Join in ... with Murray Bridge Little Athletics
Amanda Martin and Lachlan Scammell invite you to get involved with athletics in Murray Bridge.
Little Athletics is a foundation sport catering for children aged 3-17, regardless of ability, and is an ideal introduction for younger kids to the skills that all sports require.
More than 50 members of the 75-member team that represented Australia at the 2025 World Athletics Championships in Tokyo began their journey at a Little Athletics club.
Murray Bridge Little Athletics Club has been around since 1977, when a group of parents were looking for something their kids could do after school and on weekends.
The club now boasts a membership of close to 100 and is looking to expand in the coming years.
Weekly meets are held mostly on Sunday mornings at the Murray Bridge High School oval on Swanport Road, with pre-meet warm ups and announcements starting at 8.30am and competitions commencing from 9.15am.
There is also an opportunity for kids to compete against others of the same age at an annual inter-club meet, held in Mount Barker over the weekend, where six clubs come together.
We spoke with recorder and coach Amanda Martin and president Lachlan Scammell, who are both passionate about what the club offers and very proud parents of club members.
This regular feature is brought to you by Outside Developments – time to go outside.
When did you first get involved with Little Athletics?
Amanda: I joined 13 years ago when my oldest turned three and have been on the Committee for the past nine years.
Lachlan: Me and my wife Erin moved to Murray Bridge about nine years ago and found our four children enjoyed the different aspects the club offered in a new town.
What do you do for the club?
Amanda: I have a range of roles including registrar, recorder of results and keep track of all the athletes' individual results in a central records database. Kids can chart their progress throughout the season and see where they have improved. I am also the tiny tots coordinator for three- and four-year-olds and am a level one accredited coach for all ages.
What do you get out of your involvement?
Lachlan: Both Amanda and I love seeing kids improve and achieve.
Amanda: My oldest son Kaiden, aged 15, has just started the SA Little Athletics Strive course, which will not only give him a coaching accreditation but counts towards his schooling. By the time he finishes the SALA training in two years' time, Kaiden will have accrued over 20 SACE points and be a qualified event official.
What has been your fondest memory?
Amanda: The first is in the 2019-20 season Murray Bridge Little Athletics Club competed at the state relay champs after not being involved for many years. We won Best Club of the Day against 53 other clubs and came home with a half dozen medals. The other thing I am proud of is my compilation of the entire history of the club, something that had never been done before, which is available to read on the website.
What’s your goal with MBLAC?
Lachlan: I hope to build on the strong legacy of the club as well as maintain all of the hard work put in over recent years. We'd love love to see registrations grow and, most importantly, find a home track in Murray Bridge, something that doesn't currently exist. At the moment, the club doesn't even have a shed to store all the equipment; it's kept between various private homes and is driven to the weekly meets by parents and committee members.
- Contact: Join the Murray Bridge Little Athletics Inc Facebook group or visit murray-bridge.littleaths.com.au or salaa.org.au
- Who can join: Any child aged 3-17
- Where to go: Murray Bridge High School oval on Swanport Road from 8.30am
- When to go: 8.30am on most Sunday mornings from September to April, with two weeks off over the Christmas break; there is also a winter competition involving cross-country meets that is covered by the one seasonal registration
- What you need: To pay an annual registration fee and purchase a club shirt, and have a willingness to learn; all equipment and coaching is provided
To express an interest in promoting your community or sporting club with a Join In feature, email peri@murraybridge.news. To express an interest in sponsoring this regular feature, email jane@murraybridge.news.
