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Submission by Robyn Machin, Violet Town Community Sports Clubs 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.
No response
- Examine Government programs to increase participation rates in sport and physical activity, including analysis of existing programs.
Promotion of a “national come and try day” with a high profile sports person allocated to each participating town would be a great boost to our clubs and social activity in the community.Where government programs are undertaken by clubs on a seasonal basis such as Vicswim, Auskick the message is less clear than in the past. Participants on the program database need to be personally notified when the next session/season is beginning, every schoolchild needs take home information.
- 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.
One of the great virtues and values of grassroots sport in country communities is that these barriers largely do not exist. Commonly mixed aged teams compete and sport is a family affair. This may be explained by the grades and levels of our grass roots competition which helps us to enjoy our sport and the social aspect of the game as much as winning. Nurturing our youth into teams is a high priority and all our clubs have many mentors who provide enormous encouragement to anyone who wishes to participate – there is always a place for everyone. In higher populated areas where competition may be greater this natural community encouragement may not be so strong and competing to win may take over.
- 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 value of sport cannot be underestimated in Violet Town and district. It binds this community together and provides enormous support to residents of all ages as an outlet and interest.Local schools have a big role to play in delivering this messageFamily and home life through the better eating message and being involved in your community sporting clubs to both play sport as well as enjoying the social life of the clubRole model speakers to circulate throughout the country talking directly to clubs in each town and leading coaching clinics. Currently these are held mostly in large regional centres.
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.
No response
- Recommend the most effective support and recognition for the coaches, officials, umpires, administrators and volunteers who keep our community clubs alive.
At our grassroots level the best recognition for all these categories is a successful season. An increased level of participants raises club morale and increases enjoyment of the sport. Umpires, if not able to play, can still be involved in the sport they love and keep a level of fitness. Club awards encourage leaders.
- 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.
Better performance outcomes are greatly assisted with quality playing surfaces. Funding for grassroots small towns infrastructure seems largely overlooked yet the percentage of participation is very high. Combining club faciliies to regional locations is not practical at grassroots level.
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
ASF currently offers a donation and tax incentive program to help fund sporting organisations. The demographic of our town and the capacity of our few small businesses to stretch their support to all clubs is a huge ask. Neighbouring towns naturally are more inclined to support their township clubs. It could reasonably be argued that tax incentives have limited value in small rural communities for donation seeking, particularly during the past 10 years of drought. Club members are all active in a wide range of fundraising activities to maintain club operating and maintenance costs. A program which is designed for small rural localities which are not attached or part of larger regional population centres and city municipalities would really assist our clubs. (the examples on the ASF website are of larger centres and municipalities with a significant budget and ablity to contribute) Contribution for major infrastructure renewal is beyond the capacity of our shire.
Page last updated: 26 March, 2009