06.07.2009

Oodnadatta plays host to Olympic great

Olympian and indigenous role model Kyle Vander Kuyp travelled to the remote community of Oodnadatta in South Australia recently as part of Athletics Australia's Athletics for the Outback program.

Each year a community in Port Augusta hosts an athletics education program followed by an athletics carnival. Former hosts of the event have included Marree and Leigh Creek.

This year a group of five athletics ambassadors, including Kyle, spent a week in the community taking students and staff through all athletics disciplines. Coaching instructor Barb Stephens was delighted that nine community members sat through the introduction to training course, which will provide a massive boost to the ongoing delivery of athletics in the region.

Whilst Barb was delivering the coaching course Kyle, Don Brown, Max Binnington and Gary Thompson took the athletes through a series of coaching sessions. In the space of a couple of days participants became familiar with each of the events in which they would compete later in the week. There could be no better teacher than Kyle and the youngsters lapped up his vast knowledge of track and field and taught the visitors some local games of their own that were played enthusiastically by all.

Wednesday saw the start of the athletics carnival, which kicked off with the sprint events. All events were covered over Wednesday and Thursday mornings, with hurdles and jumps very popular. The highlight of the carnival was the Oodnadatta marathon, with most athletes joining in to race three laps of the oval, an event won by William from Marree.

Age group trophies were presented to event winners and ribbons awarded to all participants, who will be hoping to continue their athletics training and will have the opportunity to visit Newcastle in New South Wales in November.

At the same time as the athletics representatives were visiting Oodnadatta, two development staff from the SANFL (South Australian National Football League) were attending an athletics coaching workshop in Adelaide.

Athletics will be a program delivered in the APY Lands in July as part of the Active After Schools program. Don Brown will be spending a week in the Lands to assist and will return with staff on a regular basis to assist in the development of athletics in this remote area.

Max Binnington, former head of high performance at Athletics Australia, said the Athletics for the Outback program was a great initiative for all involved.

"I consider it a great privilege to have been able to go to Oodnadatta with this program," he said.

"It offers so much for the communities and the children in particular."

For further information regarding the Athletics for the Outback program please contact Athletics Australia Development Manager Sally McGrady.