitro: Athletics Wollongong will submit and pay the team entries (note however, that there will likely be a ground entry fee for all those attending on both days; in previous years it was $3 for U18s and $5 for adults).
Other ANSW Events
No further info on the NSW All Schools Championships as yet, so keep a close eye on ANSW's website. They're scheduled for December 9th-12th, so it won't be long now.
Entry is now open for the first Interclub of the season though, to be held alongside the NSW 3000m Championships at the SOPAC Warmup track on November 13th. For those new to Athletics Wollongong: Interclub events are the next "step up" from our own Wednesday meets. They're a little more serious in that athletes need to wear a uniform and check in on the day, the officials are accredited, and performances count for National qualifiers. They're still quite relaxed though as you'll be seeded alongside people of the same standard - not necessarily the same age - so placings don't really matter. There's usually a few AW members at Interclub to cheer along; join them :-)
And that's the October-and-a-half Newsletter. There's certainly plenty going on! Athletics Wollongong is looking forward to seeing you again soon.
