09-04-2024, 08:10 AM
Yep
It certainly is an individual sport Kruds...that doesn't mean the team aspect is totally missing
The funny thing is that when I think of my friends the closest ones are all athletes.
(That could be partly due to the anti-social make-up of a lot of self-centred athletic folk
)
Friends are few, but the trials and shared experiences of competition are a strong bond.
I started athletics at 17, around the same time Little A's was kicking off in Sydney.
Back in the days interclub was run as a club v club concept
Competition for all clubs was at the one venue... E.S Marks field
Most of the major suburbs fielded sides as well as the the universities. (Sydney Uni, UNSW)
Over the years I competed for St George, Sutherland, Parramatta and Ryde Hornsby.
The competition was structured from A-G grade according to ability.
The big clubs entered teams in all grades.
What you found was that an athlete might be an A-grade high jumper, but if we were short a shot putter in G grade they'd have a go at that event just to get points for the club...and of course there were relays.
They were pretty heady days. On a Saturday afternoon we had a couple of hundred athletes competing and you would be competing against Olympians in some events.
So while the main focus was on our own individual performances the club aspect was very strong...and winning a premiership in any grade was regarded as a big achievement. The fact that you could compete in many grades over a season in different events also meant you could have multiple team success over a year.
That was kind of a golden era for athletics and seems to be largely diminished since Little Athletics came into being.
Certainly the club aspect is not what it was.
I can't help but feel that LA's is a contributing factor in the decline of that club structure at senior level.
Having said that I think there remains a strong 'team' aspect to Little A's when the kids go to regional and state championships.
The other big team approach comes from your training squad. Our squad usually numbered around 15-20 and we all took an interest in, and celebrated each others performances.
I've also been involved in club administration. If you think Football politics is a bit wacky, you should see Athletic club administration.
So yes, it's a very individual sport, but not without a strong 'team' aspect in the structured club/ squad situation.
It certainly is an individual sport Kruds...that doesn't mean the team aspect is totally missing
The funny thing is that when I think of my friends the closest ones are all athletes.
(That could be partly due to the anti-social make-up of a lot of self-centred athletic folk
)Friends are few, but the trials and shared experiences of competition are a strong bond.
I started athletics at 17, around the same time Little A's was kicking off in Sydney.
Back in the days interclub was run as a club v club concept
Competition for all clubs was at the one venue... E.S Marks field
Most of the major suburbs fielded sides as well as the the universities. (Sydney Uni, UNSW)
Over the years I competed for St George, Sutherland, Parramatta and Ryde Hornsby.
The competition was structured from A-G grade according to ability.
The big clubs entered teams in all grades.
What you found was that an athlete might be an A-grade high jumper, but if we were short a shot putter in G grade they'd have a go at that event just to get points for the club...and of course there were relays.
They were pretty heady days. On a Saturday afternoon we had a couple of hundred athletes competing and you would be competing against Olympians in some events.
So while the main focus was on our own individual performances the club aspect was very strong...and winning a premiership in any grade was regarded as a big achievement. The fact that you could compete in many grades over a season in different events also meant you could have multiple team success over a year.
That was kind of a golden era for athletics and seems to be largely diminished since Little Athletics came into being.
Certainly the club aspect is not what it was.
I can't help but feel that LA's is a contributing factor in the decline of that club structure at senior level.
Having said that I think there remains a strong 'team' aspect to Little A's when the kids go to regional and state championships.
The other big team approach comes from your training squad. Our squad usually numbered around 15-20 and we all took an interest in, and celebrated each others performances.
I've also been involved in club administration. If you think Football politics is a bit wacky, you should see Athletic club administration.
So yes, it's a very individual sport, but not without a strong 'team' aspect in the structured club/ squad situation.