About Us - Little Athletics Victoria

Little Athletics is a modified children’s athletics program for 5yo to 17yo athletes. Victorian born and bred, Little Aths started in Geelong over 60 years ago and now boasts 100 Centres all over metropolitan Melbourne and country Victoria, and 100,000 athletes across Australia. Our motto is Family, Fun & Fitness.

Athletes participate and compete weekly with their friends during season, learning the many disciplines of athletics, such as running (sprinting, hurdles, endurance running), jumping (long jump, high jump, triple jump) and throwing (discuss, shot put, javelin). Every season there are opportunities to participate in championship events, skills clinics, workshops, camps and other great activities. We are a community oriented sport.

Little Athletics is a year round sport that is broken into a summer and winter season. In summer, Centres run a weekly track and field program where athletes participate in the full suite of athletics events. During winter, the cross country season operates where athletes test their abilities over longer distance events, over challenging terrain. Little Athletes have one goal during the year, and that’s to achieve their own personal bests.

Little Athletics welcomes children with disability and children from migrant backgrounds. Many of our Centres can cater successfully to a wide variety of needs. Our approach is to fully integrate children’s participation without the need for separation wherever possible.

Some Centres run the ‘On Track’ program during the summer season for their 5yo – 7yo age groups. ‘On Track’ is a program developed by Little Athletics Victoria to meet the specific needs of our youngest athletes, and focuses on participation and the development of fundamental motor skills.

Athletics teaches fundamental movement skills that are critical for many other sports, such as Australian Rules Football, soccer, rugby, basketball, cricket, hockey, baseball, tennis…pretty much every sport requiring running, jumping and throwing. Our athletes are coached in improving their athletic technique which will often result in performance improvement through efficient movement, strength gains and endurance. Well conditioned athletes perform better, persist, seek further improvement, enjoy their sport, and form healthy lifestyle habits. We’re proud of these outcomes!

Many Little Athletes have gone on to excel in their sports locally, at State level, national level and internationally: footballers, hockey players, basketballers, tennis players, rugby players…..it all starts at Little Athletics!

MISSION STATEMENTS /

To develop children of all abilities by promoting positive attitudes and a healthy lifestyle through family and community involvement in athletics activities.
Through the enjoyment of athletics develop positive attitudes and a healthy lifestyle for our children, families and community.