Parents and volunteers

Running the Saturday morning competition, and starting and finishing at a reasonable time depends on assistance from parents. Regardless of whether or not this is your first involvement as a Little Athletics parent, it is always worthwhile at the start of each season to consider what your role will be over the next six months or so.

Your child is in a sport that provides an opportunity for immediate and long term benefits. The benefits include: higher levels of fitness; better health; a pleasurable social environment and the satisfaction derived from skilled performances. Little Athletics can provide a launching pad for a life-long involvement in sport, whether it be elite or purely recreational.

We have parent Age Managers and Assistants for each age group and gender. This helps ensure events start on time and streamlines the operation of events. A free online training program, which covers cover basic officiating, coaching, safety and event safety tips, is available through Little Athletics ACT at Age Manager training. Managing or assisting with the age group is a great way to be involved with your child. If you are interested in being an Age Manager, please email the Registrar or Club President or simply put your hand up when the callout is made at the beginning of each meet.

Each age group also needs parents at events to mark and measure the throws or jumps, rake the long jump pit, and carry out some crowd control. Most parents absolutely enjoy being part of their child’s achievements and the children love to see mum and dad there supporting them.

Little Athletics has some great introductory videos to help Little Athletes (and parents) start. How do you throw a shotput? Or do high jump? Little Athletics Australia has pages dedicated to informing you.

And parent helpers have their own great online resource from Little Athletics Australia to help out.  How do you help with the javelin? How do you start a race? All your answers are there. And try this easy guide from Little Athletics ACT. Plus the Officials Guide D Level that tells you how to start a race, measure a throw and more.

Canteen and BBQ

Proceeds from the canteen operations are essential in providing funds to purchase new equipment for the club.

Each Saturday we need parents to run the canteen and cook on the BBQ.

Please speak to one of our Committee members if you are able to assist.

Working With Children Checks (NSW)

Members of the QLAC Committee are required to have Working With Children Checks, as QLAC is providing a service for children. According to guidelines issued by the NSW Office of the Children’s Guardian, parent helpers on the field are not required to have this check. You can read more at the NSW Office of the Children’s Guardian.

When QLAC parents are assisting at ACT events, they fall under the ACT’s Working With Vulnerable People legislation as an interstate visitor. Generally, they are not required to be registered and carry the associated card  if they “engaged in the activity (other than an overnight camp for children) for no more than 3 days in any 4-week period and 7 days in any 12-month period”.

Photographs of your Little Athletes – you can take them!

In Australia the taking and publication of a person’s photograph, without their consent or knowledge, is not an invasion of privacy, nor is it in contravention of case or statute law. However, there are limitations on photographs taken without consent, including on private land or land controlled by trusts (e.g. shopping malls, Sydney Opera House), inclosed lands (e.g. childcare facilities, schools, hospitals), photographs taken for sexual purposes, and specific places covered under legislation or regulation for commercial photography (e.g. Brisbane Southbank).

The Australian Law Reform Commission does not recommend a blanket ban on the taking of images without consent, although it notes there is confusion about what is acceptable, what is legal, and when inappropriate behaviour can be stopped or punished. It says that any proposed criminal offences should not be unduly restrictive and must still provide for family, friends, community bodies, schools, media, the artistic community and others to take and publish acceptable images. In 2005 the NSW Commissioner for Children agreed that a ban on photography without permission would be overkill, saying that for any society to function in a free and open manner there cannot be a legal requirement for consent to being photographed in public.

There are particular concerns about guaranteeing the privacy and safety of children in the community, even though children are not afforded unique legislative protection when it comes to photographs, consent, privacy or defamation. However, where the artistic and creative process involves children, the law imposes a number of limits designed to protect children from exploitation or harm.

Further information at Play By The Rules