Caulfield Little Athletics (CLAC) Summer Training Sessions 2017/18

Mondays from 5.30 pm to 6.30 pm for registered members.

Wednesdays from 5.30 pm to 6.30 pm for registered members.

Thursday from 5.30pm to 6.30pm for registered members. 

Specialist Training in Feb & Mar to be advised by email.

The aim of the Coaching Panel at CLAC is to provide a safe environment where athletes will have fun whilst improving their skills in running, walking, jumping and throwing. As a centre we want our athletes to enjoy the training experience and look forward to coming back for the next session.

This season we have introduced a few changes to help parents/athletes plan their training. A training calendar has been produced to identify when different events will be on.

A training calendar has been produced to help athletes and parents plan ahead.   See the calendar on the website or inside the clubrooms.

Track redevelopment – Once Duncan Mackinnon Reserve closes for redevelopment our aim is to continue the training program at Bricker Reserve, Rowans Road, Moorabbin. Moorabbin’s track is a 5 -10 minute drive from Duncan Mackinnon. The Moorabbin track is currently being redeveloped and will have a state of the art synthetic surface once completed (mid November). We hope to move to Moorabbin from the time DMR work begins until the end of the season.   If the event that Moorabbin is unavailable a modified training program will continue on the grass oval at Duncan Mackinnon until Moorabbin is finished – it is possible that we will use a combination of both. Rest assured that training will continue and you will be kept updated on what is happening as information comes to hand.

Coaching Coordinator: Mary Harper – 0425 719 384

Coaching Panel: Brian Schepisi, Alwyn, Jones, Kulan Ranasinghe, Kim Mulhall, Matt Cowie, Pat Kaufman, Nicole Webster, Imti Haleel, James Vine, Sienna Fighera, Jason Hodson.

See below for coaches profiles. All coaches and committee members have a working with children check.

On Track Coaches:

On Track Coaches have attended the On Track Workshop with Little Athletics Victoria where they have been trained to deliver the skills-based coaching program for U6 & U7 athletes in a positive environment. The coaches are present or past CLAC athletes and have lots of practical experience in all athletic events.   We are proud of the senior athletes giving back to the junior members.

• Mary Harper – On Track Co-ordinator
• Maureen Miller Saturday Co-ordinator
• Samantha Miller
• Maddy Harper
• Jemma Owen
• Georgie Whittle
• Ines Van Dame
• Piper Montag
• Aisling O’Connor Buckley
• Isabella Harper
• Jordynne Orb
• Joshua Whittle
• Ben Edwards
• Ciara Losty

For all training and coaching enquiries please contact Mary Harper on m.harper5@optusnet.com.au or speak to her on Saturday mornings in the clubrooms.

Weather Policy           Heat Policy & Adverse Weather

 Before a training program starts

In the event of adverse weather, be it too hot, too cold or too wet, a decision to proceed or cancel will be made by the Training Co-ordinator prior to training. Please do not assume because it is raining in your area, that our track is unavailable. Quite often it can be raining in your area but dry at the track. In the event of a cancellation, this will be communicated via the Facebook and Team App.

During the training program

The Training Co-ordinator will decide on the suspension/alteration or cancellation of a program that has commenced.

Heat Policy

CLAC recognises that little athletics can be a strenuous exercise and children are particularly susceptible to heat stress as their ability to regulate body heat is poorly developed compared to adults. As such CLAC is committed to the health and wellbeing of all participants including volunteers and coaches and will make this a priority when considering decisions on continuation during periods of extreme weather.

CLAC will utilise the guidelines as published by Sport Medicine Australia which specifies the Wet Bulb Globe Temperature (WBGT) index should be used to determine if a training program should be cancelled or postponed. On this basis, all running events at training will be cancelled when the WBGT is 28°C or higher, and will cancel all competition and training when the WBGT is 30°C or higher. We will notify you of this.

Please note our facebook and Team App are private groups. When asking to join please let us know your child’s name and age group to confirm your connection with CLAC. CLAC checks all requests are legitimate members and/or associates.

Click here to become a Facebook Friend

Click here to become a Team App member

What is training at Caulfield Little Athletics?

Joining CLAC entitles your child/ren to attend our weekly training sessions in both summer and winter seasons. It’s included in the registration fees no extra costs except for specialist training in February and March. Training is optional but we encourage your child/ren to take advantage of the fantastic coaches.

The training is held on a Monday, Wednesday and Thursday.

All sessions run from 5:30pm to 6:30pm.

In the table below you will find the events on offer at each session. Please note all training sessions are subject to change depending on athletes, numbers and coaches in attendance.

On Track & U7 – Monday nights we will have two On Track coaches in attendance to train the U6 & U7 athletes.

Relay Training (Oct/Nov/Dec 2017)– We encourage all athletes participating in the Mentone & SMR relay days to attend the Monday and Wednesday sprints training. We are in the process of arranging relay training but are hopeful it can be held from 6:30pm to 7:00pm Monday and Wednesday evenings.

Walks Training – We will also be held at various times throughout the season. It’s recommended all athletes U9 – U16 attend. See program for walks training.

Specialist Training – U9 to U16 – In the second half of the season (Feb/Mar) we will have our specialist training in the lead up to the Southern Metropolitan Region (SMR) Track and Field Championships and the Victorian State Track & Field Championships. Information will be emailed to members at the appropriate time. These sessions are held during February and March. We do charge a small fee per session to help pay for coaching.

Why should your children attend training?

At CLAC it is all about Family, Fun and Participation!

CLAC is very proud to encourage personal best performances (PB’s) by each athlete. Our major award at the end of the season is the Season PB Champion. This trophy is awarded to the athlete who has achieved the most PB’s during the season. Last season we were lucky to have 2 equal PB champions achieving 42 PB’s!

To improve each week an athlete needs to participate in training where the coaches can assist them with technique and fitness.   Our coaches are very experienced and enjoy helping each athlete to achieve their best and to have fun!

Saturday is competition day we will have team managers and event co-ordinators to assist with technique on the day but the best place to improve is by attending training in a more relaxed atmosphere with experienced coaches. The more practice the better their technique and motor skills will become and the more PB’s they will achieve.

Coaching Profiles:

Alwyn Jones – Alwyn is a level 3 Jumps Coach who also specialises in Hurdles & Sprints. He is an 8 times National Triple Jump Champion, represented Australia in the World Championships and won a Bronze medal at the 2006 Commonwealth Games. His PB’s are 16.83m for Triple Jump & 7.66m for Long Jump.

Brian Schepisi – Brian is a level 4 running coach (middle and long distance) with 30 years experience in the fitness industry. He teaches the Certificate 3 and 4 Fitness Instructors Course at the Australian Institute of Fitness and is a course presenter with Athletics Victoria. He has recently returned to coaching at CLAC in both cross-country and middle distance.

Jason Hodson – Jason is an Advanced Level 2 coach in jumps and sprint coaching. He specialises in development of junior athletes aged 5 to 18, introducing, promoting and improving technique posture and execution of the relevant discipline from a beginner to state development level. He is also part of the LAVic Junior Development Squad (JDS) coaching panel and regularly takes squads on the JDS training days.

Athletics Australia Coach – 7165

Level 2 Adv – TJ/LJ/HJ/50m – 400m/Hurdles/Relay

Level 2 Int – SP/Dis/Jav/PV

Australian Sports Commission registered coach

Kim Mulhall – is a level 2 Throws Coach. Kim started athletics at CLAC when she was 7. She has been competing in Shot put and Discus at International level since 2007. She finished 4th at World Youth and World Juniors and 11th at the Commonwealth Games in 2014. She has also been coaching at Wesley College for many years.

Matt Cowie – Matt has been coaching with CLAC for a couple of years. He is a 2 time National Shot Put Champion, represented Australia in the Commonwealth Youth Games and the Junior World Championships.

Kulan Ranasinghe – is a level 2 club coach specialising in Sprints and Hurdles. He was the 2012, 400m Hurdles Victorian Champion and won the Australian University title for 400m Hurdles in 2008.   He was a member of the 4x200m relay team that won the Victorian title. He has also competed in the 400m Hurdles at the 2010 Melbourne IAAF World Challenge. He is the senior Hurdle champion of the Glenhuntly Athletics Club since 2007.

Pat Kaufman – Pat is a secondary school teacher and has coached school boys and girls in all events for 35 years. He is originally from Tasmania where he won 14 state titles in middle distance running and he held the record for the 3000m steeplechase for 36 years. In Melbourne he joined the Glenhuntly Athletics Club and was cross country captain for 3 years. His specialty is middle distance and javelin. Pat has coached at Caulfield Little Aths for many years.

Jemima Montag – Jemima is a race walker who has represented Australia twice- at the World Race Walking Cup in China in 2014 and the World Youth Track and Field Championships in Colombia in 2016. She is currently training with an elite squad and is aiming to make her first senior Australian Team in 2018. Jemima enjoyed many fantastic years competing with CLAC. She also coaches Wesley College Cross Country.

James Vine – We welcome James to Caulfield Little Aths this season. James has been specialising in sprinting and hurdles coaching for approximately 7 years. He has coached at Melbourne Grammar in the junior, middle and senior schools.   He is a level 1 Athletics Australia coach. James has competed in athletics since he joined Camberwell Malvern as an U6 going through until U15. He now competes for Old Melbournians having graduated from Melbourne Grammar in 2010.   James represented Australia in hurdles at the Youth Olympics in 2009. In 2013 he came third in the Stawell Gift.

Nicole Webster – We welcome Nicole to Caulfield Little Aths coaching panel this season.   Nicole’s daughters have joined CLAC this season and Nicole has literally jumped in to offer her services as a coach. Nicole is a level 1 Athletics Australia coach and has competed in middle distance events at the national level for more than 25 years (both as a junior and senior).

Siena Fighera – We welcome Siena to Caulfield Little Aths coaching panel this season. Siena has been an athlete for many years starting with Brighton Little Aths (U6 to U9), Sandringham Little Aths (U10 to U15). She started her senior athletics at Sandringham Athletics and recently made the move to Diamond Valley Athletics for the 2017/18 season. Her favourite event is 200m and enjoys competing in 100m and 400m as well.

Imti Haleel – We welcome Imti to Caulfield Little Aths coaching panel this season.   Imti’s son has joined CLAC this season and he has jumped in to offer his services as a coach. Imti was a University level athlete having represented in all long distance events from 5000ms, 10000ms, 20 km road race. Imti is also a soccer coach with Glen Eira soccer club, having attended 3 certified courses Grassroots, skill acquisition and Game training. He has been with the Glen Eira soccer club since 2016.