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The anniversary date for athlete age groups will change from 30 September to 31 December from the commencement of the 2018-19 season meaning that age groups from 2018-19 will be based on year of birth. The outcome from this change is that athletes born between 1st October and 31st December in any given year will progress up two age groups from 2017-18 to 2018-19 while athletes born between 1st January and 30th September in any given year will progress up one age group as normal from 2017-18 to 2018-19. There will be some changes in the 2018-19 transition year to minimise the impact on the athletes who progress up two age groups. These are summarised as follows:
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Athletes who progress from U12 in 2017-18 to U14 in 2018-19 and would otherwise miss out on State Team selection in the U13 age group for the 2019 Australian Little Athletics Championships
\n\nAthletes will still be eligible for selection in their State Team to compete at the 2019 Australian Little Athletics Championships
\n\tThe State Team numbers will be increased by 25% from 26 athletes to 32 athletes so that athletes are not disadvantaged
\n\tThree athletes will be selected in each event instead of two athletes in each event
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Athletes who progress from U14 in 2017-18 to U16 in 2018-19 and would otherwise miss out on State Team selection in the U15 age group for the 2019 Australian Little Athletics Championships
\n\nAthletes will still be eligible for selection in their State Team to compete at the 2019 Australian Little Athletics Championships
\n\tThe State Team numbers will be increased by 25% from 3 boys and 3 girls to 4 boys and 4 girls so that athletes are not disadvantaged
\n\tThe states that do not conduct Little Athletics beyond U15’s will be amending their rules to ensure that the affected athletes are still eligible for selection
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Athletes who progress from U14 in 2017-18 to U16 in 2018-19 and would otherwise miss out on selection to attend the 2018 National U15 Camp
\n\nAthletes will still be eligible for selection to attend the 2018 National U15 Camp
\n\tThe states that do not conduct Little Athletics beyond U15’s will be amending their rules to ensure that the affected athletes are still eligible for selection
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Athletes who progress from U13 in 2017-18 to U15 in 2018-19 and would otherwise miss out on selection to attend the 2019 National U15 Camp
\n\nAthletes will still be eligible for selection to attend the 2018 National U15 Camp
\n\tQualifying standards will be amended where there are differences in specifications between the U13 and U14 age groups
\n\tThe number of camp attendees with be increased by 25% in 2019 so that no athlete is disadvantaged
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\n\nState conducted tours and camps
\n\nState associations will manage the selection of athletes for tours and camps and will ensure that affected athletes are still eligible for selection
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Service Awards – State Associations and Centres issue service awards for longer term athletes, particularly ten year awards
\n\nState associations will manage the logistics of issuing service awards for longer term athletes for those affected by the age group change
\n\tState associations will manage the final transition year for their athletes
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Tiny Tots – the wording for eligibility to compete in the Tiny Tots age group will be amended to read
\n\nTiny Tots (children who have turned 3 years of age and who will be less than 5 years of age at 31 December in the calendar year in which the Little Athletics summer season commences) to participate in approved activities for the development of gross motor skills
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Skill Development – skills gap for athletes progressing two age groups in the transition year
\n\nCentres can start transitioning the athletes at Training/Coaching sessions as from this season.
\n\tAssociations to assist in communicating this and that it will be only for this coming season
\n\tLittle Athletics Australia will confirm that appropriate insurance cover exists
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A more detailed explanation of the changes will be published on the Little Athletics Australia website and Facebook page. All age group enquiries should be made through LAQ or refer to the information on their website at http://laq.org.au/News/implementation-of-age-group-changes
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