Canberra high school athletics clubs are thriving on community spirit and growing participation

Canberra’s high school athletics scene is enjoying a quiet surge. At after-school training sessions in Belconnen and on Saturday mornings at the AIS Track, numbers are up. Coaches and club volunteers say they’re seeing more students stay on past their first season, and more parents lending a hand.

Growing numbers, deeper commitment

The trend is not just about raw participation. Clubs report that retention rates have improved noticeably over the past two years. At the Woden Athletics Club, a program launched in early 2025 to pair senior high school athletes with junior primary school runners has kept more than 80 per cent of juniors returning each term. Parents involved say the buddy system builds a sense of belonging that goes beyond personal bests and school carnivals.

In Canberra’s south, the Tuggeranong Harriers have held a series of weekend community relays since March 2026, drawing families from Chisholm to Gordon. The events are low-cost, a gold coin donation for entry, and include a barbecue run by local businesses. The club’s social media feed posts team photos and fast-split times, but also run-downs of who brought the best homemade lasagne to the picnic table. That blend of competition and community is what keeps the program humming.

A model for other cities

For Athletics ACT, the growth validates a deliberate shift toward inclusion. The governing body has trained 50 new volunteer coaches since 2025, many of them current or former high school athletes. The program, called 'Coach Next Door,' removes the cost barrier for clubs and ensures that training sessions can run multiple nights a week rather than just once. In practical terms, that means a 16-year-old in Gungahlin can join a squad that meets Tuesdays and Thursdays, rather than only on the one day a volunteer could previously spare.

The most striking evidence of the shift comes from the ACT Middle Distance Championships, held in May at the AIS. Entries jumped 30 per cent compared with 2024. More than half of the entrants were school-age athletes from local clubs. Athletics ACT officials said the increase reflected not just raw interest but a culture where young athletes feel supported to stick with the sport through the transition from school to senior ranks.

What comes next

Club organisers are already planning for the ACT All-Schools Championships in October 2026, where they expect to field their largest squads in a decade. They stress that the real measure of success is not medals but whether the same faces show up for cross-country season in winter. For now, the feedback from parents and students is consistent: the club community makes the effort worthwhile.

Families looking to get involved this term can contact Athletics ACT’s club finder online or drop into the Monday evening training session at the AIS Track, open to all high school students regardless of previous experience. Entry is free for a trial week.