About Flinders Athletic Club

Established on the 4th of July 1979, Flinders Athletic Club was formed by a small group of dedicated young boys and girls who were at the time competing for Mitchell Park Little Athletics under their well known and enthusiastic coach, Toby Schreier. 

Toby trained these athletes at the university grounds of Flinders as the university had the ablilty to provide exellent facilities and equipment for Toby and his athletes to utilise. 

This move lead Toby and his senior athletes to recognise that there was a need for an athletics club in the Southern Suburbs of Adelaide. In April of 1979, Toby Schreier approached the then South Australian Amateur Athletics Association Director, Brian Chapman, to discuss the procedure for establishing a district club based at Flinders University. Toby’s enthusiasm and assured him of support from the Athletics Association. The University Sports Association was approached and after several months of negotiations they too gave their wholehearted approval, dissolving their existing athletic club in favour of the new one.

Flinders Athletic Club quickly developed into one of South Australia's best winter (road and cross-country) clubs and has continued to maintain that status. The club also built a strong track and field presence, with teams in all age-groups, and athletes regularly breaking State Records and representing South Australia.

Thirty-five years on and Toby was still the proud head coach of "Flinders Athletic Club". Sadly in 2014 Toby was diagnosed with Motor Neurone Disease. Toby was determined to continue coaching until he could no longer physically do so. Toby’s contribution to athletics in South Australia may well be measured by the successes of the athletes he coached, but his contribution to the lives of those he touched will remain immeasurable. Records will be replaced as time ticks by, but Toby’s true legacy will live on through the men, women, boys, and girls who he helped to not only become the best athletes they could be, but also the best people. As a measure of the respect, Toby’s funeral service in November 2014 was held at the Athletics SA Stadium, where over 500 people attended to farewell him.  

The 40^th anniversary of the Club was marked and celebrated in 2019 and it highlighted that the club is as vibrant as it ever has been. Flinders had a record number of athletes competing for the club, athletes continue to represent out state of South Australia and our nation, Australia. Flinders Athletic Club continues to foster and maintain a warm and open club atmosphere where athletes of all ages and abilities are welcome.