Little Athletics is a FAMILY activity. All children, regardless of ability, are encouraged to participate. Each child is encouraged to improve their own personal performance. Parents, guardians, and grandparents are also encouraged to be involved because without their help we could not run a competition.
To do this, our Little Athletics Centre provides friendly competitions on Friday nights and training activities during the week. By joining these activities — and —learning how to do all the events correctly — your child will have lots of FUN.
Little Athletics is a FITNESS activity. From the simple warm up exercises, which precede each competition meeting and training session, to the actual running, jumping, and throwing events — all Little Athletics activities are designed to help improve your child’s fitness and well-being.
FAMILY, FUN & FITNESS
Gold Coast Athletics provides regular Little Athletics programs and social engagement for children aged 5 to 17 years and possibly in the near future, the Tiny Tots Program for 3–4-year-olds. Throughout the season there are further opportunities for additional competition via carnivals held by other SE Queensland Little A’s Centres.
There are also two South Coast Regional Championships – one relay day and one individual championships. There is also progression from these to State Relay Championships and State Championships, at the end of the season. Queensland Little Athletics also hold Spring, and Summer Carnivals and Multi Event Championships. For U13, 14 & 15 athletes there is also an Australian Championships.
For those that are thinking of continuing their athletics career after Little A’s either to an elite level or for the social aspect there is Senior athletics.
At the end of the season, we hold a presentation day to acknowledge our athletes with various trophies and awards, as well as Queensland Little Athletics awards for which we often nominate athletes & volunteers.
Weekly Competition is held every Friday evening at Pizzey Park Athletics Track commencing at 5.30pm. Important announcements are made followed by an equally important warmup and then into competition. Finishing times will vary depending on competition events programming, age groups and parent help.
Enquire nowCompetition and training sessions are preceded by warm up exercises and drills. Participation by athletes in this session is essential for the prevention of injuries such as muscle strains or tears.
Parents should also become familiar with these exercises, as warm up for your children, in the absence of coaches, will be your responsibility at Regional and Association competitions. Parents should also be aware that it is a good practice to have warm down activities to assist the athletes.
Although the athletes may not gain the full benefit of the warm up at Friday night competition, the major aim of this process is to create a good habit of warming up and down before and after exercise.
Under 6, 7, & 8 age groups will generally have 4 events each night which will include a jump, a throw, a sprint and a distance event or a skill-based game.
There shall be no Pointscore or All-Round Centre Championships for the U6, U7 and U8 age groups. These age groups complete the normal Friday night Competition Program each week. The emphasis for these age groups is on the aim of Little Athletics “To develop children of all abilities by promoting positive attitudes and a healthy lifestyle through family and community involvement in athletic activities.”
Every U6 – U8 athlete who has participated on 75% of their registered nights and registers to attend Presentation Day receives a Participation Trophy on Presentation Day. They also receive a Gold Coast Athletics certificate with their season’s best performances.
These age groups will compete in 4-5 events each competition night that will include a jump, a throw, a distance (includes race walk) and 1-2 sprint events (includes hurdles -long and short).
These athletes will also be eligible for our Centre Pointscore Championship which rewards athletes that may not be the best but consistently attend and compete, and our Centre Championship which rewards our all-round best athletes.
Points are awarded throughout the season for the U9 – U17 age groups registered as Gold Coast Little Athletics athletes as follows:
Attendance on Friday Night 50 points
Each event attempted 20 points
Each New Personal Best 5 points
Each equal Personal Best 2 points
Competing at Regional Relay Day 20 points per event competed.
The emphasis for the Point Score is on attendance and participation. Therefore, the more nights you attend and the more events you participate in, the more points you earn.
Athletes who are unable to attend a Friday Night Competition are able to make up missed points at another Centre or LAQ event. Only the attendance and events points are given for the make-up, performance points will not be allocated for these events and cannot be used for Centre Improvement medals. Make ups must be made within 2 weeks of when the athlete returns to competition. A maximum of 2 make-ups are allowed per athlete per season.
Trophies are awarded for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place in each age group. In addition to these trophies, all athletes who have participated on 75% of their registered nights and register to attend Presentation Day receive a Gold Coast Athletics certificate for their season’s best performances on Presentation Day.
All Round Centre Championships are for the U9 – U17 age groups registered as Gold Coast Little Athletics athletes and take place on three Fridays in February and March.
The Championships cover each standard event available to each age group once and results are worked on a pentathlon points system. Competitors receive points for their performance NOT their placing. Therefore, the best athlete overall will be the winner.
To be fair to all athletes there will be no exception made for athletes who miss part or all of any Friday night’s competition (i.e. no make-up of events is provided). Competition starts at 5.45pm sharp, late arrivals may join in the current event (eg: if the age group has completed two full rounds of shot put, the late arrival is entitled to one throw in round three only). If the whole age group has completed an event the late arrival misses out.
Athletes must compete for 2 of the 3 nights to be eligible for Centre Championships trophies. Trophies are awarded for 1st, 2nd and 3rd place in each group.
Competition away from Gold Coast Little Athletics includes Regional competitions, State competitions, LAQ Carnivals, Club Carnivals and Australian Championships. Gold Coast Athletics is a member centre of the South Coast Little Athletics Region. South Coast Little Athletic Centres include Ashmore, Beaudesert & Districts, Gold Coast, Helensvale, Mudgeeraba, Ormeau, Runaway Bay, Tamborine Mountain & Tweed. As Athletics is an inclusive sport these competitions also include multi-class events for athletes with disabilities.
Enquire nowSouth Coast Regional Relay Day is usually held in November and hosted by a different club each year.
It is a competition for every athlete from Under 7s to 17s, regardless of ability, to get involved in and is by far the best day of the season Our aim is to have as many athletes compete as possible. Entry is subject to nomination fees.
Each athlete (U9 – U17) who competes at Regional Relay Day gains 20 points per event towards their GCLA Pointscore.
Relays are not just for running events- there are throws and jump relays also.
Events available are 4-5 events each and differ between age groups however, there will be a sprint relay – 4x 70m or 4x 100m, a longer or distance relay 4×100, 4x 200m, Swedish or Medley and either one or two jumps and one or two throws.
Centre teams are made up of 4 athletes in track events and 2 athletes in field events. We can enter as many teams as we wish! The first three teams placed in each track event and first two in field events at Regional Relays qualify to represent their Centre at State Relay Day, at the State Athletics Facility in Brisbane.
Under 7 & Under 8 athletes do not progress past Regional level, they do however all receive participation medals.
The following process determines relay teams:
Track the first 4 fastest runners make up the A Team
the second 4 fastest runners make up the B Team, etc
Field all athletes compete as a team, athlete results on the day determine State field qualifiers and the teams.
Nomination track times are taken from athletes’ best performances from the current seasons club competitions only, so it is wise for all athletes to try their best and attend Friday nights as much as possible from the start of the season. All teams are approved by the Committee before they are announced. Teams will NOT be altered once announced, unless by illness or injury. If you are unable to turn up on relay day through sickness or injury, please have the courtesy to let your Age Marshal know, with as much notice as possible. Please do not let your team mates down by not turning up on Relay Day – you have a responsibility to them.
Do not be discouraged not to nominate for Regional Relays because you know you cannot attend States. If your team qualifies, we can find another athlete to replace you. Having fun and helping your team qualify is more important.
This is the only day throughout the season where we compete together in teams’ events and as a club. The day has a great atmosphere so come along, join in and have lots of FUN.
South Coast Regional Championships is usually held over a weekend in February and is hosted by a different Club each year.
We encourage every athlete to participate in this competition which is for Under 7s to 17s, regardless of ability.
Each child may compete in a maximum of 5 events, track and/or field and every standard event is available. Athletes from U9-U17 can qualify to compete at the State Championships. Entry is subject to nomination fees.
To compete in the Regional Championships athletes must have completed 4 competition nights at Gold Coast Athletics.
The top 4 place getters will progress to State Championships. Additional entry to the McDonald’s State Championships is available for athletes who compete at the Regional Championships and who achieve the “Qualifying Performance Level” for that event.
These Championships are held in December at the State Athletics Facility in Brisbane.
Those teams from Under 9 – 17 who placed 1st-3rd in track relays and 1st – 2nd in field relays qualify for State Relay Championships.
Any qualifying athlete that cannot attend the Championship for any reason can be replaced by another athlete that competed at Regional Relays. If you cannot attend the event, please advise us asap so we can organise a replacement.
Nomination fees are paid by the Club.
This is the culmination of the season for most Little Athletes and is held at the end of the season in late March. It is usually held at the Queensland Sport & Athletics Centre (QSAC) -the BIG Stadium in Brisbane. Every four years it is held in a northern centre such as Townsville.
Athletes who have placed 1st – 4th or achieved a qualifying performance at Regional Championships may compete at these Championships.
Throughout the season Little Athletics Queensland holds several carnivals that are open to any registered Little Athletics member. These include;
Winter Carnival – held in a northern (Winter) Centre in June
Spring Carnival – held in Bundaberg in September
Summer Carnival – held in Brisbane in October
Combined Events Championships – held in Brisbane in March, is a multi-event championship where athletes compete in a set number of set events and accumulate points for each event. Typically, this may be 3, 4, 5, or 7 events and could be for example 3 throws (triathlon) or 7 events over all disciplines called a Heptathlon.
Other than LAQ run carnivals, many individual centres hold their own carnivals throughout the season.
Further details for all of the above events can be found on the LAQ website.
The Australian Little Athletics Championships is a Little Athletics Australia National competition conducted for State Teams comprising of U13’s U14’s U15’s and U15 Multi-Event Athletes and is held on the last weekend in April.
Each State selects a team of up to 150 athletes and Queensland will provide the full team experience for those selected athletes.
The breakdown for each age group is as follows:
U13 32 able bodied (16 per gender) and up to 2 Multi-Class athletes
U14-15 up to 56 able bodied (28 per gender) and up to 2 Multi-Class athletes per gender
U15 1 athlete per gender for the Combined Event competition
The team is selected primarily on performances at State Championships and is based on the collective ability of the team to attain the most points possible. Due to the limitations on the number of athletes selected, except for specialised events, generally athletes will be selected on the ability to perform for more than one event.
This team is often the first teams experience for young athletes and due to the difficulty of being selected for one of these teams, is one of the most coveted teams to be a member of. A State team selection for ALACs is that hard to achieve that some of Australia’s greatest athletes have not been a part of these teams. Athletes will create friendships and memories that will be remembered forever and for some it can be an entry to other state and national teams.
Gold Coast Athletics Club seeks to keep our members informed and provide all general information within one place. Prior to the prevalence of digital media our primary hub of information was our printed handbook commonly termed as "The Blue Book" which was updated and hundreds printed each year. Most of the that information is now within this website.
Enquire nowThe club uniform MUST be worn, in full, at ALL club competitions and Regional & LAQ Competitions. The uniform includes the correct top and shorts/pants, current registration number, age label & any sponsors badges.
Athletes can be disqualified for not wearing correct club uniform at Regional and State competition and have points deducted at Club competition.
It is LAQ policy that shoes MUST be worn whilst competing at ALL club competitions and Regional & LAQ Competitions.
SPIKES
This policy was formed by LAQ after due consideration of the National guidelines for the involvement of children in Athletics.
U6 athletes MUST be accompanied by a Parent or Guardian at all times.
CHILDREN ARE NOT TO BE AT THE GCA GROUNDS UNLESS ACCOMPANIED BY AN ADULT
GCA Centre is located near certain features which have the potential to be dangerous, particularly for younger children. GCA Committee have ruled these areas “Out of Bounds” and warns parents and athletes of their locations as follows:
A list of records has been maintained since the club’s inception and are found within this website. These records are generally updated once the season has finalised however the ground records are updated automatically on the ResultsHQ platform, once ratified.
Existing records will be shown on the pre-printed recording sheet and it is asked that Age Marshals and parent helpers be aware of those records before commencement of the event.
These records are for registered GCA Little Athletics Club members only, ground records can only be set during Club competition nights and must adhere to specific criteria prior to ratification.
To maintain the integrity of and protect existing records
Best Performances may be achieved at any Club competition, South Coast Regional Championship or any State Carnival or Championship and confirmed by the official results.
One of the aims of Little Athletics is to improve the athletic performance of our members and to provide some incentive for children to improve. We have a system of performance level indicators and achievement awards.
Everyone likes to win but not all are able to. All, however, are capable of improving. Our achievement awards therefore recognise and reward improvements, not just winners. The following awards meet this aim:
Improvement Medals: A Centre Improvement Award sheet can be downloaded from the Registration Page, on this website. Performances from each week are recorded on these sheets, any improvements are highlighted. When the required number of improvements have been reached, improvement sheets are handed into the GCA Records Officer for verification against ResultsHQ. Improvement medals are awarded after verification by GCA
Athletes can improve on their own performances; therefore, every child has the opportunity of earning a medal. Start recording your performances from the first night and then every Friday night throughout the season right up to our last competition night. Encourage your child to fill in their own improvement sheet each week and watch how quickly they improve.
McDonald’s Achievement Awards; All athletes can strive to receive the red, green & blue awards by measuring their performance against qualifying levels which are set by LAQ. Once an athlete has achieved a level in 3 disciplines, eg: Sprints, middle distance/walks, jumps or throws, they are eligible to receive their McDonald’s Achievement Award. A Gold Achievement Level is now also available.
Apart from our Pointscore and Centre Championship Awards mentioned earlier on this page, we have several special awards given at Presentation Day.
Encouragement Awards: Selected by the Age Managers for those athletes that don’t receive a major trophy but compete regularly, try hard and really enjoy the sport.
The Craig Stevens Memorial Shield: rewards an athlete with regular attendance and participation, always tries and is always happy and smiling and may never win. This award is very dear to our club as it has memories of a special young athlete who, regardless of his debilitating illness, always enjoyed Little Athletics.
The Coaches Shield: is presented to an athlete who has shown dedication in their training throughout the season.
The Patron Shield: Is presented to the best all round club athlete who goes above and beyond their role as an athlete.
The Club Captain’s Award: is selected by the Club Captains and is awarded to an athlete who stands out from the rest by always helping out, always having fun and really enjoying all aspects of Little Athletics.
Major Improvement Trophies: are awarded to a male and female athlete who have achieved the greatest number of improvements throughout the season during Club competition.
The Geoff Batten Memorial Trophy: is in memory of one of our early Centre Managers and Life Members and is awarded to the most successful athlete from any age group at State Championships
Under 17 Awards: Our outgoing Under 17 athletes are awarded Commemorative Medals in their final years of LAs plus Long Service Medals for members of 6 years or more and for those that have been members of Little Athletics at GCA for all possible 12 years from under 6 to 17’s.
Volunteer of the Year: is presented to an adult volunteer considered to have given service above and beyond the normal participation.
Also, there are several LAQ awards each year as well as the regional Brian Johnston Shield (for an outstanding U15 athlete) for which we may nominate athletes and volunteers from time to time. We have often had successful nominees.
Gold Coast has had an extremely proud history of having members selected in the Queensland State Team for the Australian Little Athletics’ Championships lovingly called ALACs having representation in all but a few years. We wish to acknowledge the following athletes.
1976/77 Jeff Mills 1977/78 Linda Bloxhome
1978/79 Paul Erikson
1979/80 Tracey Cora, Sharon Jaklofsky, Robyn Singh
1980/81 Tracey Bell, Craig Cook
1981/82 Terry Bell, Luke Thomas, Toni Tangata-Toa, Matthew Yourell
1982/83 Amanda Christie, Shelly Ross, Jan Staunton
1983/84 Ben Stewart, Tanya Zahra 1984/85 Natasha Dianich
1985/86 James Purcell 1988/89 Peter Johnson
1989/90 Barry Goodwin 1990/91 David Lonie
1991/92 Erin MacGregor (Capt)
1992/93 Erin MacGregor (Capt), Guy Northam, Steven Royle
1993/94 Emma Draisey
1994/95 Lee Anderson, Krystal Driscoll, Ben Smith
1995/96 Matthew Jones, Kristoffer Vandaloo
1996/97 Krystall Driscoll, Meagan Grace, Mark Lonie, Ben Smith, Marina Swan, Jessica Young
1997/98 Michael Duncan, Serne Kemp, Roxanne Winder
1998/99 Stuart Inwood, Amelia Lewis 1999/00 Murray Goodwin
2000/01 Kane Brigg, Stuart Inwood, Grace Scantlebury (Capt), Ryan Silke
2001/02 Jessica Homans (Capt) 2002/03 Grace Scantlebury, Ryan Silke
2004/05 Cameron Tew
2006/07 Hamish Cathie, Tayla Langley, Beau Lane, Demii Maher-Smith
2007/08 Che Kenneally
2008/09 Casey Atkins, Rachel Barker, Honey Boardman, Demii Maher-Smith
2009/10 Sakisha Dovey, Baxter Knight (Capt), Loren London, Danielle Tee, Kye Wilde
2011/12 Cooper Degarnham, Tyler Lima
2012/13 Katie Hayward, Dylan Joy, Grace Brennan (Selected for ACT)
2013/14 Emily Casaclang, Preston Degarnham, Cooper Degarnham
2014/15 Francesca MacDonald, Jake Waugh (Capt)
2015/16 Ellie Beer 2016/17 Caitlyn Ah Fook, Brayden Field
2017/18 Ryder Ah Fook, Jayda Anderson, Sayla Donnelly, Kris Hayward
2018/19 Brayden Field, Jake Giltrap-Good, Havana Harris, Ashanti Heap, Ruby Hughes, Bailee Anne Tewake
2019/20 & 2020/21 Cancelled due to Covid 19
2021/22 Charleigh Allen, George Kakavas, Alyssa McDonald, Thomas O’Brien, Joshua Osborne, Aden Webber
2022/23 Summer Carkeet, Jackson Frost, Harry Osborne, Maverick Turner
