From Zero to Starting Line: How to Get Involved in High School Athletics in Brisbane

It’s the middle of winter in Brisbane, and while the NRL and AFL dominate the TV schedule, thousands of local teenagers are lacing up for something far more personal: high school athletics. With the Queensland State Championships set for September 18-21 at the Queensland Sport and Athletics Centre (QSAC) in Nathan, now is the peak season for parents and students asking the same question: how do we actually get involved?

This matters more than ever in 2026. A report released in March by Sport Australia found that 57 per cent of Queensland teenagers aged 14-17 participate in organised sport at least once a week-down from 63 per cent in 2019. The pandemic-era drop has been stubborn, but administrators say the tide is turning, partly thanks to new low-cost entry programs rolling out across Brisbane this year.

Where to start in Brisbane

Brisbane has three main hubs for school athletics. The biggest is QSAC on Kessels Road, home to the Queensland Athletics track and field centre. It hosts weekly twilight meets from October to March, but winter training is available through affiliated clubs like the University of Queensland Athletics Club (UQAC) at St Lucia and the North Brisbane Athletics Club, which trains at Windsor Park on Albion Road. UQAC runs a “Come and Try” session every Tuesday at 5:30 pm, cost $10 for a full season of coached sessions for students aged 12-18.

If you don’t have a school program yet, the Queensland Department of Education’s “School Sport Queensland” portal lists every affiliated high school competition by region. For Brisbane’s west, the Metropolitan West region covers schools from Indooroopilly to Kenmore, while the Metropolitan East region runs from Coorparoo to Carindale. Each region holds its own trials, typically in late July for the state carnival.

Cost is often the biggest barrier. At Brisbane State High School on Peel Street, South Brisbane, the annual athletics levy is $85, which covers facility hire, coach fees, and transport to carnivals. At private schools like Brisbane Grammar on Gregory Terrace, fees are higher-around $200-but many offer a fee-waiver program for families on health care cards. The Queensland Athletics Federation also runs the “Active Kids” subsidy, which gives $150 per child per year for sport registration. It’s been undersubscribed in Brisbane’s outer suburbs; as of June 30, only 40 per cent of available funds had been claimed across the Moreton Bay region.

What happens next

For a student starting from scratch this month, the first step is to check if their school has a Friday afternoon sports program that includes athletics. If not, they can register directly with a local club via Athletics Queensland’s website. Registration for the 2026-27 season opened July 1 and costs $55 for a junior membership.

The next key date is August 14, when Queensland School Sport releases the regional athletics draw for primary and secondary schools. That’s when parents learn where the local zone carnival will be held-usually at QSAC or the State Athletics Facility at Calamvale. For those outside the metro area, the closest hub is the Sunshine Coast Athletics Centre at Kawana, about 90 minutes north of the Brisbane CBD.

Equipment is minimal: shorts, a singlet, and a pair of running shoes. Specialised spike shoes for track events start at about $60 at places like Rebel Sport on Albert Street in the city. The biggest commitment is time: most club sessions run two hours, twice a week, plus one weekend meet per month. Coaches at both UQAC and North Brisbane Athletics Club welcome walk-ins for the first session without any prior commitment.

The Daily Brisbane spoke with several parents at the South Brisbane twilight meet on Wednesday night. Most said the biggest hurdle was simply finding the right contact person at their child’s school. The recommended approach is to email the school’s head of sport before the end of July, when trial teams are finalised.

For a full list of clubs and registration links, the Queensland Athletics website has a “Find a Club” tool. The application deadline for the Active Kids subsidy is November 30, 2026, but funds are limited to the first 10,000 claims each quarter.