The Albion Park Little Athletics Club has been in the spotlight recently as it is where 2024 Olympic Games silver medallist Jessica Hull honed her running skills during her junior years. Treasurer Katie Dent says the publicity is welcome as it reinforces the value of regional clubs and the level of talent they can produce. The club boasts a number of other Olympians too, including Jye Edwards and Ryan Gregson – both middle-distance runners – and Australian hockey player Casey Eastham.
Next year the club celebrates its 40th anniversary, which is an exciting and incredible achievement. Its longevity can be attributed to many things, but its focus on kids having fun and doing their best is one of the things that people enjoy about the club.
“We encourage kids and all our athletes to focus on doing their best, achieving a personal best, rather than on breaking records," Katie says.
"We celebrate fourth place here just as much as first. It’s all about participation.”
Albion Park Little Athletics Club meets between September and March on Friday nights, with competition starting at 5.30pm. Participants range from age three to 17 years old, with a follow-on competition for the U20 age group. Tiny Tots have a one-hour session.
Events include track races, sprints and middle distance, walking, long jump, high jump, shotput, javelin and more. There’s a three-week program so kids will participate in certain events according to the scheduled week. For athletes wanting to take things further, there are carnivals and interstate meets too.
The club prides itself on being all-inclusive and building upon their multiclass experience for athletes is something that the club is highly focused on, Katie says.
“We have a number of parents and carers who, through the NDIS system, are able to bring their kids down for some athletic and social fun each week.”
A number of athletes are performing exceptionally well. Chelsea Nicol is one of 78 athletes nationally to be selected to attend the 2024 Coles Little Athletics National Camp in August, an amazing achievement. Xavier Wilson is a multiclass athlete who regularly competes at a high level in cross country running and athletics, and Brooklyn McWilliams has impressed by breaking track records over the past couple of seasons (including Jessica Hull’s). Brooklyn will be an U12 athlete this season.
For more information, visit the website, email the club or follow on Facebook.
