As ANZA Athletics gets underway for the 2017/18 season, Lucy James discusses a few changes to see out on the track.
Early in August, the ANZA Athletics Committee gathered all the feedback from the community, from parents, from the children and sought how to improve the current athletics group. They’ve been listening and are shaking up ANZA Athletics to make it better and easier for everyone to take part. There are a few changes which have been made to improve the group whilst still retaining the important values of making new friends, attaining personal bests and simply having fun. The season has just kicked off so there is still time to sign your kids up for a weekly dose of healthy competition – with the following points implemented to ensure we have the best season yet.
The Roster/Coaches
ANZA Athletics are paying for more dedicated coaches so you, the parents, don’t have to commit every week. The coaches will teach and properly train your kids in the different events. Parents will be rostered on as Age Group Managers, Recorders and Place Setter. This way, you get to watch your kids, have fun with them and be their biggest cheerleaders!
Time-Keeping Accuracy
The coaches will be responsible for keeping an eye on the clock and we will improve the accuracy for our little athletes. We’ve been researching new and different equipment systems and hope to upgrade what we have.
Communication
A Facebook Group – ANZA Little Athletics Singapore – has been set up which will be a closed group (just for parents) and will be audited every year. This Group will help us to engage as a community and share photos, kids’ achievements and also be used as a notification board of last-minute cancellations due to rain and haze, etc.
Scoring
We are going to completely separate the Points System into two groups: Age Group Champions, and Most Improved.
Age Group Champion
Each week every athlete’s attendance is recorded and one point is awarded for each event contested. Points are also awarded if an athlete equals or improves upon their personal best. Additional points will be awarded to the participant with the fastest times and the longest distance jumped/thrown, not the actual place finished. The total of these points determines the end of season Age Group Champion.
The point scoring system for all events:
1st Place: 7 Points
2nd Place: 5 Points
3rd Place: 4 Points
4th Place: 3 Points
5th Place: 2 Points
All other competitors will receive one point on completing an event.
Personal Best (PB) points are awarded with 3 points for a new PB and 2 points for an equal PB. These points will be calculated separately and compiled for each athlete’s end of year total. The point score for all events is the overall result of the event. That is, if a child that placed third in heat 1 has a faster time than a child who wins heat 2, then the child in heat 1 will be placed higher overall than the winner of heat 2. In the event of a tie, the athletes will be awarded the same points e.g. two athletes who have exactly the same distance in long jump and are tied for first place will both earn 7 points and the next athlete will be placed third with 4 points.
Age Champion Award: First, second and third highest point-earning girls and boys in all age groups.
Most Improved
This award recognises ongoing improvement throughout the season. Points are awarded each time an athlete achieves a personal best performance in an event. Each Age Group will have a male and female winner and runner-up in this category.
ANZA Athletics caters to kids aged 5 to 14-years-old, with a focus on fun, fitness and skills.
Location: Yio Chu Kang Stadium.
Contact: athletics@anza.org.sg
