Monthly Newsletter – October 2026
Community connect
The Ballarat athletics community is built on support, teamwork, and a shared love of the sport. Whether you’re competing, coaching, volunteering, or cheering from the sidelines, you’re part of something bigger — a network of people who show up, help out, and celebrate each other’s efforts.
Spring is here, and with it comes a real sense of momentum for our athletics community. As the cooler cross country months give way to the track and field season, we’re gearing up for the start of AVSL competition – 10 rounds of Victorian athletics running from October 17th right through to February 6th 2027. It’s a season that always brings out the best in our athletes, coaches and volunteers, and this year carries something extra special: we’re transitioning into our new home. Before we look ahead, though, we’re taking a moment to look back and say thank you – join us on Saturday 17th October at 5:15pm as we farewell Llanberris Reserve, the ground that has hosted so many personal bests, proud club moments and lasting friendships over the years. It’s the perfect way to open the season: honouring where we’ve come from, while stepping excitedly into where we’re headed next.
This newsletter’s purpose is to share highlights, recognise efforts, and keep everyone connected across our local athletics family. If you or your club would like to share achievements or updates, please email these to admin@athleticsballarat.com.au
For all things XCR this 25-26 season, please visit our AVSL Season Page.
Follow the action
Volunteer highlight
Ash Rogers
I started athletics in 2002 when I joined the Ballarat YCW Harriers along with a couple of my school mates and I have Paula Nankervis (nee Van Raaphorst) to thank for my involvement. I started off as a half decent sprinter but naturally found my way into middle distance racing (800m-3000m) and cross country (3k-10k). More recently I’ve found enjoyment in training and racing marathons.
Unfortunately over the past few years my body has not been very helpful in getting to the start line! I joined the Ballarat YCW committee in 2008 when I started university at the University of Ballarat training to become a PE teacher. Since then I’ve held several positions including being the long term Track & Field Coordinator since 2010, Vice President and currently the President of the club since 2017. In 2024 I was surprisingly awarded Life Membership for my contribution to the Ballarat YCW Harriers.
I’ve also sat on the Ballarat Regional Athletics Centre committee since 2011. This includes a stint as secretary for the region from 2017 to 2021, along with being the Llanberris Reserve Facility Manager from 2017 to 2021. Currently I sit on the competitions sub committee with Athletics Ballarat.
Hopefully this coming Track & Field season I’ll be out doing a bit more officiating.
What do you love about athletics?
Our sport is very individualised but you’re always surrounded by amazing people. The best part of athletics is certainly all the people you get to see regularly and each weekend competition. I’ve made lifelong friendships and memories from this sport that I’ll cherish forever and I like to think that my club is one big family! It is also refreshing to see how well all 4 Ballarat clubs get along when we all come together for weekend Track & Field and AB Cross Country events. You see generations of families involved, young athletes coming through, coaches giving up their time, officials volunteering, and older members continuing to support the club long after their own competitive days are finished.
What’s one thing people might be surprised to learn about you?
I’m a big fan of pub trivia and trivia nights. I’ve been going to a pub trivia once a week with the same group of family friends since 2013. We would have won 100’s of nights over the years! It’s a great way to break up the week and put those useless facts or information you have burnt into your memory to good use.
If you could give one tip to athletes (or parents), what would it be?
Athletes: Take the most of the opportunities while you can, work hard and enjoy yourself while you’re doing it. Don’t be afraid to enter into that high level competition or chase that PB. Too many young people underestimate their abilities and what they can achieve.
Parents: Get yourself involved! Your children are going to benefit so much from this so give back where you can. You might actually enjoy it and get to meet new people.
What’s been your most memorable moment as a volunteer?
My most memorable volunteer moment would certainly be my Ballarat YCW Harriers Life Membership which I received in 2024. You certainly don’t do it for the accolades but it is always nice to be awarded for the countless hours of contribution you’ve made to an organisation.
Recently we have also celebrated Ballarat YCW’s 80th Anniversary which was an enormous undertaking but extremely rewarding getting 150 people together to celebrate our rich history.
Welcome to Lauren Wright
Athletics Ballarat welcomes Lauren Wright into the inaugural Executive Officer role.
Here’s a little bit about Lauren:
A CAREER BUILT ON LEADING PEOPLE AND SYSTEMS
Lauren joins Athletics Ballarat with more than two decades of executive leadership experience across some of Victoria’s largest public and private sector
organisations, spanning finance, human resources, payroll and operations. Most recently, she has served as Manager, Agency Performance and Systems Support at
the Department of Families, Fairness and Housing, overseeing the service agreements and funding of $100 million across 37 community service agencies in
the Central Highlands region.
Her prior roles include Director – HR People Services at Victoria Police, where she led a division of six direct and 95 indirect reports and a $25 million budget; Director – HR Systems and Services at Fire Rescue Victoria, where she helped deliver the state’s Fire Reform on time and on budget; and more than 10 years across senior HR, payroll and systems roles at Crown Melbourne, including delivery of Crown Sydney’s HR and workforce systems, and the largest employer to go live with Single Touch Payroll implementation in Australia. Earlier in her career, Lauren was Payroll Services Manager at Ballarat Health Services and held finance and payroll roles at Moorabool Shire Council.
Lauren holds a Bachelor of Commerce from Deakin University and has completed the Business Leadership Program through the Institute for Strategic Leadership.
A LIFELONG CONNECTION TO ATHLETICS
Beyond her executive career, Lauren brings a genuine, lifelong connection to the sport she will now help lead in Ballarat. Competing from 1991 to 2000, she represented Australia at the ISF World Schools Cross Country Championships in Latvia in 1998 and represented Victoria on five occasions. Since returning to the sport in 2024, Lauren has become a World Athletics National Athletics Referee, officiating across the Athletics Victoria Shield League, Victorian and National All Schools Championships, Victorian Country Championships, the Zatopek and Maurie Plant meets, and Little Athletics regional carnivals. She has also volunteered
with Ballarat Little Athletics Club in a range of roles, including team manager, official, treasurer and bookkeeper.
Farewell to Llanberris Reserve
The Farewell to Llanberris Reserve event scheduled for Saturday 17th October (5:15pm) following the first round of the AVSL Track & Field Season. With the construction of the new athletics facility in Wendouree near completion, Llanberris Athletics Reserve will retire as a competition venue for senior athletics. For decades, the facility has been the home of athletics where legends have been made on the dirt, sand, clay, concrete and synthetic track. As we retire the venue, we want to invite all important stakeholders back to celebrate the history and reminisce about the stories
Join us at Llanberris Reserve for activities such as a Q&A with former and current athletes, an interactive history walk, kids activities and an official final lap of the track. At the conclusion of the event, everyone will be invited onto the track to complete one final lap of Llanberris on a competition day.
There will be a free BBQ dinner available and limited soft drinks/water.
Getting to know our athletes
Purv Patel
How did you first get into athletics, and what keeps you coming back to the sport?
What’s your favourite event – and why does it stand out to you?
I love the long jump because I get to ping into the air and I feel like I’m flying.
Do you have any pre-race rituals or superstitions?
I don’t really do much, most of the time I talk with the other athletes.
What’s been your most memorable moment in athletics so far?
I think it would have to be the first time I broke the 6m barrier for long jump.
Who inspires you the most – either in athletics or in life?
In life my parents inspire me as they taught me to never give up. In athletics my coach, Paul, tells me stories of him as an athlete and the work he put into the sport.
What do you love most about being part of the Ballarat athletics community?
I love the vibe that’s made at the track, as I’m able to talk to the athletes, coaches and officials creating a vibrant atmosphere
What’s your go-to meal or treat after a big meet or training session?
Well it’s an Indian dish called paneer curry
Athletics makes me feel...
Athletics make me feel energetic.
What does a typical training week look like for you?
Monday and Wednesday are gym sessions, Tuesday a sprint session, Thursday a bounding session and Sunday a jump session.
