Parent Participation

Kenmore Little Athletics is a voluntary organisation and cannot operate without the assistance of parents each week in fulfilling the many and varied duties required.

For our Saturday afternoon competitions to run efficiently we require approximately 50 parents/adults to volunteer. If we do not have enough volunteers for an event, then that event may need to be cancelled for the day.

The following is a list of the duties required each week to run a competition efficiently.

• Equipment Set Up – the committee arrives early each week to set up equipment on the oval. Similarly an age group will be rostered on for set up, which means you will need to arrive 30 mins earlier than the start time of 3 pm. This set up duty counts as a unit for the parent participation refund. Set up duties may include; the long jump pit, shade tents at the start and finish line and any other general requirements needed on the day.
• Field Event Facilitators – each week we require at least 1 parent to help run each of the field events along with the age marshals and a committee member. Information cards are available from the clubhouse or inside the age marshal folders that help explain the rules and regulations for the event. If you still require assistance please see a committee member. Unfortunately if we do not get enough helpers for these events we will have to cancel that event for the day.
• Age Marshals – this is a great way to follow your child around, but entails taking the entire age group to each event. You may also need to help run the field events and must write up performance tickets for each of the athletes. As an age marshal you are responsible for the group of children you are taking around and as such have the right to keep their behaviour in check. We require 2-3 parents for each age group and there is an expectation that those parents are involved in helping out at each field event. Most of the time at least one committee member will be present at a field event to help instruct/coach the athletes.
• Starter – is responsible for starting each race using a cap gun. They are in contact with the chief time keeper (via walkie talkies) detailing such things as: event, age group and how many competitors are racing.
• Time Keepers & Place Judges – Timekeepers sit up in the stand and time each track event. Each person is given a position to time (eg. 1st, 2nd, 3rd etc). There will be a chief time keeper (committee member) facilitating the timekeepers. Approximately 6 people are required for timekeeping and it is a great way to see your child/children run each week.
• Recorder – the recorder sits under the tent at the finish line. They are asked to record the individual times of each athlete onto a master sheet for track events only.
• Equipment Pack Up – Everybody (including age marshals) are asked to help with the pack up at the end of each competition. When you have completed your job for the day or when your children has finished their last event, we ask that you help pack up the equipment in that area. (eg. If your last event is long jump, please help pack up the rake, tape measure and mat etc and place them in the basket supplied and leave them in a neat pile for our groundsman to come around and collect with the trailer. Please, if you see something that needs to be packed up, use your initiative and help out. The pulling down of tents is one job that needs many hands, so please help out the committee when you see this happening.
• First Aid Officer – is asked to be on call at the grounds in case of a first aid incident. You are not required to sit up at the club house and are more than welcome to take on another role for the day, we just need to be able to find you in case of an incident. You will need a current first aid certificate for this role.

No experience is required for most of the above roles and it can be as much fun as you make it. The committee are always around so if you need assistance please ask. Parents like us are helping make these competitions happen every weekend, so please offer your assistance, and you never know you might even enjoy yourself!

Additional assistance is always required on the centre committee and all parents are encouraged to become involved.  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 Kenmore 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, please let the committee know.