After more than 40 years of encouraging children to take part in athletics, the Huon Valley Little Athletics Club (HVLAC) is considering expanding its program to include senior athletes.
The proposed expansion would bring competitors of all ages together under one club, from three-year-old Tiny Tots to Masters athletes.
Their vision is for one club, for the whole family, that complements and supports every other sport in the Huon Valley.
At present, young athletes face a difficult decision when they reach the upper age groups in Little Athletics; the program continues through to Under 15, while senior competition begins at Under 13.
This often means that those wanting to continue competing in senior athletics might need to leave the Huon Valley and join a Hobart-based club – which can be a significant barrier at an age when many young people are already at risk of dropping out of organised sport.
It can mean leaving friends and teammates, travelling further for training and competition, and losing the social connections that make sport enjoyable.
The club hopes a senior section would allow athletes to remain connected to their friends, their community and their club as they progress.
Huon Valley athlete Bailey Van den Broek, who represented Australia at the Under 20 World Championships last week, is an example of the commitment and talent found locally, however, to continue developing her athletics she had to join a city-based club.
With the addition of a senior section within the HVLAC, future athletes could have a continuous pathway without requiring them to leave their local club.
It would allow Huon Valley athletes to compete on Saturdays at Domain Athletics Track as part of Athletics South’s senior competition, representing the Huon Valley in the club’s colours.
The club already has a small number of committed open-age athletes competing through its existing Little Athletics program, and that would continue under the proposed expansion.
The long-term vision is to see junior, senior and Masters athletes competing under the same banner and supporting one another at meets.
The club is now seeking senior athletes to join and help establish the new section. The foundations for a junior-to-senior pathway are already in place, with Little Athletics competitors able to progress into senior competition as they get older.
Current athletes, former athletes, parents, grandparents and anyone looking to become more active and involved in the community are encouraged to express their interest.
The proposed expansion would give Huon Valley residents the opportunity to participate in athletics throughout their lives.
