Frequently Asked Questions
When does Canterbury Little Athletics run and for how long?
Competition is held between September and March, with a break at Christmas. We compete on a Friday night at Campbell Field in Canterbury, starting at 6:00 pm and aim to finish by about 8:30 pm, depending on the age group. Tiny Tots often finish at about 7pm and the other younger age groups by 7:30 pm. Finishing times are often later at the beginning of the season, as we have more athletes attending, but as the season progresses attendance often drops and finishing times are earlier.
When is your first competition for the 2024/25 season?
Friday 13 September 2024
What is the youngest age you accept for registration?
CLAC runs a Tiny Tot program which caters for three and four year olds. They participate in gross motor skill games and activities. Children must have turned three before their registration can be accepted (i.e. children who are still two years of age at the beginning of the season but turn three during October to December, cannot join Little Athletics until their third birthday).
Friday night action at the track can be an overwhelming experience for the really little kids, as there are 400-500 older kids competing on the field at the same time. We encourage you to consider this before registering as it may put your child off wanting to continue their participation. Little Athletics caters for athletes up to 17 years of age, so there are many years of participation ahead. We love welcoming new members and want our athletes to love it and keep coming back each year!
Is there an option for 18+ to train and compete?
Yes, Canterbury Athletics Club is affiliated with Athletics NSW.
We have Community membership, for those who want to train locally and have a bit of fun, and for those who wish to compete for the club, there are options for all ages. Head to Registration Link for more information and registration details.
Do you offer trials?
We do not offer trials or refunds, please consider this before registering your child.
What happens once I’ve registered?
Once you have registered your children for the season, please access the WhatsApp group that is included in the information shared with you. We will hold a rego pack collection in late August and early September (details will be communicated via WhatsApp).
Rego packs will include your athlete’s registration bib, Coles Patch and Age patch as well as important information about the season ahead. Your patches will need to be attached to the uniform before being able to compete on a Friday night. Please see the Club Uniform page for information on where to attach it.
How do I see my child’s results?
Results from each weeks’ competition (6-20) are usually available within 24-48 hours. Field results need to be manually entered, so may take up to a week. You can check results by clicking on the “Family Log In” link on the website to ResultsHQ Your username will be your registered email address. You will need to click on the “Forgotten your password” link to get your password the first time. Please email us if you have any problems, and we can sort it out for you.
No results are recorded in our Tiny Tots program.
How do I keep up to date with information throughout the season?
Our main communication channel is WhatsApp Community. Please ensure all adults responsible for your athlete have accessed the WhatsApp community and have the notifications turned on. You also need to make sure you join your children’s age group. Any updates or cancellations will be communicated this way.
What happens if there is bad weather on a Friday or training day?
We will endeavour to communicate a decision by 4:00 pm on the day of competition or training should a decision be made to cancel due to wet weather. We communicate via the WhatsApp community and also our Facebook page. Competition will be suspended immediately if there is lightning in the vicinity and recommence after 30 minutes, safety permitting.
How do I sign up for duties?
Our duty rosters are managed through Sign up. This link enables our community, including families, committee and Age Managers to understand who will be supporting in which role for the Friday comp. If you have a change in circumstance, please ensure you cancel your slot through the link as soon as possible. You can use the WhatsApp channel to communicate the opening in your Age Group chat, so that another family can consider picking it up.
How many times do I need to volunteer in order to qualify for a refund of my duty bond?
The requirement for the 24/25 season is 8 duties per family. It is important to check-in via the QR code with your eldest child’s bib number each time you complete a duty. Duties are counted on a per family, per night basis. We recommend you aim to volunteer at least once every 2 weeks in order to ensure you have enough time to meet the requirement – factoring in any weather cancellations or weeks you are unable to attend due to illness etc.
What happens if I have signed up for a duty on a night that ends up being cancelled?
You’d be forgiven for thinking ‘wooohoo! Got out of that one!’ But unfortunately, over the course of the season, we have more volunteer roles than we have parent helpers. When a session is cancelled, we can’t afford to lose a pool of helpers as future sessions will still need to be filled. If you have signed up to complete a duty on a night that subsequently gets cancelled due to weather, we ask that you re-sign up for another night.
This is our first season and I have no idea what I’m doing, so I really don’t think I’m suitable for volunteering..
Don’t worry, just ask – we’ve all had a first season! The Committee and Age Managers are here to help and we need your involvement. We have a helpful Resource page on our website and encourage everyone to have a read and watch the videos prior to the season starting. You can also reach out to our Volunteer Manager at volunteers@clac.org.au with any questions.
What if I can’t fit all the required number of duties into the season?
We have carefully calculated the number of roles we need – there are plenty to go around! We often have to call out for additional helpers on the night. Unfortunately we do lose a few competitions to wet weather, so we encourage parents to spread your duties out and aim to volunteer every 2 weeks to ensure you get through the required number for your bond return.
What if I simply cannot help?
In order to maintain consistency throughout the bond process and to ensure fairness for all members, duty bond refunds will only be issued if all the required duties have been completed.
Does my child need to attend each week?
No they don’t – however, they do receive points each week for events they compete in and these points are tallied up at the end of the season for season awards. We love our athlete’s attending each week and improving on their personal bests and skills – the more they attend, the more they improve!
Can you tell me how many duties I’ve completed so far?
Am I required to be at the ground whilst my child is competing?
Yes. Unless you have made an arrangement with another parent to be the ‘acting’ carer or guardian of your child that night, you are required to be on the premises. Little Athletics is not a sport where you can drop your children off and then come back and pick them up later. Injuries can occur (and have), that may require immediate hospital treatment. You need to be available to care for your child. With so many children competing on competition nights, it is not possible for Age Managers or other parents to keep track of where your child is at all times. This is your responsibility.
Is wearing the uniform compulsory?
Yes, the uniform is compulsory and must be worn for Friday night competitions, as well as when representing Canterbury Athletics Club at any Athletics NSW/ Little Athletics event. The club uniform consists of a blue Canterbury Athletics singlet or crop top and black running shorts. The black shorts are generic so you can wear any plain black running shorts or bike pants. Uniform is not expected to be worn at training sessions.
Is the uniform included in the registration fee?
No, the uniform is not included in the registration fee. This keeps our costs as reasonable as possible, as uniforms upsizing and replacements are purchased at member’s discretion.
Where do I buy a uniform from?
The uniform can be purchased and paid for online through outsourced provider Sports Magic’s Canterbury Athletics Uniform Shop Club pick up is available as an option at the start of the season.
Is training during the week compulsory?
No, training is completely optional, however it will help your child become more confident in their skills and abilities. Parents can also benefit by being able to learn what is expected during the events, so can gain greater confidence in helping out as Age Group Helpers and Age Group Managers.
Please see the Training page for more details.
How can I register a dispute or query regarding a result?
Please feel free to contact us via the website or email if you feel an error has occurred in the results. Each Friday night, a lot of results are recorded for many events and mistakes can be made. We can discuss your dispute or query with the Age Manager, and compare previous results in order to verify whether a mistake may have occurred.
Is there a lost property area at Campbell Field?
Any lost items will be placed in a trolley basket near the canteen each competition night. Please ensure your child’s belongings are labelled clearly, including drink bottles, bags, shoes and jumpers. Uncollected items will not be kept beyond the end of the season.
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