Parents

What is Required

Parental involvement is vital to keep our Centre functioning. Without your help this recreation would cease to exist for our children. Little Athletics is a family activity and parents doing the ‘drop and go’ will have their child removed to the clubrooms until they return. This is purely for the safety of your child in the case of an emergency but also recognises that we are all volunteers and all need to contribute.

All parents are required to volunteer on a regular basis. Each week a few parents are required to;

Operate the canteen & BBQ (this is where we make our money to enable us to have accredited coaches and keep our equipment up to date)
Set up & pack away the athletic equipment
Chaperone
Time keeper or starter
Measure field events
Support the athletes & officials

Every little bit of help makes a huge difference to our centre!

Chaperoning

As a chaperone, parents are responsible for the recording of the athletes’ performances, ensure that the group follows the weekly programme in order and liaises with the coaches and starters.

During any programme delays chaperones ensure children rest in the shade.

Every parent should be the chaperone at least once a season to share the load around the group and talk to the other parents in your child’s age group about helping out.

There is always a parent willing to teach you the ropes to get started! or click on the link to see the officials handy hints

How to record the results

All results are recorded on the Competition HQ App to be downloaded on your mobile or iPad.

Individual Event Details

THROWING EVENTS

Please Note: In throwing events, each competitor has 3 throws and their best performance is recorded. In championships the contenders are allowed 3 initial throws and then the eight leading contenders are allowed 3 further throws. All 6 performances are considered in the final placings.

The shot and discus are both thrown from a circle. An athlete can enter the circle from any direction but can only leave from the back half of the circle.

SAFETY RULES:

All athletes must keep well behind the throwing area until it is their turn to throw.
All officials and the athletes must check that the sector is clear before commencing the throw.
Officials should not stand within the sector.
Throwing implements should be carried back to the throwing area and never thrown.

FOULS are recorded if

an athlete steps out of the circle or leaves from the front of the circle (or throwing line)
when the shot or the discus lands outside of the throwing segment
if the athlete leaves the throwing circle area before the shot put, discus or javelin has landed
if the athlete takes longer than 60 seconds to commence their trial

MEASUREMENT:

The imprint mark made by the implement on landing closest to the circle is selected
The selected point is marked by the spike and the zero end of the tape is held at the spike.
The tape is drawn tight through the centre of the circle.
The distance is measured at the point where the tape crosses the inner edge of the circle directly back through the centre of the circle (there should be a mark)
Each measurement is to the nearest centimetre below the distance thrown unless the reading is a whole centimetre.

SHOP PUT

The shot must be put from the shoulder with one hand only.
At the start of the trial the shot shall touch or be in close proximity to the neck or chin.
It shall not be dropped below this position during the action of putting.
The shot must not be brought from behind the line of the shoulders.

Additional causes of fouls for Shotput:

A foul is recorded if the athlete’s hand drops away from the neck during the putting action or if it is put from behind the line of the shoulder or if it is thrown like a ball.

Shot Puts are colour coded for easy selection

1kg	blue	U6 & U7 Girls & Boys
1.5kg	yelow	U8 Girls & Boys
2kg	orange	U9 to U11 Boys
		U9 to U12 Girls
3kg	white	U12 & U14 Boys
		U13 to U17 Girls
4kg	red	U15 to U16 Boys
5kg	black	U17 Boys

DISCUS

Please Note: that a discus can be thrown any way – overarm or even underarm

Discus Weights for each age group.

350g	U6 & U7 Girls & Boys
500g	U8 to U10 Girls & Boys
750g	U11 & U12 Boys
750g	U11 to U13 Girls
1kg	U13 to U16 Boys
1kg	U14 to U17 Girls
1.5kg	U17 Boys

JAVELIN

For all U11 to U17 athletes.

ADDITIONAL JAVELIN SAFETY RULES:

All groups are to be supervised by an adult.
Do not throw the javelin for the first time unless you have one of the club coaches assisting.
Javelins and the measuring tape are to be stored in the equipment shed. For your event you will need to collect the javelins from the equipment shed and return them immediately after each event.
Carry javelins with the point down and tail up (vertically).
When storing javelins at the event the javelins should be placed in the ground in an upright position
When removing javelins from the ground, place your thumb over the tail tip and pull back. This ensures that no one behind the athlete will be injured.
Be aware that the javelin can be deflected by gusts of wind.

The javelin must be thrown over the shoulder or upper part of the throwing arm. It must not be slung or hurled. Round arm actions are recorded as fouls. It is good technique to keep the elbow above the shoulder.

Javelin Weights:

400g	U11 to U14 Girls
	U11 & U12 Boys
500g	U15 to U17 Girls
600g	U13 to U14 Boys
700g	700g

TRACK EVENTS

Look straight ahead. Listen for the gun. Keep within your lane during sprint and hurdle events. Always run through the finish line (do not slow down until you are past the finish line). During longer distance races start at a speed that you can maintain throughout the race.

Maximum Distances	U6	300m
For Running Events	U7	500m
	U8	700m
	U9 &U10	800m
	U11 to U17	1500m

HURDLES

Try to step over hurdles rather than jump them. Always hurdle in the direction that you can see the black and white stripes. Disqualification will occur if the hurdles are deliberately knocked down with any part of the body or if an athlete trails any part of their leg in an adjoining lane. These events will be cancelled due to wet weather.

Hurdle standards are:

Age	Distance	Flights	Height	Run In	Between	Run Out
U7 – U9 B&G	60m	6	45cm	12m	7m	13m
U10/U11 B&G	60m	6	60cm	12m	7m	13m
U12 B&G	60m	6	68cm	12m	7m	13m
U13 B&G	80m	9	76cm	12m	7m	12m
U14G	80m	9	76cm	12m	7m	12m
U14B	90m	9	76cm	13m	8m	13m
U15G – 17G	90m	9	76m	13m	8m	13m
U15B – 17B	100m	10	76cm	13m	8.5m	10.5m
U15-17 B&G	200m	5	76cm	20m	35m	40m

Please Note: A marking tape for hurdle positions will be used to help set up. Hurdles must not touch each other.

WALKS

IAAF rules define walking as a progression of steps, so taken that unbroken contact with the ground is maintained. At each step, the advancing foot of the walker must contact with the ground before the rear foot leaves the ground. During the period of each step in which a foot is on the ground, the leg must be straightened (i.e. not bent at the knee) at least for one moment, and in particular the supporting leg must be straight in the vertically upright position. Three verbal cautions are given prior to disqualification. These rules, cautions and disqualifications in race walking are a technical not a moral censure. The walker is not punished for cheating, however disqualification at Centre level enables walkers to work on their faults and avoid disqualification at championship level.

Distances	U8	400m
	U9	700m
	U10 & U11	1100m
	U12 to U17	1500m

JUMPING EVENTS

LONG JUMP

All age groups compete in long jump. Three jumps are taken by each competitor. At Championship level the top eight competitors are allowed three extra jumps which decide the final placings.

In long jump, the athletes run to the take-off board as fast as they can and then jump off one foot as high and as far as they can and then extend their legs in front to land with two feet.

SAFETY

Water the sand to ensure that it is soft to land on
Ensure the sand is not compacted by digging it over.
Ensure the sand is level with the runup
Remove sticks and stones
Sweep the Runway

MEASUREMENT

U6 to U12 use a 1m x 1m rectangular yellow and black mat. The black part of the mat is the takeoff area. The rectangular mat is placed with the front edge of the yellow part against the edge of the pit so that the front edge of the black rectangle is 50cm from the pit. Whiting powder is used on the black part of the mat so that the official can see the footprint on the mat. The jump is measured from the toe of the footprint made within the black rectangle to the nearest break in the sand pit made by any part of the body or limbs.

U13 to U17 use a take-off board which is a white line of 200mm width placed at least 1m from the pit. This may be an in situ line or marked on a black rectangular mat. DO NOT put chalk on this mat. The jump is measure from the front of the white line closest to the pit with the tape measure running perpendicular to the white line to the nearest break in the sand pit made by any part of the body or limbs.

A FOUL is recorded

If any part of foot is beyond the front edge or if the entire foot is outside either end of the take-off area
If during the run-up, an athlete touches the ground beyond the take-off line with any part of the body, whether running up with or without jumping; it shall be deemed a trial even if it is not completed.
If after completing the jump an athlete walks back through the landing area towards the take-off area
In the course of landing an athlete must not touch the ground outside the landing area nearer to the take-off point than the nearest break (imprint) in the landing area
If any sort of somersault is used
If an athlete takes longer than 60 seconds to begin a jump

TRIPLE JUMP

Triple Jump is only contested by U10 to U17 athletes. The conduct of the event is the same as that of Long Jump. The take-off mat is positioned at whole metre distances in front of the pit.

The Triple Jump consists of a hop, step and jump. It is defined as “The hop shall be made so that the competitor lands first upon the same foot as that from which he/she has taken off; in the step he/she shall land on the other foot from which the jump is performed”.

HIGH JUMP

High Jump is contested by athletes aged U11 to U17

Each jumper is allowed three jumps at each height, dropping out of the competition after 3 consecutive failures. Athletes may commence jumping at any height, usually 10cm below their personal best. The bar may not be lowered during competition. At CDLAC, the PBs of each athlete in HJ are on the recording sheet to assist the chaperones in selecting the height at which each athlete shall start.

A foul will be recorded if the bar is dislodged, an athlete jumps from two feet, takes longer than 60 seconds to jump, has two consecutive baulks or gains an advantage by touching the bag with their hand or foot.

It is strongly recommended that athletes of all ages use the scissor kick until they are able to jump above the height of their armpits.

During wet weather, this event may be cancelled if the run up is considered unsafe.

SCISSOR JUMP

Scissor Jump is contested by U8 to U10 athletes on the 150mm-200mm thick mat.

The athlete must take off from one foot, clear the bar in a vertical position and the first contact made on the landing area must be made by one or two feet.

An athlete fouls if:

(a) The athlete’s head clears the bar before the leading foot (the foot closest to the bar at take-off).

(b) The athlete’s head goes below the buttocks when the buttocks clear the bar.

The scissor kick technique teaches athletes to jump. The run up for scissor kick is a straight line at about 45o to the high jump bar, lined up so that they cross the bar in the centre of the mat. Athletes should drive up through their hips and try to keep a vertical body position and then land feet first on the mat.

It is strongly recommended that athletes of all ages use the scissor kick until they are able to jump above the height of their armpits.

During wet weather, this event may be cancelled if the run up is considered unsafe.

Become an Official

While all parents are required to help officiate at club meetings, it is desirable to have some parents qualified as C Grade officials. This ensures that events are supervised and judged to the same standards our athletes will encounter at State Meetings.

Centre Best Performances will only be accepted if witnessed by a C Grade Official.

Parents, who would like the opportunity to gain qualifications, may do so by attending an Association Officials Course. The cost of the course will be borne by the Club. Please contact a committee member if you are interested.