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 here
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 every fortnight. There is also an information stand set up next to the announcers tent every competition morning that has the competition roster and all the latest information. We also have a free UWALAC App you can download to your smartphone.
How does the coaching work?
Each age-group has their own coach and often up to 2 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 generally can sell uniforms from the information tent before each competition. If you require a uniform mid-season then please email contact@uwalac.com.
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 our UWALAC APP. 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 10.30-11.30am. In general our last event finishes around 11.30am. 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. Club Administration will get back to you. We also have a list of ex-athletes/students available for roster that you can pay-please email the centre if you require this list.
What happens if my child wants to pull out –do I get a refund?
Generally No. 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 contact@uwulac.com as we often have waiting list for some age-groups .For refunds see the information here
Can my child start little athletics once the season has already started?
If the age-group has room in it-then yes 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 your family results. As they go live whilst we are entering and checking, it is a good idea to wait until at least Tuesday as errors are still being checked and results updated. The full centre results normally appear on the website by Wednesday following a competition day. Check under the Results tab of the website.
What happens if my child’s results are wrong on the website?
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?
That is fine. 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 at the Centre Admin desk where we collect lost property. We regularly call out over the PA to remind parents. Lost Property that is not claimed after 1 month is donated to charity.