From Humble Beginnings Strong Foundations Grow.
Recorded history of Murray Bridge Little Athletics Club (MBLAC) dates back to 1977 where a group of parents were looking for something for their kids to do after school and on weekends. This was first organised by local school teachers who transported kids down to Mt Barker Athletics club weekly after school. Soon their parents decided to start up a local club to save on travel time as many families had work commitments on farms and in the glass houses. Supported by the local police who donated some hand timers and meets being run on Sunday mornings at the Murray Bridge High School Oval, Murray Bridge little athletes were soon establishing their first local records - all be it in school exercise note books. Soon families and school teachers banded together to form a committee and start the pain staking job of fundraising and seeking donations. High jump mats and hurdles were borrowed from the high school, throwing equipment like shot puts and discusses were donated by local businesses and parents did the line marking and record keeping.
It was just a small group of kids having fun, mentions founding member Carol Schulz (secretary/recorder) during a recent interview. We had about 30 athletes from 6 years old to 13 years old. There were no state events like today, we stored equipment where we could fit it at the school or our homes and at the end of the season every child got a small medallion keepsake. Line marking paint was made from a mixture of lime powder and water. As for a uniform, Woolworths got stock of a whole heap of pale blue tops for the kids to buy and I made up square patches of white cloth that we painted numbers on using wool bag paint from the sheering shed which we pinned on their backs each week. My fondest memory of little athletics was just rocking up on a Sunday morning and watching the kids have fun. We did not have a lot of equipment so there was lots of running and jumping events but it was a way for the kids to keep active over summer and socialise says Carol.
By season 1980/81, MBLAC had 85 athletes, was participating at the State Individual Championships at Kensington, in Adelaide and official club centre records commenced. Season registrations cost just $8.00. In the following seasons, coaching clinics run by Adelaide coaches were being held at MBLAC, and MBLAC participated in the Southern Zone Interclub competition at Noarlunga. In 1982 a 26 strong athlete squad won 2 medals at the state relay championships and 19 athletes participated at the end of season SIC bringing home 3 medals. The MBLAC newsletter, Goss from the Grass was first printed in 1982, we had our first club patron Laurie Connell and the selling of raffle tickets for fundraising began. There were 30 Little Athletic clubs across South Australia, uniforms were officially registered and MBLAC sister club, Ingle Farm began yearly visits. A state family athletics camp was held at Naracoorte and MBLAC participated in the local Christmas parade.
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