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October 2022 Newsletter
Published Sat 15 Oct 2022
Athletics Wollongong's Summer Series of weekly Wednesday meets is underway! Last week was a taster, providing an introduction to our competitions for those unfamiliar with them, as well as a refresher for our officials and helpers. For returning athletes, it was an invitation to ease their way into the season and not go all-out from the get-go.
From October 19th though, all bets are off: pointscore begins! To encourage frequent attendance, athletes will earn points in each event: 4 for 1st, 3 for 2nd, 2 for 3rd, and 1 for participating. Athletes' performances are compared to those in their same age group, even though they may not run together in the same race. Further encouraging participation: you can now break club records.
Pointscore is only a bit of fun, encouraging everyone to try their best and improve in each event. At the end of the season though, we do crown the age pointscore winners at our Club Presentation.
In addition to the regular track and field events, we also have some more fun things planned. See the Competition page on the club website for more details.
To keep registration costs down, track access is Pay As You Go: you only pay for ground entry when you actually attend. Admission is handled by the Leisure Centre front counter and they have a number of payment types available:
- Beaton Park currently have a special deal of $200 for a 4-month full Centre membership (i.e. unlimited track, pool, gym, and class access; offer expires Oct 31st)
- If you're an existing Beaton Park member, a monthly full Centre membership is $65.50/month
- There are also monthly track-only passes available for Adults ($44) and Concession ($33), which might work out cheaper if you train at the track and won't use the other facilities
- If you'll only be there Wednesdays and are sure that you'll be a frequent attendee, then 25-visit track passes for Adult ($145) and Concession ($84) work out slightly cheaper than single entries
- Single entry visits are currently $6.60 (Adult), $3.90 (Concession) and $1.00 ("Spectator")
Please note that there is a $1 fee to enter the facility even if you are not participating. This invariably surprises a few people each season, particularly those used to wandering in freely for Little A's on a Friday (they exclusively hire the facility each night and hope to either cover the fee on the BBQ, or wear the loss). Don't be upset at the front counter staff (or us); it's not their decision.
Note also, that there is a requirement for parents to be present for athletes who are under 18 years of age: don't drop and run. Young athletes present without supervision will be asked not to participate.
Finally, the "Spectator" term is a misnomer: there is an expectation of parents/guardians helping out at (particularly) their children's field events. If you're sitting back and always letting other parents carry the slack, then you're doing it wrong! The best view is at your child's event. You may not have to assist at every event (so long as there are enough others to conduct it safely and fairly). Share the load around! There is no helper roster; we trust you to do the right thing.
To participate in Athletics Wollongong's meets you do, of course, need to be registered. You can do that online via the Athletics Wollongong website: https://www.athleticswollongong.org.au/registration/.
If you're unsure about which type of membership to purchase, you can always take out the base membership (Community) now - and then upgrade during the season if you decide to compete elsewhere. When it's time to upgrade, go to the club website and click the "Log in" link at the top right to access your membership record. From there you just click on the Upgrade button - and it costs you no extra than it would have if you'd bought it in the first instance.
New this season is a Community Membership + Uniform bundle. While a uniform isn't necessary to participate at our Wednesday meets, it's handy not having to think about what to wear! It's also a great option for those utilising an Active Kids voucher.
Dual members should be aware that registering with Athletics Wollongong is a separate thing. There was a checkbox about Dual during the Little A's registration process, but this was only to receive more information about the scheme. (Confusingly, checking a box was exactly how you signed up for Dual around 3-4 seasons ago!). To sign up, go to the AW Registration page and select 'Dual Membership' from among the options.
Finally, there is a bit of weirdness regarding the Dual category: those born in 2013 are eligible to purchase it - only not until January 1st! This means they miss half of our AW season! ANSW won't be moved on this matter, for some reason. If anyone is super-keen though, they could register as a Community member and then upgrade to Dual in the New Year.
Athletics Wollongong and Wollongong Tennis Club have been neighbours in the Beaton Park sporting precinct since 1958 and now we're closer than ever, with the Tennis Club sponsoring us!
Become a member of The Tennis Club and not only will you receive a discount on food and drink at the venue, but AW will also earn a percentage of the money spent at the bar and bistro by our affiliates!
Wednesdays are Schnitzel Night! Very handy for a quick meal after athletics and before heading home... We encourage people to re-hydrate here after their exertions!
On nights where AW is hosting a BBQ, we will look to instead have a social get-together at 'the TC' the coming weekend: that way everyone's a winner. Our first BBQ will be at our October 26th meet. We'll be inviting everyone for a meet-up on Friday, October 28th (details to come).
Tennis Club memberships start from as little as $10 for 1 year and $5 for age pensioners. To join up, lodge your membership form (either available at the venue or online here) the next time that you attend. Your member card will be available to collect within a couple of days, but you can enjoy the savings immediately. If you're an existing Tennis club member, ask them to affiliate your membership with us.
Along with the rebate, our club also gets a hand with room hire. This sponsorship has great potential for AW and we hope to see strong support for it from our members - so that we can give it all back to them!
(NB - no rebates for the club during December & January)
The classic Athletics Wollongong fundraiser - a Bunnings BBQ - is scheduled for North Wollongong Bunnings on November 12th. Pop your name down for a 2-hour shift, to help the club raise funds. We'll have 4 shifts of 4-5 people, starting from 830am, 1030am, 1230pm and 230pm.
It's a fun day and the *last time ever* that we'll be BBQing at this venue! To volunteer your time, fill in the sign-up sheet on the noticeboard, or send an email to athleticswollongong@gmail.com.
Those who help at a Club fundraiser will become eligible to apply for financial assistance for Open & Junior Nationals. (If you can't make the BBQ, we'll also being helping with athlete check-in and/or course marshalling at both Splash Wollongong on Dec 10th, and the Australia Day Aquathon on January 26th).
Relays Expression of Interest are OPEN
Speaking of signing up, it's time to make an expression of interest in the NSW Relay Championships. This event is being held on November 19th & 20th at Campbelltown. To help streamline the formation of club teams, we're asking interested parties to submit their interest via an online form: https://forms.gle/DKXkgrDMw8gRPGVy9.
Eligible members are those with a Dual, Concession or Open Membership who turn 12 or older this year. Relays are held in both track and field events, so there's something there for everyone.
Note that you are more likely to form a team if you advocate and advertise to those whom you would like to be in a team with! If an athlete does not submit an Expression Of Interest, the club presumes that they are unavailable; not that they are waiting to be asked. Teams that come fully-formed (e.g. from among a training group or through self-organisation) will get precedence.
Athletics Wollongong will pay team entries, so put your name forward now!
A number of AW members have contested the first two rounds of the Treloar Shield. There are competitions on each and every weekend. Check the list of upcoming events on the ANSW website: https://www.nswathletics.org.au/events/list/.
Nationals have been confirmed for Brisbane. Open events will be held 30th March - 2nd April, with the Junior events to be held the weekend following Easter: 13th – 16th April.
Note that you do have to qualify for these events. The NSW team selection process has yet to be announced, though it will likely be quite similar to what was in place last year: https://www.nswathletics.org.au/nsw-state-teams/nationaltrackandfieldchampionships/.
If athletes don't qualify by finishing position, then they can still qualify by performance. The standards from Athletics Australia are available here: https://cdn.revolutionise.com.au/cups/aa/files/fw9eh8gohonyiafa.pdf.
(NB - the Masters Australian Championships have previously been announced as being in Sydney, 10th-13th March)
Clubs outside of the Sydney metropolitan area are divided into regions. The only time they're usually of relevance nowadays is at State Relays, where members from different clubs in the same region, can form a region team to compete together. Up until around 20 years ago though, we used to have Region Championships - and we're bringing them back!
Rather than holding them over an entire weekend, as we did in the olden days, we're instead going to divide them over each of the resident Beaton Park clubs' competition days/nights. It'll be a fitting conclusion to the local season for our social members, and a good final hit-out for those going to Nationals.
Over one week you'll have your final chance to post a season best in every event. Kembla Joggers will host the opening on Thursday, 16th March with Illawarra Blue Stars holding a bumper day on Sunday, 19th March. Athletics Wollongong will conclude the Championships - and our season of Wednesday meets - with the finale on 22nd March.
Note that our End Of Season Special will still be held, only it'll instead be our End of Pointscore Special/Pre-Region Pep Rally, held the night prior to the Championships kicking off.
Check out this edition from the early 90s - an era when regions were 'branches' and Athletics Wollongong was 'Wollongong Southern Flame'. You might even spot a couple of our current members: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=S-JCssVcD64.
Congratulations to Sam Zustovich: the World Beach Flags Champion. He won the title at the World Championships in Italy earlier this month, also collecting a silver in the Beach Sprint. Way to go, Sam!
Australian Masters Winter Throwing Championships
Well done to a busy Adriana Van Bockel at the Winter Throws in Brisbane. Ada won the 70-74 Heavy Weights Pentathlon, Throws Pentathlon, Discus, Hammer Throw, Weight Throw, and Weight Throw For Distance. She won silver in Javelin and bronze in the Shot.
Congratulations to those of our members who were announced in the 2022/23 intake of the Illawarra Academy of Sport's LoneStar squad: Denbigh Lewis, Emily Benefiel, Ginger Siasat, Imogene Anderson, Jack Johanson, Keegan Whitten, Liam Halloran, Mackay Jones, Miller Siasat, and Tayissa Buchanan.
It seems an age ago now, but the NSW All Schools Championships are yet to be reported upon. 35 AW members took part in the event. While the full results are noted on the club website, special mention must be made of our medallists.
Delta Amidzovksi broke the meet record twice on her way to victory in the 16 Girls 100m Hurdles. Easing her way back into school athletics after the World U20 Championships, Delta also took out the Long Jump.
Bringing home the biggest haul of medals was Maiya Hewitt. She won the 13 Girls Triple Jump, came second in the Long Jump, and brought home bronze in the 200m and 14 Girls 200m Hurdles.
It wasn't a shock to see Chelsy Wayne take out the 15 Girls Discus, but it was a pleasant surprise for her to also win a silver in the Shot Put.
Holly Rea matched her haul, winning gold in the 15 Girls 100m and silver in the 200m.
Also on the track, Olivia Sivills took the win in the 19 Girls Steeplechase. Our remaining gold medallists were all in the field: Zoe Daniels in the 17 Girls discus, Naomi Gibson in the 16 Girls Pole Vault, and Cheyanna Hall in the 12 Girls Pole Vault.
Kailee Moore won a brace of silvers in the 19 Girls 100m and 100m Hurdles. Other silver medals went to Jessica Quilter-Jones in the 19 Girls 800m and Tayissa Buchanan in the 16 Girls 800m.
Finishing just ahead of Tayissa in the 16 Girls 400m was her clubmate Loen Sevastos, with a bronze medal. Lucas Campbell equalled her feat, with a matching bronze in the Boys' division.
The remaining bronze medals went to Charlize Colwell (15-16 Girls Para Ambulant 100m and 200m), Chase Grant (15 Boys 400m), and Keegan Whitten (16 Boys High Jump).
One area that Athletics Wollongong could improve upon, is the number of accredited officials associated with the club. With people knowing the correct way to officiate an event, it means that our participants will have a better experience - and that there'll be no surprises if they were to compete elsewhere under stricter eyes. While we very much do NOT want to change the relaxed and social feel of our club meets, more educated and experienced helpers there can only be a good thing.
The good news is that gaining accreditation these days comes at no cost, and can be done in your own home in your own time. The Australian Athletics Officials' Education Scheme is a joint initiative between Little Athletics Australia and Athletics Australia that provides a seamless and transparent education pathway for Australian Athletics Officials. It's a way to be more knowledgeable about our sport, or perhaps even the start of a pathway that could lead to you being at the upcoming home Commonwealth and Olympic Games.
For more information on the Scheme, or to begin your online learning, see: https://www.athletics.com.au/officials/australian-athletics-officials-education-scheme-/.
You can help the club whenever you make a purchase at rebel Sport. Just drop our name at the checkout and the club could receive 2% of your purchase price to buy prizes or equipment for our members. Note that we don't receive a record of what those purchases are, nor who has done the purchasing: no shaming of shopaholics!
Coming Dates
- 19th October - Athletics Wollongong Pointscore Round 1
- 22nd October - Treloar Shield Round 3, SOPAC
- 26th October - Athletics Wollongong Pointscore Round 2
- 26th October - NSW Schools Challenge, SOPAC
- 27th October - Hunter Throwers Club, Hunter Sports Stadium
- 29th October - Illawong High Velocity, The Ridge
- 29th October - NSW 3000m Championships, Centennial Park
- 30th October - NSW Throwers Club, Gipps Rd Sporting Complex
- 2nd November - Athletics Wollongong Pointscore Round 3
- 5th November - Treloar Shield Round 4, Campbelltown
- 5th - 7th November - Pan Pacific Masters Games - Athletics, Gold Coast
- 9th November - Athletics Wollongong Pointscore Round 4
- 10th November - Gosford Throwers Club, Gosford
- 12th November - Bunnings BBQ fundraiser
- 12th November - Treloar Shield Round 5, TBA
- 16th November - Athletics Wollongong Pointscore Round 5
- 19th - 20th November - NSW Relays Championships, Campbelltown
- 23rd November - Athletics Wollongong Pointscore Round 6 (64th Anniversary Spectacular)
- 30th November - Athletics Wollongong Pointscore Round 7
- 7th December - Athletics Wollongong Pointscore Round 8
- 9th - 11th December - Australian All Schools Championships, Adelaide
- 10th December - Splash Wollongong, Belmore Basin
- 14th December - Athletics Wollongong Pointscore Round 9
- 21st December - Athletics Wollongong Christmas Special
Contact Details
Email davidrosswollongong@hotmail.com with athletics news to include in our regular Illawarra Mercury column. Send other enquiries to athleticswollongong@gmail.com.
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