About Us

We are a family based club. We aim to provide athletes of all ages with the opportunity to grow and develop through the sport of athletics. We provide qualified coaches and organised competition. In line with this philosophy we have instituted a new awards structure for this year. The system rewards participation and improvement, while still recognising excellence. We look forward to the enthusiastic performances of our members this year.

 

In order for our club to operate we need assistance from members and their family. The more assistance our members are able to provide – the greater the opportunities for our coaches to work closely with the athletes.

Mackay State High School has been our home base for many years. We would again like to express out appreciation to the school for their support and assistance.

 

Mackay Athletics Club is a member club of Athletics North Queensland (ANQ). ANQ is an athletics partner of Queensland Athletics and Athletics Australia. Through this association we are able to offer members of all ages access to competitions at local, regional, state, national and international level.

 

 

 

 

Philosophy of Mackay Athletics Club

 

Club Athletics is not here just to produce highly skilled specialist athletes but to provide the basic athletic learning, fun, fitness and competitions for children and young adults. Generally, it must be accepted that specialisation is unwise until at least mid teens. Specialists also can be better serviced if they are trained and perfected by specialist coaches. We provide a coaching structure that allows both general and specialised development.

 

By providing access to various levels of competition, we are in fact “character building” and this is important and provides the springboard from which the senior athletes of tomorrow may be drawn. However, we are aware that the greater the degree of competition, the greater the discrimination in favour of a specialist minority. As such, you are free to choose all, some or none of the competition provided. Our Saturday competitions are designed to encourage self-improvement as the important yardstick and we would urge parents to explain to their youngsters the meaning of such a system.

 

 

 

 

Competition Days

 

Weekly competition is held on Saturdays between March and September, from 12.45 to 4.00pm.  On various occasions the Club may compete at carnivals or Inter Club Meets.

 

Athletes ideally compete in their own appointed age groups under the direction of an appointed Age Marshall. Become a Marshall and lead your child in their group to the events, run them and record the results.  Athletes are asked to respect and abide by the Age Marshall’s directions at all times, as they are only volunteers who are generously giving their time.

 

Each athlete is encouraged to compete in all the appointed 5 events for that day.  At field events (shot put, Long Jump, Discus etc) each athlete will be given three trials, except High Jump where the athlete will continue to jump until they record three consecutive failures. All athletes will have a result if they do the event. After each field event the athlete will be given a ticket, which will record the best of their trials at the field or track events.

 

ON CLUB COMPETITION DAYS, EVENTS WILL BE RUN UNDER ANQ RULINGS.

 

 

 

 

 

Coaching

 

The club provides some basic event coaching free of charge. In season coaching is on Monday and Thursday afternoons from 4.30pm to 5.30pm. Parents are encouraged to participate and learn coaching skills. Bring a water bottle, sunscreen & hat.   Check the training dates on the Calendar page on this website.

 

The club also offers access to Private Squad Training. Should you wish to access their services please contact them on Club Competition Days or through the committee.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Parent Involvement

 

Children must be accompanied at all times by a parent or guardian during competition afternoons.

 

Athletics requires a lot of Officials to run smoothly and stress free every Saturday for the benefits of the athletes.  We can never have too many willing helpers.  All of our Officials are volunteers either because they enjoy officiating, want to put something back into the sport or want to help their sons and daughters.

 

The Club is appealing for more people to assist by becoming helpers or age marshalls or even officials.  You don’t have to be qualified to help and in the beginning you don’t even have to know the rules – we will teach you.  After all, we all had to start somewhere.

 

Perhaps you could be asked to rake the Long Jump pit, role back the Shot Put, help put up the High Jump Bar or Time Keep – nothing too difficult to start with.  All you need for this is enthusiasm and a desire to assist the athletes.

 

 

 

Further information about the Club is available in the Clubs Hand Book.  Download it now.

Copyright 2010 Mackay Athletics  All rights reserved.