Our Centre and Region strongly object to this move and have appealed to the Board of Management (see appeal HERE). The Board of Management has met to discuss our and other appeals but is yet to reply directly to our Centre. The  Board of Management has however issued a memorandum to all Centres & regions that the effective date of the restructure has been delayed until May 2009 - but the relocations remain. In the interim the Board of Management will over the coming months visit affected Centres to explain their rationale - rather than legitimately consult.

Most disappointing to us all is that the decision was made without any consultation with the affected Centres/Regions. Furthermore some of the reasons given just don't stack up, eg the move is meant to reduce the distance/travel between centres within the same region. Both Sunbury & Keilor will be expected to attend monthly meetings & regional competition as far away as Geelong/Corio whilst Seymour will now have to travel considerable distances to Northern Metro events.

How will this affect Keilor?

In a number of ways really. Our Centre has long standing relationships and history with Northern Metro. Such relationships take time to establish and we would literally be starting over again with Western Region. Nothing against Western Region but Northern Metro region is extremely well organised and supported by great member Centres.

Both Keilor and Sunbury participate in Northern Metro Division One cross country each week between April - August. Post relocation this would not occur. We would have to establish our own cross country competition. Centres in Western Region either don't hold weekly cross country or do it only within their Centre (with very small numbers).

Northern Metro is the only region that holds a multi event championship. Keilor enjoyed hosting that event last year. Keilor has won a number of regional cross country & multi-event championships in recent years. There will be no regional multi-events once we go to Western Region.

Athletes and families participating in regional events will possibly have to travel to Geelong or Corio. This would increase costs to families in terms of petrol and accommodation.

We are not able to assess whether our athletes chances of progressing to State championships will be increased or decreased by the move as Western Region don't publish their regional results - something that Northern Metro has done for years.

For a combination of all of the above and other reasons, we are certain to lose members to centres that are remaining in the Northern Metro region or some will simply leave the sport. We have worked really hard to build our Centre to what it is today and don't want to see our Centre and its members disadvantaged by a relocation.

What is disappointing is the energy that all parties will need to put into this process when our collective time would be better spent promoting the sport and the coming season, in this an Olympic Year.

What can we/you do?

Our centre has already formally appealed the decision and will continue to have this matter resolved via "official" channels.

We will establish a sub-committee who will address this issue on behalf of our Centre and will liaise with other affected Centres and Regions to over turn the decision. We already have a number of strategies at our disposal.

Last weekend at cross country a petition was started. All NMR Division One participants will be signing that petition. The support for the petition was over whelming and clearly members are extremely upset by the relocation.

If you feel personally aggrieved by the relocation as a member of the VLAA you have every right to email or write to the Board of Management. If you do this, we ask that you send us a copy of the correspondence so we can keep a track of whether the correspondence is being tabled at Board meetings. it is also hoped that a bulletin board will be available on this website shortly so you will be able to publically air your views.

VLAA contacts can be to:

The Board of Management,

Victorian Little Athletics
Locked Bag 1011
Port Melbourne VIC 3207

Email office@vlaa.asn.au

Ph:  03 9676 3600
Fax: 03 9676 3601
 

You could also write to the General Manager - Dean Paulin or any member of the Board of Management -

President Don Baker

Finance Director/Vice President Ian Brown

Competition Director Greg Williams

Membership Director Fred Wilmshurst

Education Director Neville Harris

Public Relations Director Sarah Lilley

It would be good to know where each individual Board member stood on this matter. We are currently waiting to see, via the Board meeting minutes, which members of the Board were present at the Board meeting that made the relocation decision.

In Summary