OLYMPIC shot putter and Commonwealth Games bronze medallist Dale Stevenson was on hand to launch an important summer for the Werribee Little Athletics Club.
The club wants to feed off the interest generated by the London Games with Sunday’s opening ceremony the first of four huge days this season when an Olympian will be present to mingle with youngsters at the club.
WLAC publicity officer Daniel Sneyders told the Weekly that despite a growing population in the Wyndham area, numbers at the club had not reflected that growth and it was time to reverse the trend.
“We’re a declining group in little athletics,” he said. “We’re baffled why the numbers are declining.
“Given it’s an Olympic year, it’s a good time to start working at increasing our numbers.”
The little athletics season will run from this month to March for 16 rounds.
There will be state and national events in between for elite athletes.
WLAC also hosts the On Track program for entry level athletes.
Sneyders said little athletics was fun for competitors and promoted a healthy lifestyle.