Waverley Little Athletics Centre Inc.

Caitlin Brusco is a General Committee Member, Covid Safety Officer, Child Safety Officer and a Life Member of the Waverley Little Athletics Centre Inc. She has been involved at the Centre for 10 years, has been a member of the Committee for 5 years and is one of our longest current serving volunteers.  

In 2011/12, Caitlin’s involvement commenced when her daughter joined the Centre. She volunteered as a member of the early set up crew, arriving at the track every Saturday morning from 7:30am to help set up the arena. She continued in this position until the end of the 2015/16 season and took it on again from 2019/21. Early set up is considered your weekly duty, giving those parents the chance to sit on the side lines and watch for the rest of the morning. However, Caitlin decided against sitting down and volunteered as an Age Group Leader, starting with the U6 Age Group and processing through the ranks each year. She is currently one of our Southern Stars Age Group Leaders.  

As an Age Group Leader, Caitlin has been responsible for; looking after all athletes within her group, ensuring they run through the program smoothly, assisting with the ON TRACK program for U6-U8's, running Javelin (U11-SS), assisting with and running the various field events, which includes looking after the athletes, recording of results, coaching the athletes to ensure they know how to the events, spiking/raking the jump pits, measuring at jumps and throws; timekeeping the long-distance events and most importantly, ensuring all athletes are safe and have fun. Caitlin has also encouraged and assisted all athletes to strive better, assisting those that need a little extra help. 

At the 2016 AGM, Caitlin joined the Committee as a General Committee Member, started learning the ropes and contributing to the running of the Centre. When the Child Safety Standards were introduced, Caitlin volunteered to be one of our Child Safety Officers, ensuring we comply with the rules and regulations and that all children are participating in a safe environment.  

Caitlin took on the role of General Committee (Assistant Centre Mentor) in 2018/19, which involved recruiting Age Group Leaders, chasing up parents to fill general duties and mentoring Age Group Leaders on how to run field events. She also shared between the role of U6 Age Group Leader and SS Age Group Leader in an effort to train new U6 parents into the role. 

Due to the Corona Virus pandemic (Covid19), all Centres were required to adopt new rules and take extra precautions. Caitlin didn't hesitate to volunteer and take on the role of Waverley's Covid Safety Officer for the 2020/21 season. Caitlin also took over as Centre Mentor at the 2020 AGM. As Centre Mentor, Caitlin has been responsible for organising Age Group Leaders and Key Officials for the season, updating peoples Working with Children’s Check details in the database, organising and setting up sign in sheets, recruiting officials, teaching our new Age Group Leaders and Key Officials their roles and supporting them throughout the season, and ensuring our athletes are participating and enjoying Little Athletics. Once the Saturday morning sign in process has finished, Caitlin gets around to each age group to check how they’re participating and offering any assistance she can. Some assistance she offers is explaining to the children how to start at the long distance races, teaching parents how to funnel the athletes into lanes one as two, making sure field events are being run properly and equipment is being sanitised. Caitlin has also volunteered as one of our Southern Star Age Group Leaders and one of our Javelin Managers. As Covid Safety Officer, Caitlin spent a number of hours organising the relevant Covid Safety Plan paperwork, printing and laminating Covid Safety signage, ensuring our Covid rules are up to date and in line with government regulations, setting up the Covid QR code sign in process, setting up Covid signage, managing the attendance sign in table on Saturday mornings and ensuring all officials are following the strict cleaning rules by cleaning and sanitising equipment inbetween uses. Caitlin also ensures the clubrooms and facilities are left clean and tidy on a Saturday, by cleaning and sanitising all door handles and light switches after the program has finished.  

Behind the scenes, Caitlin has been one of the quiet achievers. She is one of our child safety officers, attends Committee Meetings, pitches ideas and assists with various Committee tasks, assisting on registration days, assisting with administration, occasionally assisting in the canteen, occasionally stepping in as First Aid Officer and assisting anywhere else that is required. She has always assisted with the setting up and packing up of equipment, participated in our Relaython event and various fundraisers, taken part in our annual Christmas Gift races, has attended all WLAC Presentation Days/Nights, attended our AGM’s and has well supported our Centre. Caitlin is a wonderful and friendly lady, she has always been willing to help and support the Centre anyway she can. 

In 2020/21, Caitlin was awarded Life Membership at the Waverley Little Athletics Centre Inc., in recognition of achieving 10 years outstanding general service to the Centre.