Junior athletics numbers swell on back of underage Bay Sheffield and dual association registrations
A RECORD number of runners are expected to take to the track this summer on the back of a junior athletics boom.
West & Beaches
Don't miss out on the headlines from West & Beaches. Followed categories will be added to My News.
A RECORD number of runners are expected to take to the track this summer on the back of a junior athletics boom.
SA Athletic League president Brendan Golden said entries for the Athletic League's premier meeting - the Bay Sheffield - had grown 23 per cent since under-age races including the Junior Bay Sheffield were introduced four years ago and could hit the 1000 mark for the first time this year.
He said the handicap system and prize money on offer were big lures for young runners.
"Our entries across all carnivals increased 22 per cent last year alone,'' Golden said.
"It used to be a good carnival if we had 250 entries.
"Last year we had more than 300 entries at every carnival, and the Bay Sheffield had 876.
"What we are seeing is that at some carnivals the entry numbers for the under-17 events exceed entries for the senior race, which is staggering.''
Athletics SA chief executive Adam Bishop said he expected up to 1200 athletes to register with his organisation this summer, up from 796 last season.
Athletics SA, which runs competitions at Santos Stadium, has not surpassed 1000 members since 1988-89.
"Our numbers are tracking really well at the moment, I'd expect our total registration base to grow about 25 per cent this season,'' Bishop said
A key to Athletics SA's growth was improving traditionally frosty relations with SA Little Athletics, which had more than 8000 registered juniors last summer.
The associations now offer "dual-registrations" allowing juniors to register for both Athletics SA and SA Little Athletics.
Bishop expected about 200 juniors aged 14 or older to take up the option.
"Retention has been a huge issue for the sport and the dual-registration option is playing a really important role in making sure juniors aren't lost to the sport once they graduate from Little Athletics," Bishop said.
Bishop expected athletes aged less than 20 to make up more than 50 per cent of the association's 1200 members this season.
SA footy legend fears coaches are playing down concussion
A former Port Adelaide chief executive and Norwood playing great says some amateur footy coaches are risking players’ health with their handling of concussion.
Wild CCTV shows moment gift shop goes up in flames
Footage has shown the lead up to an arson attack on a gift shop – as SA’s top cop separately reveals at least 200 smokes stores are operating illegally. See the map of the attacks.