Sports as usual after 40 years

By Marc McGowan
THERE were cakes, memorabilia, photographs, face painters and even balloon sculptors, but Dandenong Little Athletics Centre’s 40th birthday celebrations were still all about kids competing.
Around 300 past and present DLAC members united at Robert Booth Reserve on Saturday to commemorate the centre’s milestone.
But DLAC president Des Platten, who has held the role for 12 years, said officials did not want to stray too far from what the centre is about.
“It was just a normal day of competition. We didn’t want to get too far away from it because that’s what a lot of kids thrive on more than the history,” he said.
“It was pretty low key, but I was happy with it. It was just about saying ‘we’ve got this far and we’re not doing too bad’.”
Platten was thrilled to see former athletes return and admitted to getting a bit nostalgic as he perused the old photographs and memorabilia. “Some of the ex-athletes came in and you sort of had no idea who they were until they told you – from (age) 15 to 30, for example, is a big step,” he said.
“The old photos brought a tear to my eye – there were pictures of my kids as kids.
“My four-year-old daughter (Alice)was there (in the photographs) who’s now 24 and doing exceptionally well.”
Narre Warren Little Athletics Club life-member Kerry Fenton also thoroughly enjoyed the day.
Her family has been involved at the centre for a decade and husband Steve is the president of Narre Warren and a DLAC life member.
Fenton’s children, Brittany, Stefanie, Maddison and Chris, have all competed at DLAC at some stage.
“It was a successful day. A lot of the families who used to be there came down and brought their children with them,” she said.
“We’ve been associated with it for 10 years now and it’s nice to see that people still think enough of it to come back and get involved in the celebrations.
“It’s just something we can do as a family and it’s great all the friends that you make.”