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Submission by Athletics South Australia on 26 March 2009.
2. Better place sport and physical activity as a key component of the Government's preventative health approach
- Examine Government frameworks to ensure an on-going focus on grassroots and community sport and physical activity.
Athletics SA, in its submission to the Sports Panel, would like to acknowledge that as an affiliated state body of Athletics Australia, we fully support Athletics Australia’s submission to the sports panel. As the sport of athletics in particular is the foundation for all land-based sports, athletics in general, but particularly in South Australia, needs more resources to enable us to support the development of grassroots sport. Currently Athletics SA lacks vital resources to be able to effectively promote our sport across the state. Specialised programs should be supported and funded by the Government to increase participation in physical activity as a form of preventative health. The focus on community and grassroots sport should be increased through an increase in Government funding and support (e.g. assistance with promotion and marketing). The Office for Recreation and Sport in South Australia is doing a fantastic job working with state sporting organisations, but is doing so with limited resources.
- Examine Government programs to increase participation rates in sport and physical activity, including analysis of existing programs.
A full review of current Government funded programs is needed (e.g. Active After School Communities program). Data should be collected on the effectiveness of programs like the Active After School Communities in terms of their impact on educating participants and the number of people participating in physical activity. In particular, the Active After School Communities program should be analysed to determine its effectiveness in promoting continued involvement in physical activity outside of this environment.
- Identify and recommend opportunities to break down barriers to participation at junior, adult and senior ages with a view to making it simpler and easier for Australians to participate in the sport or physical activity of their choice, including for women, the disabled and Indigenous people.
The Government should seek to provide (and support organisations to offer) a diverse range of positive experiences in sport and recreation for a wide range of people at little or no cost to individuals. Athletics does this, but needs more funding to enable us to do this more effectively and reach a greater number of people within the community. For example, Athletics South Australia needs to employ a field development officer to promote athletics in schools through the provision of clinics and information sessions, but does not have the financial resources available for this purpose. Athletics, in particular, has enormous potential, as it is a very measurable and self-fulfilling sport. The diversity of athletic events and the premise that athletics is the foundation for all land-based sports means that there is an opportunity for us to reach a wider cross section of the population if given the right support and resources. Athletics South Australia needs more monetary and human resources to allow it to branch out and reach more and more people to assist them in participating in physical activity. I would suggest that many sporting bodies are in the similar situation.
- Recommend strategies to increase the effectiveness of the promotion of sport by the Federal Government to better communicate positive health and activity messages to the broader community.
The Government should work with all sports to make the Active After School Communities (AASC) program more effective or develop an alternative program. Whilst the concept is a good one, at present, the AASC is a glorified Kelly Sports program. Greater quality is needed to ensure that fun, as well as quality skill development through competent instruction are the cornerstones of this program. Education through the school system is essential, as is teacher education. Ongoing professional development for teachers in the areas of health and physical education is vital to the communication of positive health and fitness messages. An emphasis should be placed upon the health and physical education area. These two areas, which are at the centre of preventative health and greatly influence the future habits of young people, are continually allocated reduced attention and funding, often at the expense of more academic subject areas. Studies have shown that increasing the amount of time allocated to physical education can actually enhance learning effectiveness in other subject areas, so more attention should be given to the role of physical education in the promotion of lifelong participation in physical activity. You can have all the knowledge in the world, but if you don’t have your health, then none of it matters. Using the education system to develop and promote sport is an effective way to efficiently get the message out about sport and physical activity. Increased opportunities for students to participate in sport should be a key focus of the Government’s preventative health strategy for the future. State sports organisations also have a key role to play in the promotion of sport and physical activity, but require more resources to enable them to do so efficiently and effectively.
3. Strengthen pathways from junior sport to grassroots community sport right through to elite and professional sport.
- Examine the capacity of the system to ensure optimal and efficient delivery of the athlete and coach pathway for any given sport.
Athletics Australia are currently trying to work with Australian Little Athletics to establish a developmental pathway for the sport. For far too long, this has been neglected by both Athletics Australia and Australian Little Athletics. The Australian Sports Commission needs to continue to provide support and assistance in establishing this pathway because the future success of the sport of athletics depends upon it. Availability for funding to athletics development needs to increase, so that athletics, as the foundation for all land-based sports, can be put into all schools to not only encourage participation in physical activity, but also assist all young people to develop a wide range of motor skills for the benefit of all sports. More control of development and elite level funding should be given to state and national sporting organisations, as they are best placed to identify talent and deliver targeted and successful programs.
- Recommend the most effective support and recognition for the coaches, officials, umpires, administrators and volunteers who keep our community clubs alive.
Maximum opportunities should be provided for coaches, officials, umpires, administrators and volunteers to undertake continual professional development, so as to increase the pool and quality of knowledge and expertise available in all sports. More support and funding for training programs for these groups is needed. The Government could explore the possibility of holding a gala awards dinner at the state level to recognise the outstanding and tireless contribution of coaches, officials, umpires, administrators and volunteers to the sports industry. This could then be followed with a national event for state finalists. Costs to award nominees should be low or non-existent.
- Examine how relationships between the Commonwealth Government and National Sporting Organisations, State Sporting Organisations and Australia’s peak representative bodies at key multi-sports competitions may be strengthened to deliver better performance outcomes.
The key would be better communication and collaboration across the board from all stakeholders. There is often an “us versus them” attitude or a lack of communication between the state and national sporting organisations and the Government. More funding is needed in this area to ensure that we keep pace with the rest of the world, particularly in the lead up to London 2012.
5. Identify opportunities to increase and diversify the funding base for sport through corporate sponsorship, media and any recommended reforms, such as enhancing the effectiveness of the Australian Sports Foundation
The Government should allow donations to the Australian Sports Foundation to be directed to specific sports or, further, specific sporting organisations at the will of the donor. This would allow wealthy corporations or individuals to support the cause of specific sports or organisations they are passionate about. There should be attractive tax benefits available to individuals or corporations that donate through this channel. The biggest issue in terms of attracting corporate dollars and media is the profile of some sports relative to others. Those sports that aren’t as “popular” should receive greater assistance from the Government, as without corporate backing and media exposure, sports like athletics will continue to be at a significant disadvantage to sports like Australian rules football, tennis, and swimming.
Page last updated: 26 March, 2009