THE days of using stop watches are over for Jimboomba Little Athletics after the organisation bought electronic timing gates for sprinting.
The new equipment was purchased with a $12,000 Gambling Community Benefit Fund grant and will make timekeeping more accurate.
Centre manager Peta Smith said the new electronic timing gates would free up volunteers to help in other areas during events.
“It is always extremely hard to get volunteers and when it comes to timekeeping and place judging you are looking at close to 20 adults needed to timekeep and place for each race,” she said.
“This means we can be more accurate, more efficient and it takes the pressure of the volunteers.
“If you have got 400 athletes competing in two or three races and you are trying to get through them in one evening and finished at a reasonable time, you have to be efficient on the track.”
Ms Smith said Jimboomba Little Athletics had more than 400 athletes with the organisation and needed up to 90 volunteers during events.
“Athletics is a really hands-on type of sport and that’s why we call it family, fun and fitness,” she said.
She said they were always looking for new members to join.
“The more children that can do athletics the better because it is a foundation sport,” Ms Smith said.
“It teaches running, jumping a throwing, which is just the basic things that are then translated to other sports.
“You have children who are not good sprinters who may be slightly bigger build who might be great throwers and then there are children that are really springy who could be good jumpers.”
For more information about joining visit www.jac.asn.au