Athlete Progression Guide
Stay on Track
Western Australia
Athletics is a sport for all ages that provides equal opportunity for girls and boys across a range of track and field disciplines.
Athletics WA and Little Athletics WA have worked closely over the past few years to provide a clearer path for athletes to move from junior to senior athletics and now have joint development programs to achieve this.
It is with great anticipation that we look forward to your continued involvement in
our fantastic sport and trust this guide assists you.
Wayne Loxley (Athletics WA) & Samya Monaco (WA Little Athletics)
The purpose of this guide is to inform and educate athletes of the opportunities
available at all levels of athletics here in Western Australia. Whether you are an
athlete focussed on continued participation or seeking information on performance
pathways, this resource summarises the possibilities and avenues that you can
travel to fulfil your goals.
There are many exciting initiatives being put in place at a state and national level to
identify and retain athletes. Little Athletics and Athletics WA are committed to
providing a supportive environment for participants throughout the sport with the
aim of encouraging long term involvements.
Athlete Progression Guide
Training: WA Institute of Sport,
Specialist or National Coaches
Competitions: Olympics,
Commonwealth Games, IAAF World,
Youth and Junior Championships,
Diamond League
Participation: Little Athletics Centres,
Senior Clubs, Masters, Schools
Competitions: Centre/Zone Comps,
Strive Track & Field Program, School
Carnivals, West Coast Athletics League
Local
Training: ET Clinics, State Development
Squads, Coaches
Competitions: State, Country,
Masters and All-Schools Championships
State
Training: National Development Squad,
Target Talent Program, Coaches
Competitions: Australian Open, Little
Athletics, Junior, All Schools and Masters
Championships. National Circuit
National
International
U7- U8: Moving
Fundamental Athletics Skills
U16- U17: Training
Athlete Progression Pathway
Development Framework
State Bodies
National Bodies
International Body
National Teams & Competitions
Up to U6: Playing
Fundamental Motor Skills
U9- U12: Learning
Event Specific Skills
U13- U15: Practicing
Technical Model
Clubs are the cornerstone of Athletics at all levels, they provide the social environment, training and
representation opportunities.
For most Little Athletes, Senior clubs provide the next step in the journey and the chance to continue
their career with friends while enhancing the fundamental skills learnt in the initial years. In a growing
number of instances, senior clubs are attached to their local Little Athletics Centres, providing a
comfortable means of progression for teenage athletes.
Albany LAC Albany Athletics Club albanyaths.asn.au
Bunbury LAC Bunbury Athletics Club bunburyregional-
athleticsclub.myclub.org.au
Southern Districts LAC Canning Districts Athletic
Club
Curtin Athletics Club
Gosnells LAC Gosnells Bullets Athletics
Group
Joondalup LAC Joondalup Athletics Club [email protected]
Kingsway LAC Kingsway Athletics Club [email protected]
Melville LAC Melville Athletics Club [email protected]
Peel LAC & Rockingham LAC Mandurah/Rockingham
Athletics Club
Hamersley LAC North Beach Athletics Club nbablues.com
Ridgewood LAC Ridgewood Athletics Club [email protected]
UWA LAC UWA Athletics Club uwaac.com.au
Other clubs include Masters Athletics WA, Surf Life Saving WA and West Track Club.
Athlete Progression Guide
The coach-athlete partnership is a special one from which many great things
can be achieved. According to your age, abilities or event, there are coaches
available at all levels of Track & Field in WA. Little Athletics Centres and Senior
Clubs are where a large proportion of coaches also do their work. From the age
of 16, you are also able to stay in the sport by becoming a coach or official.
For athletes seeking additional training or expertise, specialist coaches that
work with their own squads exist. High level coaching and career support is
also provided for elite athletes through the WA Institute of Sport (WAIS).
The various event coaches in Western Australia and their levels attained can
be found through the iCoach resource at training.argybargyonline.com/
athleticsaus/coaches/Search.
The world watched closely as Sally Pearson held off her rivals to win gold in a thrilling
women’s 100m hurdles final at London’s Olympic Stadium. It was years in the making.
Pearson first met her coach, Sharon Hannan, when she was 12 at the 1999 Queensland
Little Athletics Championships. Their partnership has evolved as Pearson competed at
every level of competition.
Athlete Progression Guide
Pearson has now progressed into a World, Olympic and
Commonwealth champion that has travelled the world doing
what she loves. Her career is most certainly an inspiration for
aspiring athletes.
Source: Quinn Rooney/Getty Images Europe)
In summer, WA’s modern Athletics Stadium lights up for the Friday
night Strive Track & Field program. Athletes from various clubs
converge to participate in their chosen events. It’s an exciting
environment to do what you love and achieve your fitness or athletics
goals.
Throughout the Summer season, Little Athletes are provided
opportunities to be involved in the Strive Track & Field program or
participate in special Little Athletics Challenges. These enable the
athletes to take part in a number of events over the night, watch top
class athletes perform and familiarise themselves with the stadium
environment.
An overall season calendar can be found at waathletics.org.au/9084-
awa-fixturecard-2012-sep12v.pdf
Athlete Progression Guide
At a state level, there are a number of competitive opportunities available to athletes of all
ages to represent Western Australia. Performance at state level leads on to a wide array of
national competitions throughout the country. These are detailed in the Athlete
Progression Pathway.
Promising teenage or senior athletes can receive specialised coaching through the West
Australia Institute of Sport (WAIS) or Athletics Australia’s new Target Talent Program (TTP).
Individual athlete support is also available for those with financial or physical constraints
through bodies such as the Department of Sport & Recreation.
Stay on Track
Acknowledgements
This publication has been developed jointly by Little Athletics WA and Athletics WA. With the
support of the Community Athletics Council of WA.
Thanks to those who contributed information in the compilation of this resource. This guide
aims to summarise the opportunities available for track & field athletes in WA, for the benefit
of the sport.
Further Information
Season calendars, membership, competition and all relevant information
can be found at these sources:
WA Little Athletics– walittleathletics.com.au
Athletics WA– waathletics.org.au
Little Athletics Australia– littleathletics.com.au
Athletics Australia– athletics.com.au
IAAF– iaaf.org
Department of Sport and Recreation– dsr.wa.gov.au
WA Institute of Sport– wais.org.au
Australian Sports Commission– ausport.gov.au
For more information on athlete progression feel free to contact
Abid Imam (WALA Development Officer) [email protected] or
Jayne Mitchell (AWA Coaching & Clubs Officer) [email protected]