Netballers call for new pavilion

A netballer who had to lie on a kitchen table at Western Park waiting for an ambulance was an example of the desperate need for new netball facilities at Western Park, Baw Baw Shire councillors were told last week.

Warragul and Warragul Industrials Football Netball Clubs were united in their calls for funding to develop a new netball pavilion at Western Park.

More than 50 players and members from the two clubs attended a special meeting last week held to hear submissions on council’s draft 2019-20 budget.

Both clubs requested council commit $50,000 in next year’s budget to undertake the feasibility, planning and design for new changerooms.

Netballers, aged from young teenagers to their 50s have to walk through the male football club changerooms to be seen to be club trainers.

If seriously injured during a match, there is nowhere for netballers to be treated.

Council was told an injured netballer had to lie on the kitchen table in the cramped netball rooms, with no privacy, waiting for an ambulance.

Councillors also heard the problems and lack of facilities had increased with the Warragul Industrials’ now also fielding youth girls and women’s football teams.

Two WFNC under 13 players, Mia Radford and Pippa Cook, described to council the current changeroom facilities.

Pippa said if a netballer required a trainer either before or during a match, not only did they have to share a room with males, they had to walk through the football changerooms to access the trainer.

“At the moment our showers are being used for storage,” Pippa said.

“We would like to see our facilities developed into something we are proud of,” Mia said.

WFNC netball co-ordinator Kelly Sheehan said netball memberships had increased 20 per cent in the past three years.

She said between the Gulls and Dusties clubs, there were 150 players using the facilities every week for training and matches.

“We want a facility that is female friendly, family friendly and VNA compliant.

“We need adequate changerooms – we don’t fit one team in there at the moment let alone two teams; two toilets; a facility for medical staff and trainers; and an umpire’s rom,” she said.

Ms Sheehan said there were many opportunities for funding for women in sport projects.

Warragul Industrials representative Tanya Brereton said the upgrade of netball facilities at Western Park had been included in council’s recreation plan since 2008.

She said the priority of the works shifted from medium to high last year and the desperate need for the works was increasing with continued growth in netball numbers between the two clubs and also women’s football.

Ms Brereton said an additional court also was a priority with 135 netballers using one court, when the recommended usage was one court per 44 players.

She said the run-off zones around the court did not meet safety requirements for players and umpires.

Ms Brereton said both clubs had turned away players this year but had the potential to support more teams in local competitions as well as the football-netball leagues.