Every month Little Athletics SA recognises the Official of the Month for their dedication and commitment to the Little Athletics Community. Please see below the following Officials of the Month Winners.

I have been involved with Little Athletics for 4 years and have been officiating for the entirety of my time within the association. I have been a Walks judge for many years and was invited to officiate at Little Athletics State Events for walks. I am now fully involved in various Little Athletics competitions and programs.

My motivation to officiate stems from a desire to give back to the athletics community that has given so much to me over many years as a competing athlete.

I find joy in seeing the excitement of younger athletes during competitions and encouraging them to achieve their goals.

The Little Athletics officiating community are a supportive and communicative group of people who show great commitment and focus to their roles.

I recommend getting involved as an official for the 2024-25 season – you will find that you gain satisfaction from helping young athletes be their best.

Since the 2006-07 season, I’ve been active in little athletics, starting when my eldest daughter joined the Woodville Little Athletics Club as a Tiny Tot. Initially, I volunteered for four years as a Chaperone, assisting with equipment setup and put away. In 2010, I joined the Club committee as a Recorder and Starter, marking the beginning of my 14-year journey as an official.

My decision to start officiating was quite simple: the club needed a starter, and I wanted to support my children. Three years ago, my children completed their time at Little Athletics, which led me to begin my journey officiating at State Events. I wanted to demonstrate to my children the value of volunteering and remaining connected to the broader Little Athletics Community.

It’s a fantastic team where we all get along and share a few laughs along the way. For anyone considering becoming an official, I say, “Just do it.” You’ll never know until you give it a go.

Neal’s involvement with Little Athletics began in 2003 when his son joined the Salisbury East Little Athletics Club (now Northern Districts Athletics) as a Tiny Tot. He has assisted as a parent helper at State Events for over 10 years but fully committed to Little Athletics SA as a Chief Jumps Official at the 2016 Australian Little Athletics Championships that was held in Adelaide. He began Officiating as he found it really enjoyable to be involved with a great team and most importantly seeing the big smiles on the athlete’s faces when they achieve Personal Bests. “The Officiating Community is like a family”, he has made some great friends, had plenty of laughs and looking forward to the Australian Little Athletics Championships coming back to Adelaide to experience it all again. Neal says for those of you considering becoming an Official, “do it”. It is the best seat in the house and a very rewarding feeling to be part of a Community that provides opportunities to young athletes to keep fit and be their best.

Steven has been involved with Little Athletics for 10 years in various roles at Salisbury Athletics Club. As an Official he has volunteered his time at Club level for 4 years and the 2023-24 Season is the first season that he has taken the next step to Officiate at State Events. He decided to transition into a State Official position as he was constantly assisting at State Events as a Parent Helper and felt the next step would be to become an Official to increase his involvement and knowledge of the sport. Steven believes becoming an Official is a great way to show his children that there are many ways to participate in athletics without necessarily being a competitor and how the lessons you can learn on the other side of athletics can assist your personal development as an athlete and a person. Steven highly recommends coming out and giving Officiating a go!

Mel began her Little Athletics journey as an U6 athlete and competed up until U17’s! She has also assisted in Tiny Tots at her Club and Throws Coaching. Mel became an Official 37 years ago when she was 13 years old. She has officiated at the 2000 Sydney Olympics & Para-Olympics, 2006 Melbourne Commonwealth Games and the 2018 Gold Coast Commonwealth Games. Mel enjoys Officiating and being out there with all the athletes, getting to know them and watching them improve. Mel says that the Officiating Community we have here in South Australia are great as they all get along and have fun with a few laughs during the day! She is one of the Officials mentors in Little Athletics SA. If you are considering becoming an Official Mel says do it! She says it is great being out there, up close, and personal with the athletes and making the competition fair for all so they can perform at their best!

Andrew and his family have been actively involved in Little Athletics since the 1996-97 Season. Andrew became an Official as he found satisfaction in contributing to the sport. With his whole family involved in Little Athletics, he believes they collectively experience the same moments, albeit from varying perspectives. His experience as an Official has enabled him to contribute, evolve, and become an integral part of a thriving community. He believes the Officiating community exemplifies the finest qualities of Little Athletics as they are dedicated to helping every athlete reach their full potential and celebrate their achievements. This commitment extends to athletes of all skill levels and abilities. Andrew is looking forward to the 2024 Australian Little Athletics Championships in South Australia, as it is a fantastic opportunity to showcase and support our young athletes. Being an Official means becoming an integral part of the broader Little Athletics Community. If you believe in the importance of life beyond yourself and install those values in others, Officiating serves as a powerful way to convey that message!

Little Athletics has been a part of Liz’s life for the past 18 years with 16 of those as a State Official! Assisting at a Club level has allowed Liz to realise her passion for Officiating, so she took it to the next step and became a State Official. Liz believes we have a great team of Officials who are passionate about providing excellent service to Little Athletics SA, while also being able to have fun and give back to the community. This will be Liz’s 4th National Competition as she Officiated in 2009 and 2016, which was very rewarding and she was also honoured to be selected as an Official for the 2023 Australian Little Athletics Nationals. Liz has said ‘being a State Official is a great time where you get the best view of all the action on the track. Come along and give it a go!’.

Paul has been involved with Little Athletics for 10 years as a Parent, Committee Member and Club President. Paul became a State Official 3 years ago as he believed it was the next step for him to develop his skills and knowledge of the sport. Paul believes the Officiating community are a great bunch of people who always have time for a good laugh and are helpful, supportive and eager to pass on their knowledge to assist others. Paul is looking forward to seeing some of the best athletes in Australia compete against our talented SA Athletes at the 2023 Australian Little Athletics Championships (ALAC’s)!

Introducing Chris who has been Officiating for 22 years! She first became an Official to learn the rules of the sport as her children participated. Becoming an Official is how Chris chose to support her Children and the Little Athletics Community. She has remained involved in the Little Athletics Community even after her children have completed Little Athletics to help the up-and-coming Champs! For anyone who wants to become an Official Chris says ‘Just Do It’. Chris finds gratitude in watching the development of an athlete from a nervous U6 athlete into a confident star can bring you tears of joy as you watch their journey. As an Official, Chris finds pride in knowing she has played a small part in the athlete’s journey and the appreciation given by the athletes and parents has made Chris realise why she Officiates.

Abbie has been involved in Little Athletics for 12 years now and has been Officiating for the last two Seasons. She became an Official due to her love of competition and desire to continue being involved in the sport. She believes everyone in the Official’s community gets along well and supports one another and that there is still time for great banter and opportunities to learn! Abbie first became an Official when she was 17 and received guidance from all the experienced Officials which helped develop her skills and grow her confidence. If you are wanting to become an Official Abbie highly recommends it!