The club has boosted membership and 11 Taree athletes have qualified for the upcoming State championships. This is despite a season that started late due to COVID-19 restrictions, while a number of Friday afternoon competition days have been ruled out due to wet weather.

It was just a few months ago Taree Athletics was on the brink of folding. The club was struggling to form a committee.

"A few of us had kids who wanted to try athletics for the first time and we didn't want to see the club fold,'' Linda Hoadley, who took on the secretary's job, explained.

All positions on the committee were eventually filled and the club started preparations for the new season.

"But COVID has been a real pain,'' Linda continued.

"The season usually starts in September but we had to put it back because of lockdowns and other restrictions.''

Despite this the club's membership grew to the point where 70 young athletes are turning up on Friday afternoons for competition at Taree Recreation Ground. Linda isn't sure what the membership figure was per-COVID, but she understands it was less than 50.

Linda's sister, Jenny Wyllie, has moved to the area and she's an accredited coach. This enabled the club to offer a training session on Monday evenings along with the Friday competition.

A total of 17 club members went to Tamworth last month for the regional championships.

"Usually athletes have to qualify for region through zone, but we didn't have a zone this year because of COVID,'' Linda said.

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However, of the 17, 11 now head to State. Linda isn't sure if this is a club record, but it's certainly their best representation at that level in many years.

Youngsters can start athletics when aged three in Tiny Tots. The age limit is currently 17. Linda said the club hopes to cater for open age athletes when the 2022/23 season starts next September.

"There are a few hoops we have to jump through for this to happen, but hopefully it will be all sorted for next season,'' she said.