Weston Creek Athlete Assistance
Financial assistance is available to registered Weston Creek athletes for their registration fees and travel to high level events.
Registration
Weston Creek Athletics Club supports a number of its elite athletes by paying for their Athletics ACT registration.
To be eligible for registration support an athlete should be competing at National level; ie being selected to compete at an Australian championship. Specifically they need to be representing the ACT (or another State at national schools championships) at schools, under age or senior Australian championships in track and field, cross country, road running, road walking, mountain running; OR represent Australia at junior or senior World Championships, Commonwealth Games, Olympic Games or other equivalent level. This does not include veterans or masters competitions.
In addition to the above the athlete must have assisted the club at one of the club’s major events, being the Weston Creek Half Marathon or the Weston Creek Fun Run [this event may not proceed beyond 2015]. If they fulfil the above criteria the athlete should complete the registration process with ACT Athletics themselves. After this they should follow the process for making a claim as described below.
National championships
Athletes must have been selected to represent the ACT (or another State at national schools championships) at schools, under age or senior national championships in track and field, cross country, road running, race walking or mountain running (not including Veterans or Masters representation).
The amount of assistance for national championships depends on the State or Territory in which the event is being held:
ACT = generally $50
NSW = generally $100
VIC and QLD = generally $150
TAS, SA, WA and NT = generally $250
National championships funding is available to any athlete who has met the following eligibility criteria:
- registered first claim with Weston Creek for at least three (3) months
- selected to represent the ACT
- has not exceeded $500 of travel assistance in the current competition year.
International travel
Assistance will also be considered for travel overseas to attend and prepare for international competitions. In general the maximum amount considered for support will be $500 and the amount will depend on the overall cost to the athlete, the status of the competition that support is sought for and the athlete’s commitment to the club.
Other competitions
In addition, travel assistance may be sought for travel to interstate meets, representative trials or other special events.
The amount will be at the discretion of the Committee and will depend upon the amount of assistance the athlete has received in the past year, the athlete’s commitment to the club and the ability of the athlete to fund the event themselves, as well as any other support they may receive. In general the amount will be no more than the amounts above for national championships.
Special circumstances
Special circumstances will also be considered in regards to the requirements above. The Committee may also take any other factors, not mentioned above, into account as it sees fit.
Supporting the Club
For all athletes that receive support from the Club it is required that they assist the Club at one of the Club’s major events for the year, being the Weston Creek Half Marathon or the Weston Creek Fun Run (see earlier comment). If they have received more than one lot of support then it is expected they will assist at both events. If for some reason the athlete cannot assist then they must volunteer twice at an alternative ACT Athletics event such as ACT interclub.
Process
To receive assistance, an athlete must submit a written application (an email is sufficient) to the Registrar (philo.saunders@ausport.gov.au) detailing their claim including, if relevant, the events they have been selected to compete in and addressing the eligibility criteria if applying for national championships funding.
Applications are encouraged in advance of the event, but will be accepted up to one month in arrears.
National championships funding will be processed on the recommendation of the Registrar and agreement of one of the Executive (President, Vice President, Treasurer or Secretary) will also be necessary.
Applications will be considered by the Committee at their next meeting and once approved; the Treasurer will provide reimbursement to the athlete.