Parental Obligations
During competition parents and/or guardians must stay at the track with their children. Do not drop your children off and leave.
Your Children are your Responsibility
Unsupervised children can, and will, be excluded from competition. Parents are asked to actively participate in the operation of the Centre by assisting in the running of events at our regular competitions. By being actively involved this will give you a greater understanding of the rules and event techniques which will help your child develop. Without parental assistance competition would not be able to take place.
Parental Behaviour
Unless acting as an Official, Age Manager or carrying out a Parent Duty, parents are required to stay outside of the fenced track area at all times.
Everyone involved in helping to run our Little Athletics centre - committee members, officials, age managers, and those on parent duties - is a volunteer. We remind everyone to treat our volunteers with courtesy and respect at all times.
Inappropriate behaviour of families including abuse of volunteers will not be tolerated, and may jeopordise your children's participation in weekly competitions, or their selection to represent the Centre at external competitions.
The Role of Parents - from Little Athletics NSW Website
Volunteer Role
Because Little Athletics is a totally voluntary organisation, centres cannot operate without the assistance of parents each week in fulfilling the many and varied duties required. These include officiating at an event; managing an age group; recording results; working in the canteen; to name just a few. Most centres have parent assistance rosters. Additional assistance is always required on the centre committees and all parents are encouraged to become involved. Little Athletics is one of the few sports where parents can become fully involved in their child’s sporting interests.
At Little Athletics NSW we understand that just like our athletes, our parents come from a diverse range of backgrounds and as such have different talents and experience. There is a place for everyone at Little Athletics and there are a number of ways that you can become involved. You may have skills that the centre doesn’t even know they need. So if you think you can help with something, let the committee know.
Whatever your experience, don’t feel scared about putting your hand up and ‘giving it a go’. After all, isn’t that what we ask our kids to do?
Parental Role
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.
Just as important as any of the above benefits is that Little Athletics provides children with the chance to have fun – TO PLAY. Please do not ever lose sight of this!
Unfortunately, all of the potential benefits of involving a child in a sport can be quickly lost due to one very important factor – ADULTS.
Do not underestimate the effect that you can have on your child’s long term participation in and enjoyment of sport.
By taking a considered, understanding approach, a parent can be their child’s most valuable asset.
