THE TIMES, AND FACILITIES, ARE A-CHANGING
SURFERS Paradise Dolphins have secured a $180,000 grant to help with the growth of their girls and women’s rugby union programs.
The Dolphins yesterday met officials to sign off on paperwork for the funding, which was provided through the Queensland government’s female facilities program. It comes as the club sees a boom in their female playing numbers, increasing from one team in 2017 to four this year, putting pressure on their ability to provide girls with separate change rooms.
“It will be a modification to what is already there to turn the existing change rooms into gender neutral change rooms and improve the standard to offer more privacy,” the Dolphins general manager Michael Bell said.
“And then we’ll also be able to build an extension that has got female specific change rooms for the girls and have a medical room there off it so they can be treated for any sort of injuries in privacy as well.”
Bell, who hailed Surfers Paradise club president Anthony Ralph as the driving force in the grant process, believes they can complete the works soon. “We would love to have it ready by the Pan Pacs in November but I think that might be a little bit optimistic,” he said.
“We have got to be shovel-ready and that includes all the DAs (development applications) before we see the first instalment of the grant.
“One thing we are very lucky with is we do have builders within the club that will be able to get us there really quickly.
“Worst comes to worst, it will be ready in time for next season.”
Under-15 player Piper Flynn is excited to see the game change in favour of girls’ participation.
“It has come a long way from being a male dominated sport to having so many people behind it,” said the 15year-old, who is in her third season of rugby.