A lifetime of competing and coaching with Southern Highlands Netball has taught Kate Bow it's tough to find backing for girls sports, and costly for families to take part. The Association shot a goal with grant funding of $5,585 through Wingecarribee Shire Council's Community Assistance Scheme toward taking representative teams to state titles.
The funds will assist with transportation, the cost of a coach for 3 days, and fees to nominate 5 teams to register for state titles. "We're so grateful to Council for coming alongside our association leading into the competition season," says Kate Bow, coaching coordinator of Southern Highlands Netball Association. "Our little association punches above its weight and getting this grant will mean we can give all of our players equal opportunity to take part and keep development pathways open for the players, their coaches and umpires."
The grant will be invested toward offsetting the costs of taking 50 local kids to Junior and Senior State Titles in Sydney, Maitland and Newcastle. As a coach who supported three daughters of her own through their competition years, Kate knows carnivals are a big financial commitment for families.
"It can mean forking out as much as $1,000 per child to cover fees, accommodation, meals, coach transfers and other costs," Kate says.
"Rising living costs and interest rates are forcing some families to have to choose which of their kids' sports they can afford to continue to support. Receiving this grant puts us in a position to be able to assist them with getting behind their girls."
The application process was simple for the association because they were prepared with an accurate knowledge of what the costs would be.
Staying active among like-minded peers in a team sport like netball promotes the physical and mental wellbeing of our Shire's youth. "It's so much healthier for our kids than being glued to a screen," Kate says.
Scouts at the events the teams will travel to with the support of this grant may open doors for some of our Shire's star players. The grant makes it more accessible for families who might have struggled with the cost of representative Netball.
"Southern Highlands Netball Association is doing everything they can to support local families to take part and we're so pleased to partner with them by providing the grant funding they need to make sure none of their team members miss out when they head to trials this season," says WSC Community Development Coordinator, Corinne Buxton.
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