Summarising 2023 Annual Conference discussions: Working together
An update from the CEO

On Saturday 15 July, Little Athletics NSW held its Annual Conference at St Mary’s Rugby League Club in Sydney.  As always, this conference provided centres with the opportunity to connect, learn from each other and contribute to the strategic discussion and decision making of Little Athletics in the State.  Among other things, the Conference provided an opportunity for the Chair to respond to a request from one centre for information on previous merger discussions with Athletics NSW. In addition, we conducted a workshop with Centre delegates to seek members’ views on how Little Athletics NSW (LANSW) and Athletics NSW (ANSW) could work more collaboratively together, the level of appetite for potential merge discussions between the two organisations, and the key requirements that Centres feel would need to be protected in any aligned effort towards a single entity.

In keeping with our commitment to share these materials with all Centres, the outputs from the Conference discussions can be found at 2023 LANSW Annual Conference Outputs.

A summary of the Conference workshop outcomes can also be found below.

Working together: Conference Workshop Summary

Although there were some Centres who agreed that the best way forward was for ANSW and LANSW to merge, the vast majority of Centre attendees shared that they did not hold this view.  That said, there was an overwhelming sense that both organisations MUST work together more cooperatively and collaboratively in the best interests of the athletes.  There was also broad agreement that Centres and Clubs must be engaged and consulted throughout the process, including at key decision gates. Indeed, this is in line with our Constitution, and obligations under the Corporations Act which insist that any changes to the Constitution, changes to the structure or objects of the company or an attempt to ‘wind up’ the company as would be required in a formal merger can only be made with agreement from the members at General Meeting.  Such decision would require a special resolution to be agreed by 75% or more of the votes cast.

This does not mean that LANSW or its Centres are not committed to a ‘One Sport’ future, that we are not committed to working together to find the best solution to support our respective members, or that a merged entity won’t be the ultimate outcome in the future.  What it does mean is that LANSW and its centres will not focus on a merger as a guaranteed endpoint but rather will seek to work constructively with ANSW on a workable model for the short, medium and long term.

Our Centres gave us clear direction that they expect LANSW & ANSW to work together on these models as equal partners, with the goals of:

• Creating an affordable pathway for members to participate in the sport across Little Athletics and Senior Athletics programs,
• Maintaining consistent weights, measures and specifications that are accessible to younger people (including up to 17 years of age) to allow for greater participation; and
• Maintaining consistent rules for the same age groups.

This feedback from our Centres also gave us clear direction that any collaborative future must ensure that the distinctive assets and attributes of Little Athletics are retained, specifically:

• Little Athletics name, brand, identity and culture,
• Participation and grassroots focus – be your best,
• Focus on family, fun and fitness,
• Focus on the fundamentals of run, jump, throw, walk and roll,
• Centre support focus,
• A key focus not only on the City, but also regional and remote Centres,
• Zone, Region and State structures; and
• That funds that are generated at the grassroots level (including but not limited to existing assets, sponsorship, membership) are spent for the benefit of the grassroots.

Off the back of the feedback we received at Conference, we have now written to Athletics NSW to convey the position held by LANSW and our Centres, as summarised above. Our letter also invites ANSW to commence discussions on these terms and also asks them to reconsider their Junior Athletics Membership offering for season 2023/24 to spare Centres the challenges of making a decision between two competing products, and so that our negotiations on a shared future can be done so on an equal footing.  We await their reply.

Little Athletics NSW Affiliation
Throughout our discussions, some centres have asked for clarification on the rules around affiliation.
Centres are reminded that there are many benefits that come with affiliation to LANSW.  These include:

• Centre support through the LANSW office and Development Officers,
• Access to the Centre Support Series,
• Access to National and State Sponsor benefits (e.g. Coles Bananas, Coles Grants, etc),
• Access to the LANSW Centre Grant Scheme,
• Hardship support to individuals and Centres,
• Access to the LANSW Timing Solutions Portal,
• Ability to market and sell your kids product as Little Athletics,
• Access to the name Tiny Tots and use of the Tiny Tots learning materials; and
• Access to the LANSW Centre marketing suite (including centre marketing kits and centre websites).

These benefits are contingent on affiliation and compliance with the affiliation obligations, as it is revenue from memberships that allows us to provide Centres with these benefits. Clubs considering ANSW membership are therefore reminded of their affiliation obligations, as outlined in Regulation 4 of LANSW Affiliation Rules, which includes registering all participants with LANSW.

Chris Giles
Chief Executive Officer
Little Athletics NSW