Jetstar today announced a new partnership with Little Athletics Australia (LAA), becoming the first ever official naming partner for one of Australia’s best loved junior sports.

The two year partnership further cements Jetstar’s commitment to Australian communities and demonstrates that the airline stands for more than just low fares.

Jetstar Australia and New Zealand CEO, David Hall, said LAA’s mission to develop children of all abilities by promoting positive attitudes and a healthy lifestyle through family and community involvement in athletic activities aligns well with the airline’s brand values.

“We are proud to partner with Little Athletics Australia, a unique Australian organisation that promotes having fun, being healthy and community involvement,” Mr Hall said.

“Little Athletics aligns with Jetstar’s values of creating new memories and special moments and we look forward to supporting Little Athletics communities nationwide as we take this new journey together.”

The partnership will provide LAA with funds to provide more backing to the 500 plus Centres throughout the country while giving Jetstar the opportunity to engage with the Little Athletics community.

Martin Stillman, Chief Executive of Little Athletics Australia, said “Little Athletics is an iconic brand in the Australian junior sporting landscape and we are thrilled to partner with Jetstar Airways as our new naming rights partner. The Jetstar partnership will enable Little Athletics to provide more support and resources at grassroots level and ensure further growth within the sport.

“We recently celebrated 50 years of Little Athletics in Australia, and are now excited to embark on this new chapter in our history with Jetstar.”

Former Little Athlete and current captain of Australia’s Glasgow Commonwealth Games team, Sally Pearson said, “When I was thirteen, my coach at Helensvale Little Athletics Centre introduced me to hurdling and I haven’t looked back since. It taught me to aim high and be my best from an early age which undoubtedly set me on the journey towards winning Olympic Gold. Little Athletics is a unique program and one that I am very proud to have been part of.”

Little Athletics is a unique Australian athletics program for children from 5 to 15 years based upon track and field activities that have been modified to suit the age, developmental stage and ability of the children.

Little Athletics is a volunteer-driven sport which is reliant on the assistance of parents and other adult volunteers to deliver the weekly sessions to more than 100,000 girls and boys.