Mission
Western Athletics strives to provide highly rewarding, competitive, recreational, participative & social opportunities in athletics for people of all ability levels, backgrounds and ages.
Purpose
To foster, encourage and develop athletes in Track & Field, Cross-Country & Road Racing and Recreational Running
To promote athletics, fitness and well-being, in a friendly, supportive and inclusive atmosphere
To provide participative, competitive and recreational opportunities for everyone to achieve their best regardless of age, ability, gender and background
To compete in a wide range of local, state, national and international competition.
Vision
For Western Athletics to be a leading athletics club in the State of Victoria.
A Message from the President
Welcome to Western Athletics and I hope that you enjoy what is shaping up as another exciting year for Western Athletics and its members.
We want you to have an enjoyable and productive time with the club and achieve your goals whether you are participating competitively, recreationally or socially. You will find a warm, helpful and friendly atmosphere at the club, with plenty of support from our coaches, athletes and supporters.
Western Athletics competes in Athletics Victoria competitions, in the winter Cross Country Road Racing and Walks competitions and in the summer Track and Field competitions. There are also specialist meets available and of course we have a large contingent who enjoy competing in the many fun runs and trail runs on offer.
The club logo indicates the individuality of athletics while, at the same time, denoting that we have a central point and that point is teamwork and team spirit, something that our club fosters to deliver the best possible experience for all of our members.
Volunteers are the lifeblood of our club and coaches, committee members and club helpers all work together to make Western Athletics a great club for all to enjoy. I ask that you respect all volunteers, thank them when you can and also help out when asked.
Once again welcome, great running, throwing, walking and jumping! I am confident you will enjoy your membership of Western Athletics.
Ben Mudie
Club History
The History of the Merger
In 1982 officials from the Altona, Sunshine and Werribee Athletics Clubs met and eventually formed the Western Suburbs Combine Club for Track and Field Competition.
After winning “B” grade at Aberfeldie that year, entry was granted into “A” Reserve competition. When “A” and “A” Reserve merged into a 12 team we won entry based on our good performances in “A” Reserve.
We were later joined by Footscray, Coburg, Preston, Keilor St Bernards and the former North Old Boys, St Albans and North West Athletic clubs.
In 1993/94 we entered a women's team and won entry into “A” grade for the same reason.
For some years we were permitted to compete in the Winter Competition as Western Suburbs and then all ran for Sunshine when the Board's policy changed.
During these years a bond of co-operation and trust developed between the clubs.
These contacts and the spirit engendered by many pack runs at the Brisbane Ranges and the hard work to gather and organise teams in “A” grade has formed the basis for the amalgamations.
During the 1994 - 1995 Track & Field Season there was some informal discussions between some of the senior competing members of the Sunshine and Werribee Clubs. These discussions centred around the future of each club, the loss of membership throughout the years and the inability of each club in entering competitive teams at both the Interclub Competition and at the State Relay Championships.
During the same period a formal working party made up of the Footscray, Sunshine & Werribee Clubs were looking at the problems that athletics was experiencing in the Western Suburbs.
The informal discussions and the formal working party work flowed quite naturally into formal meetings. Later in 1995 a survey was carried out of the individual club members, more meetings held between the three clubs, a vote was carried out and Western Athletics Incorporated was born.
It has been a resounding success, the Club's Teams and Relay performances have been outstanding and that is not mentioning the individual performances.
Western Athletics Club (1995 - Present)
Western Athletics was formed in 1995 with the amalgamation of three athletic clubs from the Western Suburbs, Footscray, Sunshine and Werribee.
The first time the club met as a whole and wore the Western Athletics Club uniform was in the Weerama Festival in 1995 where the club had a 1km race down Watton Street, Werribee. The race started at Chirnside Park and finished at Kelly Park.
Western Athletics or as we soon became known "Western A's" first competed at the Aberfeldie Venue in the 1995 - 1996 Track & Field Season. The competition at that time was known as Interclub, but was renamed by Athletics Victoria to Shield Competition for the 2004 - 2005 Track & Field Season.
It was not long before the Club enjoyed success as the Women's U/18 Team won the Venue Final in it's first year of competition.
Over the next 10 years this success has continued. The Club has enjoyed some outstanding individual and team results in both the Summer Track & Field, Winter Road & Cross Country Competition and National Championships.
The Club's Teams have won at both the Zone & State Shield Finals and have also performed remarkably well at the State Relay Championships.
The club supports our junior athletes in their school sports athletics programs and many of them have performed remarkably well at their local school sports programs and have gone on to compete at both the Victorian & Australian All Schools Athletics Championships.
Many of our athletes have represented Australia at events including World Juniors, World Youths, World Cross, Oceanic Games, Junior Commonwealth, Commonwealth and Olympic Games.
The club has also held many successful social events which have included Club Trips, Christmas BBQ's, the Annual Gift, the Multi Event Day, Trivia Nights, Karaoke Nights and the big ones for the year the Summer and Winter Presentation Nights. The Social Committee is always on the look out for new events where the athletes and their families can enjoy a function together.
Social
Western Athletics is a family friendly and social club. Get involved in our social events, such as:
The Christmas Gift
Cross Country weekends away
Summer training camps
BBQ’s after cross country pack runs
Catch ups at the pub after competition day
Information nights
Presentation nights
If you would like to be involved with the social committee contact the club.