A SHORT HISTORY OF THE

COBURG LITTLE ATHLETICS CENTRE

From 1966 to 1974

Provided by Max & Mary McLennan, original author unknown

As most people are aware, Little Athletics began in Geelong in 1964. It began due to a desire by young children to participate in Athletics. Unfortunately, the senior bodies were unable to allow these children to compete and the children were told they were too young.

Trevor Billingham, a High School teacher and athlete from Corio, recognised a need and due to Trevor’s enthusiasm, and interest shown by children on the first Saturday of October, 1964 Little Athletics was born. It was nothing very grand – simply organising kids into events.

Trevor, along with Alan Triscott, began spreading the word around the State. They visited such places as Geelong, Bendigo, Traralgon, Sandringham, Coburg and Warrnambool. In an attempt to establish Little Athletics Centres, the news started to spread.

They established an Interim Committee and early in 1966 set about getting a constitution and rules together so that a State wide organisation could be a possibility. It took approximately twelve months of hard work, but on 10th March 1967, the Interim Committee and seven Centres met at the Victorian Egg Board offices in Port Melbourne and there the V.L.A.A. was officially formed. Coburg was one of these original seven Centres.

It is interesting to note that there are now over 100 Centres throughout the State of Victoria and from its humble beginning in Geelong, Victoria, the Little Athletics movement has spread throughout all states of Australia, New Zealand and some states of the USA.

In recognition of his work as Founder ,Trevor Billingham was conferred by the V.L.A.A. as the No. 1 Life Governor, and for his work assisting Trevor, Alan Triscott was made the No. 2. Life Governor. Trevor has also been honoured by Queen Elizabeth with a B.E.M.

Coburg was first established in September, 1966. Many of the original members of the Centre came from municipalities other than Coburg and this caused some initial troubles. In fact a major proportion of members in 1966 came from the Diamond Valley area. After initially forming a Centre at Coburg they decided that it would be better to establish a Little Athletics Centre in Diamond Valley rather than continuing in Coburg, so Centre No. 8 was formed. This caused Coburg Centre to fold. It was during this short existence of Coburg as a Centre that the V.L.A.A. was officially formed.

In February 1967, after being out of operation for a short period, people like Danny Dowling (formation President), Lindsay Currie (formation Secretary) and J. Ayers (another former President) worked towards a reformation meeting. This first meeting was a failure with only 16 people attending and it was rescheduled for two weeks later.

Due to considerable footwork by the above three gentlemen and others from schools in the area, the rescheduled meeting was a huge success. It was held on the 15th November, 1967 and was attended by over 300 parents and children. In fact in the first season of competition over 1000 children were registered and Coburg was reborn.

From this reformation meeting, people such as Ian Robley and Bruce Thomson (North Park – which became Hadfield), Max and Mary McLennan (Westbreen), Harold Stevens and Bob Ingles (Coburg Harriers), Beth Bartlett, John Waldren and Ken Holland (Westbreen), Bruce Smith (Coburg West) and Ray Aitkinson (Coburg which became Fawkner) plus many others became involved.

It was easy to see why the Coburg Centre prospered in the years to come. In fact, in the second season Coburg had 1500 registrations. Most of the names mentioned previously have been honoured with Life Membership of the Centre and several took part in the Interstate Teams Meet as officials and also as Team Manger.

There were 13 foundation clubs established after the reformation including Coburg, Coburg North, Coburg West, Westbreen, Blessed Oliver Plunkett, Glenroy, Newlands, Oak Park Blues, Fawkner, North Park (which later became Hadfield), Pascoe Vale, St. Marks and St. Pauls. At the time of writing, of these clubs only Coburg West, BOP’s (now St.Olivers), Newlands, Westbreen, and Pascoe Vale have survived. Several new Clubs formed at various stages and were Corpus Christie, St. Matthews and Moreland.

Prior to the commencement of the first season of competition Mr. J. Ayers, then President of the Centre, left for overseas, and for a short time Mr. J.Bissett was the third President. As Little Athletics initially functioned along lines established by the senior bodies it seemed natural to have a successor with a knowledge of athletics. Harold Stevens was elected the 4th President of the Centre and Harold served a term of two and a half years. It was in this early development stage that Colin Marnell from the Newlands Club decided that things weren’t to his liking at Coburg and so, with help, they established Preston-Reservoir Centre No. 22. It was also about this time that Coburg became the strongest Centre in the State.

In each of the first four years, Coburg had registrations totalling over 1000 children, and also in those years some new Centres were established from the Coburg base. Firstly Preston-Reservoir, then due mainly to Ray Aitkinson, Fawkner Centre No. 48 – Fawkner and St. Marks clubs formed a basis for the Fawkner Centre, the Oak Park Blues began the Oak Park Centre No. 53. and from Oak Park Centre the Broadmeadows Centre (now known as Hume) was established. The Glenroy Club went to the Oak Park Centre. The Coburg Club folded with most children going to the Newlands Club. It was during these years that the late John Dunlop, a foundation member of the Newlands Club, became the 5th Centre President for season 1970-71. It was also the time when the Westbreen Club was very powerful, winning four premierships in a row. Coburg Centre was experiencing an era of Champion Athletes. Some are recorded as Australian Best Performances.

These are :-

Christine Collins Westbreen 1971 Girls U 10 60m Hurdles. 9.8
Paul Mahady Westbreen Boys U 11 100m 12.8
Paul Mahady Westbreen Boys U 11 200m 27.2
Daryl Thomson Pascoe Vale Boys U 11 1500m 4.47.0
Phillip Cleggett Westbreen Boys U 11 60m Hurdles 9.3
Phillip Cleggett Westbreen 1972 Boys U 12 400m 59.8
Daryl Thomas Pascoe Vale Boys U 12 800m 2.14.1
Daryl Thomas Pascoe Vale Boys U 12 1500m 4.39.7
Frank Alberti St.Pauls Boys U 9 70m 10.1
Vickie Thomas Newlands 1973 Girls U 9 Triple Jump 8.56m
Lisa Biggs (Newlands), Serena Henry (Coburg West), Patricia Twomey (St.Olivers) and
Marita Black (Coburg West) 1973 Girls U 9. 4 x 200m relay 1st place

(Time not known.)

During 1971 – 1972, the Coburg Centre held nine Australian Best Performances. Until the 1975-1976 Season, Coburg was the only Centre to ever have three representatives in the State Team in one year.

Not only did the Coburg Centre have gifted children, it also had gifted officials. Max McLennan from Westbreen had become the 6th President of the Centre for the three years 1971-72-73-74, as well as becoming Chairman of the Region and then a Board Member of the V.L.A.A. as Public Relations Director for several years. Gary Cooper from the Newlands Club served on the V.L.A.A. Board for a short period as the Registrar.

Coburg Centre officials were held in high esteem throughout the State with Mary McLennan being State Recorder for several years and a Victorian Team Manager in 1974 and fortunately, Coburg Centre is still enjoying their reputation by still supplying many Chief Officials for State Championships.

At the end of 1972, St.Pauls joined PascoeVale (which had already been formed by Pascoe Vale North), and Coburg was beginning to suffer a decline in registrations. The availability of other activities (such as basketball) contributed largely to this decline, along with a decrease in the population of City of Coburg. It is probably fair to say that the increasing demands being placed on parents to officiate at the increasing number of Little Athletics activities also contributed.

The changing role of Little Athletics had placed huge demands on parents and officials. It is a burden some wear for many. However, those who wear the burden can usually gain great pleasure and personal satisfaction in knowing they have contributed to the well-being of children. Those that have worked at Coburg can be proud of their past achievement, and we should all look forward to the future – a future in which Coburg Little Athletics Centre will play a major roll.

The Early Years as written by Stephen Egan of Knox (Bayswater Bullets)

Newspaper Articles 21 Nov 1967      23 Jan 1968      1968 - 1969

Coburg All Star Day Medals   Front    Back

Coburg Open Day Medal   1976 / 1977 season

Coburg handbook 1978 / 1979 season   Coburg Ground Managment handbook 1979 / 1980 season

Region / State cards & Patches 1979 / 1980

Harold Stevens - Sports Star in local paper Sept 1993

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