New aths club calls for support

TIM BOTTAMS

WITH a little athletics club on the way for Lucas, members of the new committee are asking people to help build the group.

Following the club’s formation late last year by Little Athletics Victoria’s western country region president Shane Bicknell, the committee has grown to about half a dozen people with the aim of starting sessions in late 2024.

Incoming president Patrick Jenes said with the club yet to be ratified and officially formed, there’s still much to be done with the help of the community.

“We’re probably going to cap at about 200, so the real callout is for volunteers and parents to help out, to coach, run uniforms and socials,” he said.

“We’ve only got the general committee set up and there’s a lot of roles to fill before we aim to set up at the end of the year. There’s that saying, many hands make light work.

“Shane managed to secure equipment from Westmeadows who weren’t able to form their own committee so we’ve got truckloads of stuff between us in our backyards so we need storage space for that as well.”

Once up and running, the committee aim to host regular sessions at the oval shared by Lucas and Siena Catholic primary schools, which is set to be handed over from owner Integra to the City of Ballarat next month.

Mr Jenes recently moved to Lucas from Maryborough, where one of his children were part of the local Little Athletics club for two years.

He said with the suburb’s growing population, Lucas is primed for a club of its own.

“The growth of Lucas in general is massive,” he said. “The primary school’s classes have doubled and there’s more options so not having to travel into town or Buninyong for athletics is a big drawcard.

“It’s such a growing area with a lot of youth so it’s another opportunity to give kids a fun evening of sport on a Friday.”

To express interest in volunteering or to offer storage space, email Mr Jenes at [email protected] or Mr Bicknell at [email protected].