Wantirna Little Athletics Club

Hi Everyone.

With recent announcements by the Victorian Government and the easing of restrictions, I have had a number of enquiries last week and over the weekend as to the use of the athletics track at Knox for training. The following is the advice that has been sent out over the weekend and today.

Knox Council and the Board of Management have advised that the track is open for limited use with the following restrictions will in place:

• For the immediate future entry to the track will be through the turnstile gate only.
• Training groups are to be limited to groups of 10 (maximum)
• Social distancing to be observed
• Athletes will have to use their own equipment
• Use of the Grandstand and Pavilion rooms is not permitted
• Use of the Gymnasium is not permitted
• Toilets – Only the Grandstand end toilets will be open for use

Little Athletics

At this stage LAVic have not advised when coaching or formal training can recommence, so any Little Athletics members will be able use the track primarily for running by themselves or in small socially distant groups.

We will be guided by LA Vic and Knox LAC as to the resumption of little athletics activities over the next few weeks as advice from LAVic and protocols are put in place.

Please keep up to date with information on the Knox LAC website.

Knox Seniors Athletics

For our athletes that are also Knox Senior Members you will have received an email from the club today regarding the resumption of training at the track. Advice from the seniors club is that the training will resume on Tuesday and Thursdays this week with the lights on for those that wish to train.  The Seniors club have also advised that any training must be in accordance with the restrictions applicable. Athletes should also check with their coaches.

If you need any further advice regarding Seniors training or becoming a member at Seniors please contact the Knox Seniors club directly.

I hope that everyone is well and looking forward to getting back to athletics, albeit a little differently this year.  If you have any questions please do not hesitate to contact me.

Regards

David Kearsley | Wantirna LAC President

Australians have always relied on the distinctive qualities of mateship, humour, ingenuity, courage and endurance to get us through. Known as the ANZAC Spirit, these five qualities have defined Australians ever since the first troops landed on the beaches of Gallipoli in World War I.

In the current climate, we’re reminding all our Wantirna LAC families that we all bear these qualities within us, ready to come to the fore when we need them.

ANZAC day is a tradition, that is celebrated in our freedom. It is a day in which not only do we salute the ANZACs, but in paying tribute to them, we also take the opportunity to invigorate our national spirit and pride.

On this day, in 1915, a group of volunteer Australian and New Zealand soldiers found themselves wading ashore before dawn at a small beach on the Gallipoli peninsula in Turkey. Many of these men were only teenagers, some as young as 16. All were anxious to prove their courage and national identity.

The ANZAC spirit forged at Gallipoli will never be forgotten. This is why Australians come together and pause for moment of reflection every ANZAC day. We do it to remember the ANZACs and their achievements; and we should remember them not as old soldiers from a distant war, but as the young Australians they were in 1915.

Our vast country with its harsh beauty and open skies, helps to shape healthy, confident, competitive, innovative and freedom loving individuals, who with good leadership and high motivation, can more than match the best in the world; in whatever they do.

The ANZACs showed us these same qualities. We have the ability to face challenges together and overcome them, to put community before self, to be courageous, determined, self-reliant and strong. We should be proud of our heritage. This is the spirit of ANZAC; the spirit that we must pass to the next generations.

Lest We Forget

To keep the information flowing about athletics here are some updates.

Olympics Update

Hopefully everyone is now aware the Olympics have formally been postponed until 2021.

They will still be known as the Toyko 2020 Olympics and will run from 23 July to 8 August 2021. You can read the about the postponement here:

https://www.olympic.org/news/ioc-ipc-tokyo-2020-organising-committee-and-tokyo-metropolitan-government-announce-new-dates-for-the-olympic-and-paralympic-games-tokyo-2020

World Athletics

If you are missing Athletics and want to watch some World Athletics (https://www.worldathletics.org/)is replaying the finals from the Doha 2019 World Championships.

You can view the finals from the World Athletics website or through the World Athletics Youtube channel https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCQk7fWv15ChjMJLCRVmtApw

For those that might be interested it is currently the Women’s Hammer Final is currently playing.

As we move into the next phases of the COVID 19 shutdown and our social distancing obligations it is important to still keep the information following.

So over the next few months we will continue to provide updates from the club and Knox LAC.

Wantirna LAC  – Committee

The club committee met last Sunday evening over Skype, getting used to social distancing.

The meeting was to determine the club champions and other awards winners for the season.

We have spoken to our trophy supplier and they have advised they are closed  at the moment and are not taking any orders. They have advised us once the virus risk has passed they will be more than happy to supply our trophies.

The committee is still committed to having a formal presentation night at some time in the future, so we wont be announcing the winners just yet.

Wantirna LAC  – AGM

As advised our AGM has been postponed until further notice. We have until August 31 to have an AGM, and we are still hopeful of having the AGM and Presentation night before then.

However if we can’t have a face to face AGM we will consider the other options available to us such as online using Skype or other platforms. At this stage the committee still remains in place an is continuing working for the club.

Recent Updates

Knox track is now closed. Council has ordered the Board of Management to close the track and has locked the turnstile to the northern end of the track. There is no access to any person. It is likely that other tracks will be closed by councils as further restrictions  are put in place.

Knox LAC AGM. Has been postponed until further notice. Please check the Knox LAC website for updates.

Cross Country Season. Postponed until at least 1 July. You can read the LA Vic update here http://lavic.com.au/News/information-relating-to-the-2019-20-cross-country-season

Knox LAC will have further information on Cross Country over the next few days.

Knox LAC have formally postponed the AGM for the Centre that was due to be held on 27th April.

KLAC’s AGM Postponed

Knox LAC have advised tha Knox City Council have closed the athletic track to all users. The Board of Management have changed the locks on the gates and have also locked the turnstile at the northern end.

If you have been using the track to keep up your fitness or just have walk around the track there is no longer any access to the track until further notice.

Signage will be put up at the track in the next few days.

Knox LAC post can be read here http://klac23.org.au/wordpress/?p=9158

As we are all aware the information regarding COVID 19 is changing rapidly. LAVic has provided information in recent days and in a statement sent out to athletes and families today (18 March 2020) the Knox Little Athletics Executive Committee confirmed the following:

1) Championship Day that was scheduled for Saturday 28th March is postponed – We will look at trying to run this event later in the year which will be communicated once we get approval from LA Vic. (Those who have already registered will be refunded)
2) Knox Awards & Trophy Presentation Day is postponed – We will look to reschedule, and a new date will be communicated as soon as possible.
3) All Centre coaching is cancelled until further notice. This includes any individual or group coaching held at the track. Concerned athletes can contact their coaches directly and ask for them to write up a training program so they can train on their own.
4) Centre & affiliated club meetings such as AGM’s & presentations days are cancelled until further notice. All Centre and Club Executive positions will remain the same until we get approval from LA Vic.
5) All Cross-Country races that were due to start in April will be postponed until further notice.
6) Any parent that registered their child after January 31st 2020, can contact LA Vic for a refund.

Wantirna AGM and Presentation Night Postponed

In light of the above, the Wantirna LAC AGM and Presentation night set for the 19th April is postponed until further notice.

The current Wantirna LAC committee potions will remain in place until advised by LAVic and Knox LAC Executive in accordance with the above.

Our club committee has been working hard in the back ground towards holding our AGM via an online platform if needed. We will advise club members accordingly when we can conduct an AGM and whether this will need to be online or not. Please keep update with information on the Knox LAC Website and Wantirna Pages as needed.

Awards and Trophies

The formal presentation of Wantirna LAC awards and trophies will therefore not take place.  We will however announce the winners of the awards  in due course and will endeavour to get trophies and awards to athletes at a later date.

The health & safety of our athletes and families is the number one priority and the club encourages you all to continue following the advice of DHHS on hygiene and safety practices and to remain informed on the latest details at www.dhhs.vic.gov.au/coronavirus

If anyone has any queries please do not hesitate to contact me.

Regards

David Kearsley | Wantirna LAC President

As most our families will all be aware, Little Athletics Victoria has made the decision to cancel the rest of the track and field season. Following this advice, Knox LAC has cancelled the rest of the season and is meeting to discuss rescheduling the Knox Championship Day.

You can read the LAVic statement here

http://lavic.com.au/News/little-athletics-victoria-statement-on-coronavirus-covid-19

While it is not the ending to the Track and Field Season that was expected, well done to all our athletes that competed this season. While the last few weeks have been challenging and unprecedented I am sure you’ll agree that the season has gone well.

For those of you that participate in the cross country season, LA Vic will make a decision on the cross country season in the next few weeks. I recommend that you keep updated by visiting the LA Vic website regularly.

We have made arrangements for the AGM to still go ahead on the scheduled date at St Lukes in Wantirna.  All families have received an invite to the AGM this week. Importantly the AGM is a requirement for the club to run for next season. It is important that, at a minimum, a club committee is elected. We will also still present the awards for the athletes. I encourage families to attend, however we understand if families are reluctant to do so. I trust that families will make a decision on attendance that is suitable to them.

LA Vic is working with Vic Sport and the government on advice to clubs on future  governance procedures. If the club is advised on way forward we will let families know as early as possible.

I expect that the situation will change rapidly, so I recommend that you keep update with the Knox LAC and Wantirna LAC website and our Facebook pages

If anyone has any questions please do not hesitate to contact me.

David Kearsley | Wantirna LAC President

All club members will have received formal notification (via email) from the club secretary that the date for the Wantirna Little Athletics Club Annual General meeting is 19th April 2020. This is an important process for the club and ensures that the club is meeting its  obligations.

Please save the date for our 2019 /2020 AGM and Presentation Night. Further details will follow, but for now:

Sunday April 19th 2020
5pm
St. Luke’s Primary School, Stokes Rd Wantirna.

Please RSVP to Leanne at your earliest convenience so we can cater accordingly.

As in previous years, the Committee will provide the venue, bbq dinner and all supplies. Families will be asked to bring either a small dessert or salad.

The AGM will be held first, please do attend as we will share important information about the club and the future directions of Little Athletics.

All committee positions are now declared vacant.

It is essential that we fill them on the night to be a viable club for the 2020 / 2021 season. We require a President, Treasurer, Secretary, Team Manager and at least 2 General Committee Members.

The Business of the AGM will be:

1. To confirm the Minutes of the previous Annual General Meeting;
2. To receive from the Committee the:
   1. reports upon the activities of the club during the preceding financial year
   2. financial statements of the club;
3. To consider the Resolution proposed by the committee;
4. To elect the office bearers of the Club;
5. Any other general business as notified in writing to the Secretary by 6pm on 15th April 2020

Presentations of Club Medals and Awards will follow the AGM.

If you don’t wish to join the committee, please consider becoming a Chief Official. We are very short on Chiefs which puts pressure on those we do have. It counts as duty for your family and you get full training, support and a very fetching blue polo shirt to wear. We would like at least six (6) Chiefs for the new season so please do consider it.

Further details will follow and we are cognisant of the current health crisis and concerns around public gatherings. We will be taking all public health advice into consideration and will keep you informed of any changes to the plan.

The following message from LAVic has been posted this morning (Friday)  that the State Championships have been postponed.

Given the rapid developments in relation to the Coronavirus LAVic have determined that risk to health of athletes, officials, volunteers and parents is too great and in line with other sporting codes has decided postpone state championships. See

While this is disappointing for our athletes that made it through to State Champs it is understandable given the current health concerns.

It is expected that the LA Vic will provide further updates as the situation changes.

At this stage there hasn’t been any updates on centre competitions. Knox LAC will be advised by LA Vic in due course regarding our weekly comps and Champ Day.

If anyone has any questions please do not hesitate to contact me

David Kearsley | Wantirna LAC President