• This is about making it easier for more people to participate in Athletics (including Little Athletics) and to stay in the sport for a lifelong journey.
• It is also about removing the wasted duplication of costs and resources which will allow us to better invest in the experience of all members of the NSW Athletics community.

No. This is a partnership between LANSW and ANSW. The respective Boards, CEOs and staff of each organisation remain in place. The partnership will provide opportunities for LANSW and ANSW to pool resources on particular initiatives and share expenses which will free up more resources to be reinvested into the sport.

This partnership is about improving the quality of service we offer to members of the NSW Athletics community and keeping more people in Athletics for life - not about the administrative bodies.

Provides an opportunity for people to remain in the sport throughout high school instead of stopping once they reach 17.

Opens up the Zone, Region and State progression pathway to all regional and country athletes.

This provides LANSW and ANSW with a much better platform to support country and regional Centres/Clubs and athletes including through the existing network of Regional Development Officers.

For example, it provides us with an opportunity to advocate to Government on facilities with a single voice on behalf of the entire sport and that has already commenced with very positive reactions from Government.

It also provides us with a more streamlined structure to provide more events in country and regional areas.

There are some specific queries relevant to particular Centres/Clubs and we will be in touch with them individually. For example, there has been discussion of the potential grouping of country and regional Centres/Clubs in certain areas and this partnership will make those discussions easier.

This partnership is primarily about LANSW and ANSW. It is important to note that ANSW already provides membership to all masters-aged athletes in NSW, conducts the NSW Masters Championships and provides the vast majority of the masters competition opportunities. Every relevant ANSW competition year-round is open to masters-aged athletes.

The only pathway ANSW does not provide to for masters athletes is to the Australian Masters Championships and World Masters Championships. That is because ANSW and AA are not affiliated with Australian Masters Athletics or World Masters Athletics, with the NSW-affiliate being the NSW Masters Athletics Association.

Now that this partnership is in place, ANSW will continue separate discussions with NSWMA on opportunities to make that pathway easier.

LANSW and ANSW have worked collaboratively for nearly 10 years through the Joint Officials Committee (JOC) on the Australian Athletics Officiating Education Scheme (AAOES). However, it has been recognised that with the recent changes to the officiating qualifications from Athletics Australia that there is now a gap in officials’ education, particularly on an entry level program that the JOC will work to address.

Efficiencies in the combined event program will reduce the burden on officials from competing events.