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The Little Athletics philosophy is to encourage “Family, fun and fitness”.
Our Friday night meetings are fundamentally a competition night so our committee, coaches and volunteer parents provide coaching tips during events.
We understand that athletes will have more fun, compete more effectively and achieve new personal bests if they are coached in the basic techniques of each of the events. We therefore offer free coaching sessions during the week. Athletes are strongly encouraged to try to attend one of these sessions, especially new athletes who are likely to be unfamiliar with most of the events.
Coaching sessions
Coaching sessions are free during our Competition Season – September to March. All athletes must wear their Arana uniform to participate. This helps ensure we are only coaching registered Arana Athletes and helps promote a sense of TEAM.
| Age group | Coaching | Schedule |
| All ages | Track & field | Mondays 4:30-5:30pm |
| All ages | Race walking | Mondays 5:30-6:30pm |
There will be no coaching during the school holidays or the day after an LAQ carnival. Please check our Facebook Page for updates.
Our Coaches
Arana Little Athletics has a team of qualified coaches (accredited by Athletics Australia ), who volunteer their time to the centre’s athletes. If you are interested in becoming a Coach, the centre will pay for you to attend an “Introduction to Coaching” course. Talk to our coaching coordinator Travis for more details.
Travis Venema – Track and field
Travis holds an Athletics Australia Level 4 High Performance Coach accreditation in Sprints, Hurdles & Relays, Jumps, Throws, Middle & Long Distance, Walks as well as Kids Athletics and Para – Athlete Coaching. He is also accredited with the Australian Track & Field Coaches Association as a Level 4 Elite Performance Coach in all events and is registered as a coach/mentor with Little Athletics Queensland, Oceania Athletics and with World Athletics as a National Athletics Referee.
Travis has been coaching for over 20 years with his squad ‘Venema Athletics’ specialising in Sprints. He has coached athletes that have competed internationally at the Olympics, World Championships, World Indoors, Commonwealths, World Juniors, Oceania Championships and also locally at Nationals, States and Regionals who have won many medals.
Shane Pearson – Race walking
Shane started Little Athletics at Arana in 1980 under 9’s. Shane represented QLD from 1984 to 2006 which included training for the Commonwealth and Olympic games for the 20k and 50k walks and represented Australia in the 50k walk at the 1997 and 1999 World cups. Once completing his time as a competitive Athlete, Shane turned to coaching before returning to Arana where his Athletes have gained selection into the Australian Little Athletics Championships every year since 2017.
Shane is an accredited Level 3 race walking, middle and long distance running Coach.
Sophie Henderson – Track and field
Sophie Henderson is a Level 3 accredited Athletics Coach in sprints, hurdles, relays and jumps, specialising in high jump. Sophie has a background in high jump and middle distance, participated in Little Athletics from U6 to U17, and has been coaching for over 10 years. Sophie is also the Development Officer for Little Athletics Queensland and is loving the experience.
Sophie runs her own business “Henderson Athletics” and is currently coaching athletes across Brisbane. Sophie’s athletes have enjoyed success bringing home multiple State and National medals in High Jump.
Sophie’s coaching philosophy is always “Put the person before the athlete”. Meaning, the happiness and wellbeing of her athletes is more important than any goal or performance.
