Junior 2017/18 Season  Newsletter Seventeen (4 February 2018)

1. The Business End of the Season Is Here!

The business end of the season has well and truly arrived. Please check out the list of upcoming events below and make sure you get your entries in on time. Feel free to contact [email protected] or speak to a committee member on club night if you need further information.

Auckland Junior Athletics Champs Counties-Manukau 1500m Champs When: Saturday 10 February What time: 7-9 years - 9 am start When: Sunday 11 February 10-14 years - 12 noon start What time: From 9.30 am Where: Mt Smart Stadium, Penrose Where: Lloyd Elsmore Park Who for? All athletes aged 7-14 years Who for? All athletes aged 10-14 yrs What? Athletes compete in 3 or 5 events. What? First event of the CM Athletics Results from each event are added together to Junior Championship for 2017/18. give a combined score. Top-scoring athletes in Cost: $6 each grade receive medals. 7-9 year olds compete in 100m, and shotput; 10-14 To enter: Complete registration form sent via year olds compete in 200m, 800m, long jump, email (or request a form from shotput and discus [email protected]) and transfer fee into section bank account, or complete form and pay cash at Cost: Covered by the section. the BBQ on Wednesday night To enter: Contact [email protected] Entries close: 9 am Friday 9 February Entries close: 11 pm Monday 5 February

Auckland Junior Athletics Auckland Junior Athletics Championships - 12 Years + Championships - 10/11 Years When: Friday 16 to Sunday 18 February 1500m What time: Friday evening (from 5.45 pm) All day Saturday and Sunday When: Friday 16 February Where: Mt Smart Stadium, Penrose What time: Friday evening (from 5.45 pm) Who for? All athletes aged 12 -14 years Where: Mt Smart Stadium, Penrose What? Championship meeting to find top Who for? All athletes aged 10 or 11 years Auckland club athletes in each event. Medals What? First event of Auckland Junior awarded to all place-getters. Athletes can enter Athletics Championship for 7-11 year olds up to 6 events Cost: $6 Cost: $6 per event (excluding relays) To enter: Complete registration form sent To enter: Complete registration form sent via email (or request a form from via email (or request a form from [email protected]) and transfer fee into section [email protected]) and transfer fee into section bank account, or complete form and pay cash at bank account, or complete form and pay cash at the BBQ on Wednesday night the BBQ on Wednesday night Entries close: 9 am Thursday 8 February Entries close: 9 am Thursday 8 February

2. The Other Big Event – FOR EVERYONE! Pakuranga Open Day!

The Pakuranga Open Day is on Sunday the 11th of February, at our track. This free event is open to all Junior Track and Field athletes aged 2-14 years throughout Auckland. Athletes don’t need to be registered to compete, so family and friends are welcome to come along and join in the fun too. There will be six blocks of events for 5-14 year olds, starting at 10 am and finishing around 2.30pm. There will also be three different blocks of activities and races for Tiny Tots, plus a bouncy castle. You don’t need to stay all day – if you have other things on, just call in for a couple of blocks.

Ribbons will be awarded in all events, including for the Tiny Tots – and we try to make sure everyone leaves with at least one ribbon. This is always a great day out and is the perfect way to introduce athletes to outside events in a friendly and familiar environment. It is also an important fundraiser for our section through the sale of food, drinks and programmes.

R i b b o n We need your help with: s w Spot prizes. If you have anything that would be suitable for spot prizes (unwanted Christmas gifts, i l gift vouchers, corporate/promotional items such as drink bottles etc.), please bring them along to the l BBQ on Wednesday, or contact [email protected] to arrange collection. b Many thanks to Stephen (United Steel) and Sharlene (Toll Group) for items donated so far. e a w Volunteers on the day. To make sure the day runs smoothly, we need lots of helpers. There a are plenty of different jobs to do including BBQ, finish line helpers, and helpers at each field r event. As it is an Open Day you don’t need to be a qualified official. If you know your way around d a clipboard you’ll be fine. Older siblings are welcome to help too. If you can assist, please email e [email protected] or add your name to the list at the BBQ. Even if you can only help for a couple d of hours, that would be great. All helpers receive a complimentary catered lunch to thank them i for their time. n a Coming along on the day. Please come and join us on the 11th. Open Days are for all l athletes, not just the top performers. There will be lots of familiar faces + you will get a l chance to meet athletes from other clubs. Please invite family, friends, classmates, e neighbours … The event is free for everyone – and everyone will go home with a ribbon. v Don’t forget to bring money for programmes, BBQ, cake stall and coffee. e n t s , i n

3. Tiny Tots

This week we will continue with the activities we started last week including our ‘wet and wild’ water relay and “Musical Chairs Unlimited”. For those 4 year olds who are keen, we will be running some 200m races again this week.

It was great to see the children making a real effort to stay in their lanes in the races last week. However, this can be difficult for children where their parent is running alongside them in the same lane – there often isn’t enough room for both of you in the same lane! Most children should now be confident enough to run on their own. Supporters can encourage from the finish line or run a few steps behind.

And finally, a few of our grade managers and activity leaders are no longer available on Wednesday evenings so we are a bit ‘short staffed’. Check out the information below about activity leaders. This is a great role for students interested in working with children. For any parents who can help out as grade managers for the remainder of the season (it’s very easy, and all instructions are provided in advance of club nights), please email [email protected]. If we can’t get permanent volunteers, it would be appreciated if parents can take turns looking after the group each week.

Activity leaders demonstrate an activity to groups of young children and provide lots of encouragement, support and ‘high-fives’. The activities are very straightforward, and easy-to- follow instructions are provided prior to club nights. All leaders receive a certificate and reference letter at the end of the season. This is a great role to fulfil Duke of Edinburgh Award requirements. Leaders can work in pairs or teams if they prefer.

If you know someone who may be interested, please have them contact [email protected] for more information.

4. Big Kids

In preparation for the Pakuranga Open Day, Big Kids will be having a long jump competition this week and applying the skills they learned with the chickens last week to real discuses. We will also be reinforcing the balancing skills we worked on last week with some more challenging balance beams.

5. Junior Club Night Programme

The junior club night programme for this week will be as follows:

11B, Block 7 G+B 8 G+B 9 G 9 B 10 G+B 11 G 13+ 12G+B 1 100m 100m 100m 100m Discus Long Jump 2 Discus Long Jump Shot put High Jump 800m 800m 800m 800m 3 200m 200m 200m 200m Long Jump Discus High Jump Shot Put 4 Long Jump Discus High Jump Shot-put 200m 200m 200m 200m

Just a reminder that 25 minutes is allocated to each block. This is sufficient for most groups to complete their field events. However, this does mean that those groups who finish a short track event early in their block can’t always immediately move on to their next field block as there will already been a group there. Rather than sitting around, grade managers (and parents) are encouraged to make use of the equipment that is put out near the first aid room – the parachute, tug-of-war rope, egg and spoon equipment, rubber chickens, rubber shotputs etc.

Also, activities can be completed more quickly if we have more parent helpers – timekeepers for the track events, and parents to help with raking, marking, measuring, returning implements etc. We have fabulous grade managers this season but they can’t run the activities on their own. Please make yourself available to help.

6. Training Sessions

With Tuesday being a public holiday, Mike’s middle-distance training session will be 9 am at this week. The Thursday session will be at 6 pm as usual.

At this stage, Johan’s training squads will continue as normal on Tuesday and Thursday this week:

 Hurdles training – 4.45 pm warm-up for 5 pm start  Sprints training – 5.45 pm warm-up for 6 pm start

We are organising some jumps coaching for this week too. We will confirm this via a separate email.

7. Celebrating A Fantastic Season

Our end-of-season prizegiving and AGM has been confirmed for Sunday the 25th of March at the Pakuranga Rugby clubrooms (2 pm for Tiny Tots and Big Kids; 3 pm for AGM and Juniors). This date is earlier than we usually have our prizegiving, but has been chosen to avoid clashes with Easter, 12/13 Years Interprovincials, Auckland Secondary School Champs, and the school holidays.

All athletes who received trophies and shields at last year’s prizegiving (excluding the participation trophies) are asked to return these as soon as possible. These can dropped off at the BBQ on club nights.

Photos from 2016/17 prizegiving courtesy of Jo Smal

8. Nothing to Wear?

Singlets will continue to be on sale at the BBQ on club nights for $30 each (cash, EFTPOS or credit card). Tiny Tot t-shirts are also available for $16 each. Please note that, to be eligible for Club Champs placings, athletes must be in correct club uniform (either the old or new singlet is fine). Club Champs begin from the 7th of March.

9. Giving Back to The Section

Our BBQ and tuck shop are open each club night (by the equipment shed). Please support this as all funds raised go towards the purchase of additional equipment for our section. EFTPOS is now available (but no credit card payments).

This week’s group for the BBQ is the 11/12 Boys. We would like 2-3 parents from this group to volunteer to run the BBQ and Tuck Shop. A committee member will be there to get everything set up for you and to help pack everything away at the end of the programme. If you are approached and asked to help, please do so with a smile.

10. Lost Something?

There is a lot of property being left behind on club nights and during weeknight training sessions. PLEASE take some time this Wednesday to check out the lost property box near the BBQ.

11. Key Dates For Your Diary

Saturday 10 February Auckland Junior Pentathlon Champs - Mt Smart Stadium Sunday 11 February Pakuranga Open Day – incorporating Counties Manukau 1500m Championship – Lloyd Elsmore Park Friday 16 February Auckland Junior Track and Field Championship 1500m Champs – Mt Smart (10 years +) Friday 16 to Sunday 18 February Auckland Track and Field Championship – Mt Smart Stadium (12 years + only) Saturday 24 February Counties Manukau Championship – Massey Park, Papakura (7-14 years) Saturday 3 March Athletics Auckland Senior Meet - Mt Smart Stadium (12 years + only) Wednesday 7 March Pakuranga Junior Track and Field Club Championship (Week One) (5-14 years) Wednesday 14 March Pakuranga Junior Track and Field Club Championship (Week Two) (2-14 years) Saturday 17 – Sunday 18 March Auckland Junior Track and Field Championship – Trusts Stadium, Waitakere (7-11 years). This event will include 2000m/3000m Champs for 10-14 year olds Wednesday 21 March Pakuranga Junior Track and Field Club Championship (Week Three) (5-14 years) Saturday 24 March Athletics Auckland Senior Meet - Mt Smart Stadium (12 years + only) Sunday 25 March Junior Track and Field Prizegiving – Pakuranga Rugby Clubrooms Wednesday 28 March Final Junior Track and Field club night for 2017/18 season Saturday 31 March – Sunday 1 April 12/13 Interprovincials - Taranaki

The calendar of Auckland-wide junior events is available on our website - Season Calendar - Juniors

Junior Track and Field committee