Essendon LAC prides itself on being a community focused, friendly, caring and inclusive Little Athletics centre. We cater for athletes of all abilities, whether they are new to the sport, keen club athletes, or state and national champions. We have a growing number of multi-class athletes and we are delighted to be able to provide an environment that caters for them and recognizes that multi-class athletes are an important part of the Little Athletics community.

We have a fantastic facility at the Moonee Valley Athletics Track in Aberfeldie. We encourage giving it a go, doing your best and having fun with your friends whilst competing at Centre, Region and State levels

Age Groups

Essendon Little Athletics Centre caters for all children aged 5 to 16 years old. Programs offered are age appropriate to ensure Little Athletics is safe and enjoyable for all involved. As athletes progress through the age groups, the programs increase to include some of the more complex field events and longer distance track events.

Our Track and Field Program

At Essendon we run a summer track and field program from October to March. This is based on regular Saturday morning competitions from 8am to approximately 11am. Athletes participate and compete weekly with their friends during season, learning the many disciplines of athletics, such as running (sprinting, hurdles, endurance running), jumping (long jump, high jump, triple jump) and throwing (discuss, shot put, javelin).

Essendon Little Athletics Centre also offers:

• Coaching program for U6s to U8s on Monday nights from 4:30pm to 5:15pm. This coaching program is designed to meet the specific needs of our youngest athletes and focuses on participation and the development of fundamental motor skills.
• Coaching on Monday nights for U9’s to U17s from 5:30pm to 6:30pm.
• Option to participate in regional and state events for U9 to U17 athletes, including our fantastic relay program.

Each Saturday morning will typically see the athletes competing in 5 to 6 events (depending on age), with the program of events changing from week to week. We have revamped the programs for the 2022/2023 season with the aim to ensure the programs run as efficiently as possible. For more information regarding the events in each program by age group, please click the link below.

Cross Country (Winter Program)

During winter, the cross country season operates from May to August. Athletes test their abilities over longer distance events, over challenging terrain and are given the opportunity to participate with athletes from other centres.

Cross country distances (approx.)

• U6 Boys and Girls: 500m
• U7-8 Boys and Girls: 1000m
• U9-10 Boys and Girls: 1500m
• U11-12 Boys and Girls: 2000m
• U13-17 Boys and Girls: 3000m

Typical Cross Country Venues:

• Essendon – Moonee Valley Athletics Track, Corio Street
• Coberg – Harold Stevens Athletics Track, Outlook Road
• Cragieburn – Sprint Athletics Centre, Craigieburn
• Keilor – Keilor Park Recreation Reserve, Stadium Drive
• Sunbury – Jackson Street Reserve, Jackson Street

Trial Information

If you are new to Little Athletics and want to try before joining, we offer a FREE Trial Membership which includes 2 x competition days. This allows athletes to try some of the different events and for parents to understand what is involved.

We also run a special pre-season Come and Try Day for all new and returning athletes. This is a modified program that allows athletes and parents to meet each other and get ready for the start of the new season.

If you are interested in registering as a trial athlete, we would love to have you join us at Essendon Little Athletics Centre. 

Membership Fees

Essendon Little Athletics Centre’s aim is to make little athletics as affordable as possible. Our fee structure covers all LAVic registration fee costs and centre operation costs. For the 2023/2024 season we have adjusted our fee structure to provide a simpler and more affordable fee structure. There are no additional weekly fees during the summer season – everything is included in the registration fee.

Regional and State events may incur additional event fees depending on the event, for those athletes that are competing.

Also in recognition that little athletics is often a family sport, we offer significant discounts to families with multiple athletes, with pricing capped at a level for a family with 3 or more athletes.

The full list of membership fees and inclusions can be found here:

How to Join

Registrations are handled centrally by our state body Little Athletics Victoria. To join simply visit their portal below.

Note – for the summer track & field season, the Essendon family registration offer reduces the individual cost of registrations. However to take advantage of this, you need to register all of your eligible family members at the same time, before you pay for any registration.

No such family discounts currently apply for cross-country, but if you do register all of your family members at once it can help with subsequent registrations for the following season. If you are a financial athlete for the summer track & field season, your cross country membership is included.

Part of the registration process is showing or sending us a proof of birth date document, such as a birth certificate, passport or immunisation records. You only need to do this once for each athlete. This is required to complete the registration process and therefore to enable your athlete to compete.

When completing the registration process, please ensure you select Essendon Little Athletics for your Centre.

Contact ELAC

If you have any questions or require further information prior to joining Essendon Little Athletics Centre, please view our helpful FAQ page.

If you cannot find the answers to your specific question(s), please free to contact us via email or phone.

Email: ELACMemberships@gmail.com

Phone: 0421438547 (Ash Wood – Memberships)

Alternatively you can reach out to us by completing the contact form below.