EMA continues to offer three separate programs, those being Little Athletics, seniors, and masters.
Little Athletics, tailored for interested persons aged five to 17, will first hold a series of come and try sessions throughout September.
Its first competition then takes place on Friday, October 9 at Jack Eddy Oval.
The club expects more than 230 athletes to register for the program, a similar number to what it saw last season.
Little Athletics has long been a staple at EMA, while its senior program is still relatively new in comparison.
But the category continues to grow in popularity, with club president Kate Downward hoping to see close to 30 athletes register for competitive Athletics Victoria action this season.
Only entering its third year, growing interest in the program has gone hand in hand with success, as the club saw two representatives claim silver medals at the Australian Athletics Junior Underage Championships in April.
A further four featured at the event, and nine total EMA athletes were initially selected to compete, almost half of the registered participants in its senior program last season.
“We are very blessed to have a number of high performing and talented athletes in our club, but also a number of emerging and younger athletes coming through from our Little Athletics centre through to our seniors club,” Downward said.
“That is exactly why we made the change three years ago from just being a Little Athletics centre to registering with Athletics Victoria and providing pathways for local athletes to access better competition on better tracks and reach for the stars.”
Members of the senior program at EMA will begin the competitive season, held in Bendigo, on Saturday, October 17.
Meanwhile, for older athletes looking to stay active without the added pressure of competition, the club will again offer a masters category.
Beginning on Monday, October 5, masters allows interested persons aged 18 and above to take part in a range of events in a more social, fun environment.
In a change from last year, athletes will also be able to try out a new event, hammer throw, in the 2026-27 season.
“Some of us are reliving our days as a youth athlete and others are discovering events that they may not have tried previously; it's really great for bodies to be sprinting,” Downward said.
“Lots of people go on long runs or run around the block, but sprinting or running with speed has some great benefits for adults, and if you have a think about when was the last time you sprinted, you might surprise yourself, and it might be time to come back down to a track and have a go.”
Another more specific offering EMA has is come and try sessions for children with a disability, which are run by Sandy Kadri on Wednesday afternoons.
The multi-class athletes have been participating in their sessions since mid-July, and will continue into the summer as all other programs begin.
“Last season was our very first season where we really encouraged community members who were interested in athletics to come and get involved in our training sessions for multi-class athletes,” Downward said.
“We had some wonderful successes with these athletes going off to region and state championships, and that has continued over the winter with three of them going off to relay championships and also through their school athletics.”
Finally, Downward and Linda Johnston will coach general club training throughout the season, holding sessions every Monday at 5pm, which are open to athletes of all ages to attend.
Those interested in getting involved at EMA can call Downward on 0400 430 584 or email echucamoama@lavic.com.au
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