The Cairns Post - 28.04.2009

Athletics North Queensland Development Officer Cameron Clayton has seen plenty of talented athletes in his travels, but he is excited about the untapped talent in the FNQ region.

 Clayton, who moved from Victoria to take up his Townsville-based ANQ role in February, is in Cairns this week to stir up interest in athletes and promote the Cairns Athletics Club’s Come and Try event on Friday night. The young man with a big athletics background said he was looking forward to watching the FNQ talent bloom. “In Victoria, there’s plenty of talented kids but their training is very regulated with club and squad training” he said/ “Here, there’s some amazing talent. There’s lots of potential to develop, it’s just a matter of getting enough passionate coaches to help teach.

Clayton said the Cairns club, together with its Tableland, Marlin Coast and Mulgrave counterparts, was already achieving some great results but hoped that Friday’s event would help lift the profile of athletics.

He began visiting schools in the region yesterday to promote the Come and Try session, his tour taking him to Cairns, Woree and Trinity Bay High Schools and St Augstine’s, St Monica’s, St Mary’s and Djarragun College’s. Clayton said the Come and Try even, in addition to promoting athletics was seen as a way to give something back to the community. “Cairns Athletics was lucky enough to get a grant and we were originally looking at conducting a pole-vault clinic,” he said “But then, we looked to benefit Cairns as a whole and not just the club by having something in which could help all athletes.” Clayton said those attending the session would receive plenty of helpful hints to improve their fitness, skills and training methods. He said the high rate of childhood obesity and other fitness concerns  meant it was imperative that teenagers be active, advocating a long, slow jog as being as effective as any high-tech training program. Clayton said the beauty of athletics was that individuals could measure their improvements, gaining a sense of accomplishment which could carry over into other facets of their lives. The Cairns Athletics Come and Try is on at Barlow Park on Friday at 5.30pm. The club will provide a free sausage sizzle and free registration on the night.