Kyabram Little Athletics Club is gearing up for another fantastic season, and is more prepared than ever after the latest upgrade to its equipment.
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Thanks to a $1000 sponsorship from the Kyabram Club and a $2000 grant received from Campaspe Shire Council, the centre has been able to replace all of its old hurdles, some of which had been around since the centre’s inception 28 years ago.
Kyabram Club representative Greg Ryan and Campaspe Shire Mayor Rob Amos were jumping at the chance to see what their organisations’ support meant to the centre.
KLAC president Claudia Moore couldn’t be more grateful for the support the club has received to ensure that our country kids have the best equipment available, just like their city counterparts.
“We now have enough quality hurdles to run six to eight lanes comfortably and know that we won’t have a parent standing to hold one side of a broken hurdle up for the kids to jump over,” she said.
The new hurdles were also a feature at the recent Waranga District athletics day, as well as the centre’s new high jump mat (purchased through a grant in 2021) and jumps equipment.
“Not only does our equipment help our athletes, it also supports the community too,” Ms Moore said.
Furthermore, the purchase meant the centre was able to donate some of the old usable hurdles, as well as some old throws equipment and high jump stands, to Rochester Primary School.
Devastated by floods in 2022, the school hasn’t been able to replace all of its sports equipment, and with the track and field season fast approaching, the centre was more than happy to help a neighbour out, so it could prepare for the district athletics carnival.
The 2023-24 Little Athletics season is due to begin in September, with more details to be posted to the centre Facebook page in the coming week.
New athletes wishing to see what it is all about are invited to register for two free trials. This can be done at www.lavic.com.au
Political recruit
Will Kyabram Football Club unveil a new recruit for the GVL finals that start this weekend?
At a training session last week a familiar face bobbed up to complete the training session with Kyabram senior and reserves sides, which are involved in finals this weekend.
Federal Member for Nicholls Sam Birrell is making it his business to train with every football club in his electorate so he can get more exposure for locals and press for improvements clubs need.
This season he has turned out for training sessions with 10 clubs and he will continue next year, even stripping with clubs in pre-season workouts.
And does he show any ability as a footballer?
Kyabram coach Pul Newman said to his credit Sam completed the training session in one piece but will need to work on a few basic skills before he is considered for selection.
Sam’s father, Brian Birrell, had a brief career with Tatura and was a more than handy rover who wore glasses when he was playing.
More on page 5 today, including another close connection the Birrell team has with the Bombers.
Lyon honours pledge
Kyabram AFL great and media guru Garry Lyon was true to his word when he joined another AFL great, Tim Watson, on their SEN podcast The Rabbit Hole last week.
At the 40 years’ reunion of the Kyabram thirds premiership side of 1983 the weekend before last, Lyon promised he would give a mention to every player in the side on the show through a podcast, episode 26, on SEN Melbourne — and he duly delivered. Every player got a mention, some with a brief history.
Lyon was a member of the Bombers’ 1983 flag-winning thirds team and attended the celebrations.
As somebody said: ‘‘You can take Lyon out of Kyabram but you can never take Kyabram out of Lyon. He always remembers and appreciates where it all started.’’
Taffy’s memories
A story in these columns last week on the passing of Kyabram character Jeff Hall has revived memories for Eric (Taffy) Edgerton.
Taffy, who lives in Mackay these days, said Jeff would have to have been one of the last of the professional Kyabram manual hay carters from the 1950s to 1970s era.
‘‘I think I am one of the last living hay carters from those days,’’ Taffy said.
‘‘When I first arrived in Australia and Kyabram from Wales in the early 1960s I worked for the late Stumpy Gill, Tracker Cadan and Ron McRae, and Jeff was also carting hay then for Tracker.
‘‘I worked with Red Cussen and Joey Harrington when I was carting for Tracker and they have all gone now. Bill Hill and Bill O’Toole were other hay carters in the town in those days.’’
Taffy said the only hay carters from Kyabram from those days he knew who were still alive were Charlie Thomson, Cec Holden and Gus Underwood.
‘’Charlie worked at the SEC but took his holidays to cart hay for Tracker,“ Taffy said.
‘‘It was hard work but rewarding, and you got know and work with some good people.“
Not our fault — council
Campaspe Shire Council has washed its hands of any suggestions it ordered the building of a controversial levee bank in Echuca during last year’s floods.
At a parliamentary hearing last Thursday at Echuca’s Mercure Hotel, Campaspe Shire Mayor Rob Amos told inquiry chair Sonja Terpstra he thought a decision of that size would be made at the State Control Centre and definitely wasn’t by council.
Mixed messages
Traps reader is a bit intrigued by the advertising for betting on racehorses.
“Most adverts for betting on the neddies with various agencies carry a ‘you can’t win’ doing it tag at the end of the ad,” the reader said.
“That’s fair enough, but at the same time there are TV ads claiming you can $20 million every three minutes playing a game of Keno, with no warning your odds are a lot worse of achieving this and are a lot longer than trying to win on the neddies.”
Weather warms up
Kyabram received 5.6mm of rain over the week to Monday to take the August total to 23.6mm.
Most of the rain fell overnight Tuesday into Wednesday, and totalled 5.4mm.
Kyabram’s long-term August average is 42.5mm and so far this year 291mm has been been recorded, just below the average of 298mm.
Rain was tipped for Wednesday, with falls from 1 to 5mm.
Warmer temperatures have been recorded over the past week, with Sunday’s maximum reaching 19.4ºC, the warmest temperature since August 3 when the maximum hit 19.5ºC.
Rochella tickets on sale
Tickets are now on sale for Rochella, Rochester’s version of one of the world’s most famous musical festivals — Cailfornia’s Coachella Valley Music and Arts Festival.
Backed by the Victorian Government’s Live Music Flood Recovery program, the festival will be headlined by award-winning Victorian bands Cash Savage and the Last Drinks and The Black Sorrows, as well as featuring local musicians.
The big day is Saturday, October 14 and tickets can be purchased from the Rochester Newsagency or via www.rochellarochester.com.au
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