Hills District Athletic Club

The first Athletics club based in the Hills District was the Baulkham Hills Womens’ Amateur Athletics Club, formed in 1968 as a division of the Baulkham Hills Sports and Recreation Club. It was founded by Marlene Mathews and Ron White. Ron, a former national jumps representative, is the current Vice President and Coach Co-ordinator at Hills District Athletics Club.

The Hills Womens’ Amateur Athletics Club was based at Ted Horwood Reserve, Baulkham Hills, however usage was also made of the Castle Hill RSL grounds for training purposes. The club catered for the athletic needs of individuals of all ages, however it was not until 1972 that the Hills District Little Athletic’s Club was founded- also at Ted Horwood Reserve- specifically dedicated to developing younger athletes for the vigour of senior competition.

In 1974, a men’s division was established and continued to function until 1979, when the Men’s and Women’s Athletics Clubs merged, triggering the foundation of the new Hills District Athletic Club, which combined both male and female athletes. The conception of the new single male and female association failed to satisfy or please everybody- consequently, a number of clubs throughout Sydney retained their status as Women-only clubs. This was the case with Baulkham Hills Women’s Athletic Club, which continued to function as a separate entity until 1989 when it finally merged with the Hills District Athletic Club.

In 2005, the Hills District Athletics Club is based at Alfred Henry Whaling Reserve (Roxborough Park), Baulkham Hills, a ground designed by Baulkham Hills Shire Council, and designated specifically for athletics in the Hills Shire.

The level of success achieved by the club has far exceeded that of other similar sized clubs. With an average membership of 120 athletes, we have continued to produce and develop numerous state and national champions year after year. Such consistency is a direct result of the input provided by Head Coach and co-founder of the club, Ron White, who has devoted himself over 25 years to coaching outstanding young athletes in the Hills District.