What Age Groups does UWALAC cater for?
At UWALAC we have U6-U17 Athletes competing. We introduced U6 in 2020/21 season.
We have a special tiny tots program for 3-5 year olds more more information click
How do you determine the age group that children are placed in?
The age-group is determined by year your child is born. See the age-group calculator here
How often do they train and compete?
- UWA has a summer and a winter season.
- Summer training times are listed here
- For winter training and information click here
- Summer Competitions are held on a Saturday morning 8am start (we also have 1-2 special twilight meets over the season). Please check the Competition Calendar.
Can my child go to a different age group as all of her friends are in the older age group?
No, they must compete in their own age-group.
Does UWALAC have boundaries for joining ?
No we don’t, however we encourage athletes to join the centre closest to them.
How do I know what is going on at the Centre?
Our website is updated regularly and we sent a newsletter out regularly. We also encourage all our members to follow us on Facebook.
How does the coaching work?
Each age-group has their own coach and possibly an assistant coaches appointed prior to the start of the season. There is also an age-group manager that assists each coach. We also have specialist coaches to work on specific events. Our coaches generally come from our parent group and UWALAC offers assistance and training to any parent who would like to volunteer.
How do I find where my child is at training or during competition?
Coaches all wear a fluorescent coloured vest with the age group number on the back. Boy’s coaches were bright orange and girl’s coaches wear yellow. On competition mornings you can check the competition roster on the information stand to help you locate which events your child is in on that day. All athletes meet their coaches at the age group signs placed at the bottom of the hill before each training and competition. On competition days athletes stay with the coaches for the whole competition program and move from event to event as a group. Coaches will release athletes back to parents at the age-group signs at the end of the competition or training.
Where do I get a uniform?
Uniforms are available on pack pick up days prior to the start of the season and during the first few weekends of competition. We sell uniforms from our uniform shop throughout the season.
Can my child compete with bare feet?
No. All children must compete in shoes. There is no exception to this rule.
What happens if the weather is bad? Does training or competition go ahead?
Your coach will determine if training is cancelled and will contact you. Competition Days are rarely cancelled. The president and Arena Manager will make a decision regarding this and coaches will be notified and a message will go out on Facebook and via your Age Group manager whatsapp group. Always check the Centre website and Facebook page as these will be updated if a competition or training is cancelled.
How long does the competition last on a Saturday morning or a twilight meet?
There is no set answer to this as it depends on which age-group you child is in. All competitions start at 8am and younger age-groups have fewer events and tend to finish around 10am. Older age groups i.e. under 10’s and above can finish anywhere between 10.30/11am. In general our last event finishes around 11am. Of course this is subject to weather, parents turning up on roster duty and the numbers competing on the day. Twilight Meets normally start at 5pm and finish around 8pm.
Does my child have to do all the competitions?
No. If you are away or have something on then please let your coach know. However if it is a day you are on roster you are expected to get this covered.
Do I have to do roster?
Yes all parents/guardians are expected to help out on a roster once a fortnight. It is one roster per family. Please read the section on parent rosters.
What happens if parents do not turn up for their roster?
Parents/Guardians not arriving for their roster cause delays starting an event and bottlenecks at each station. Logistically and emotionally, this can be frustrating to the athletes and parents who fulfil their obligation. Accordingly, the Centre has a policy of excluding an athlete from competition and/or training if their parent does not participate or fails to fulfil their roster obligation. You must think carefully about this policy before enrolling your child. Unfortunately if parents/guardians miss roster without Centre permission their child can not compete.
What happens if I can’t attend my parent roster?
The rosters are all up on the website. You can either swap with someone on another week’s roster or send another family member along. If you have exceptional circumstances please email the club email contact@uwalac.com with PARENT ROSTER in the subject line and we will attempt to assist you.
What happens if my child wants to pull out – do I get a refund?
Once you have registered and paid your fees there no refunds unless there is a long term injury and medical certificate or extenuating circumstances. If your child is leaving our centre we would appreciate you notifying the admin officer at contact@uwalac.com
Can my child start little athletics once the season has already started?
If the age-group has room in it then they can start during the season. If not you will be placed on a waiting list and contacted as soon as a place becomes available.
Where do I check my child’s results?
You can log onto your Results HQ account and check the results for each of your family’s registered athletes. Whilst most results are updated o the date (or instantly with track events), we continue to check and review results until the Tuesday after the competition day.
What happens if my child’s results are wrong in ResultsHQ?
Please email contact@uwalac.com.au with your query. This will be checked against the result sheets and computer timing. Errors do sometimes occur during recording and data entry.
What happens if my child’s can’t attend training or a competition?
We understand that there are often clashes with other sports/school events that can’t be helped. Just contact your age-group coach to let them know.
Lost Property
We have a large yellow bin that is put out every week where we collect lost property. It is usually laid out on tables in front of the uniform sop and we regularly call out over the PA to remind parents. Lost Property that is not claimed after a period of time is donated to charity.