Funding to get females active
Geelong to share in $4.5m
“There are up to 20 sports that have got funding to deliver products ... ” MICHAEL KING
GEELONG girls will be better supported to be active through a funding initiative aimed at making sports more accessible to regional teens.
Nine regional sporting assemblies, including one in Geelong, will receive a share of $4.5 million over three years from VicHealth to introduce sports to girls and women.
Geelong assembly operator Leisure Networks will focus on improving the range of sports and accessibility in the region.
Business and innovation co-ordinator Michael King said increasing the number of girls playing cricket would be a key focus for the group.
“Over the next three years there is a commitment from Leisure Network to support state sporting bodies develop, deliver and evaluate a number of programs in the Geelong region targeting women and girls,” Mr King said.
“There are up to 20 sports that have got funding to deliver products down in this region and our role is to partner with them to find opportunities with clubs.”
He said the network was working alongside Geelong Cricket Association to develop and build participation in the sport which had low local female participation rates.
“We want to find pathways to build cricket in a similar way that football has done,” Mr King said.
The funds will also be used to make sports clubs more inclusive for women and girls, by identifying quick, simple and cost-effective changes, such as scheduling women and girls’ matches on the main grounds and promoting women’s sport on social media.
VicHealth chief executive Jerril Rechter said it was critical the sports clubs were supported to be more welcoming and attractive to women, young people and less active Victorians.
“It only takes one bad experience — whether that’s being mocked by other members to being ignored by a coach or instructor — to make a woman feel like she never wants to try a sport or physical activity again,” Ms Rechter said.
She said more than 90 per cent of teenagers were failing to get an hour of physical activity every day to benefit their health while half of teens dropped out of sport when they turned 15.