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Submission by Robyn Cochrane on 30 October 2008.
1. Ensure Australia's continued elite sporting success
No response
2. Better place sport and physical activity as a key component of the Government's preventative health approach
No response
3. Strengthen pathways from junior sport to grassroots community sport right through to elite and professional sport
Training and assessment tasks for accreditations/qualifications need to be accessible to volunteers who may or may not be in paid employment and affordable for grassroots sporting clubs. Trainers must demonstrate sufficient rigour to ensure successful transfer of knowledge and refresher or update seminars could reinforce and enhance understanding. Community sporting clubs compete for players, families, sponsors and grants. Executive committees must comprise individuals with passion and business skills. Affordable training conducted locally in business planning, succession planning, employing coaching staff, sourcing sponsors, negotiation skills and sourcing and completing grants applications would support administrators and volunteers to keep their clubs alive. In terms of recognition, it is very difficult as individuals are motivated to volunteer for many different reasons and would appreciate different recognition gestures. However, some options may be a timely and personalised certificate of recognition from the Club, League, or relevant Government body; an invitation to a presentation by an elite athlete or key official conducted at regional or local community venue; or a TAFE certificate to formally recognise competency and contribution.
4. Maintain Australia's cutting edge approach to sports science, research and technology
Explore possible alliances with the University sector and Health Care sector for innovative research and evaluation purposes; the TAFE sector for input into and feedback from current and past students of Sports Management Diploma courses, and leading health and fitness clubs/gym/programs. Regarding being leaders of anti-doping, an emphasis could be added for the responsible serving/consumption of alcohol at this connects with sport performance, the public image of sport, and individual well-being.
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 funding base for grassroots sport is likely to already be diversified and could include sources such as club members' small businesses, local pubs, local businesses, community banks, and local government grants. High profile and elite sporting individuals and sporting clubs are likely to have well-paid managers and marketing departments that are successful to varying degrees in securing a strategic yet diversified funding base. Grassroots clubs could learn important lessons from these successful marketing managers and the provision of affordable training or booklets on tips for increasing funding bases would be helpful. I believe that the core business of corporate sponsors should not conflict with the goals of good health, participation, and fitness (ie. Phillip Morris, KFC), otherwise mixed messages are communicated to the community.
Page last updated: 30 October, 2008