12.02.2007

Athletics Australia has Marree in sights

Marree is a small community situated approximately six hours’ drive north of Adelaide.

Just over a year ago this remote community was struggling to find a sport that could involve all students. They decided to adopt track and field, as it is one of the few sports that didn’t require large numbers or needed teams.

Previously, few students had reason to leave Marree and certainly hadn’t travelled interstate on a plane.

In the space of 12 months, the school has not only made huge improvements in their athletic ability but have travelled to Santos Stadium and competed in the Powerade Games where they were very successful - especially in the throwing events.

Following the trip to Adelaide, the entire high school (eight students) travelled on a plane for the first time to Newcastle, New South Wales to compete as representatives from South Australia at the Indigenous Track and Field Championships held annually in November.

Here they met indigenous athletic heroes Kyle Vander Kuyp, Joshua Ross, Nova Batman (Peris), Patrick Johnson, Benn Harradine and Robbie Crowther.

The school was so impressed that they went back to Marree and began spreading the word to other schools in the area.

As a result, personnel from Athletics Australia and Athletics South Australia will be visiting Marree in March as part of the Athletics for the Outback program.

And a coach accreditation course will be conducted by the South Australian branch of the ATFCA (Australian Track & Field Coaches Association) to assist local teachers and community members in the delivery of athletic programs. The local community have really embraced the program.

Rob Love, a teacher at Leigh Creek Aboriginal School, said “the Marree Progress committee is right behind this and they are already well into the planning of the event.

“At the moment Oodnadatta, Leigh Creek and Hawker Area Schools will be sending students to compete. We are looking at 60 to 80 athletes at the moment, which is huge. So it is looking like being a big deal up this way!

“All four communities have agreed to send people to participate in the level 1 coaching course. In fact, there is probably too much demand for places at the moment so the idea is working.”

Athletics Australia is committed to bringing athletics to communities around Australia and look forward to reporting later about the visit to Marree.