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Box 9.6.6Athletics Australia ‘Athletics for the Outback’ ProgramAthletics Australia is the governing body for athletics in Australia. It has made acommitment to providing the opportunity for all Australians to enjoy and participate inathletics and to provide focus for the sport of track and field. Programs range fromschool based athletics and fun runs to elite development (Athletics Australia 2006).Athletics Australia’s development program has a key focus on Indigenous, remote andrural programs through the Athletics for the Outback Program. It brings athletics tocommunities by providing resources and assistance, and aims to create a ‘whole of life’activity that links education, life skills and responsibilities with sport.The program encourages participation by women, and all participants are provided withthe opportunity to become involved as an athlete, official or coach. There is mentoringavailable for all areas of athletic development and there is also assistance available forlocal communities on how to run a carnival or athletic event.Athletics Australia has conducted many events to assist children from rural or remoteareas to be involved in sport during 2006. This included:• An Indigenous Athletics Camp held in Scotts Head, NSW, which involved 31athletes from ages 12–17. Participants received training sessions with a variety ofcoaches as well as education sessions on topics such as alcohol, nutrition andathletic pathways. There were also competitions with a local school and clubs in thearea as well as the opportunity to host a dinner with Aboriginal elders and observesome local cultural activities such as Aboriginal singing, dancing and ceremonies(Athletics Australia 2006).• Travel by several athletics coaches to Normanton in the Gulf of Carpentaria for thesecond consecutive year. The aim was to identify athletic talent as well as fosteringand nurturing talent within the community. At Normanton, a coaching clinic wasconducted for athletes from Normanton, Mornington Island and Karumba whoranged in age from 9–15 years (Athletics Australia 2006). In Mt Isa, coachesattended a Little Athletics competition and provided coaching tips as well asidentifying a potential coach as part of a strategy to promote and nurture talent inthe area. This potential coach will be encouraged and assisted to completequalification courses.In 2007, Athletics Australia, in collaboration with the Australian institute of Sport (AIS)and the Australian Sports Commission (ASC), will embark on a program aimed attalent identification and development.This is an 18 month pilot of a four year program and is aimed at those alreadycompeting at a national or state level. The program is to fast track athletes to highperformance levels through training camps, skills sessions, competition and elitecoaching. Many athletes have already been identified through the Athletics for theOutback Program (Athletics Australia 2006).Source: Athletics Australia 2006.OVERCOMINGINDIGENOUSDISADVANTAGE 2007

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