Camberwell Sharks under-16s mid-fielders Emma and Maddie are claiming their space this season.
Their junior footy club's home pavilion at Lynden Park has been upgraded top to bottom. There's more room to move in the refurbished social area. And they have brand-new change rooms.
'It's more spacious and has good clubrooms for game day as well as better facilities for training,' says Emma. Maddie adds that there's space to stretch in the change rooms too - 'and the canteen space is way better'.
Lynden Park and Willsmere Park pavilions are our most recent upgrades. Work's underway on the pavilions at Frog Hollow Reserve and Highfield Park in Camberwell. Greythorn Park in Balwyn North comes next.
Many of our existing pavilions lack female-friendly change rooms, umpire rooms, toilets and showers. Providing them aims to remove barriers for girls and women to play sport. Making them unisex gives clubs flexibility.
'There's a sense of home now'
Over at East Kew FC the 300-strong soccer club is settling into its new home at Willsmere Park. We've upgraded and extended the original 1960s-era pavilion and built a new one beside it.
It has a social room now, and 4 change rooms, up from 2. A balcony overlooks the fields - perfect for a barbecue or for parents to watch their kids train. It also has ramp access and an accessible public toilet.
President Luca Fiorini says the club has grown in the last 2 years and added a junior girls and a senior women's program. Until this season the senior men and women shared change rooms.
'There's a sense of home now,' says Luca. 'Before you'd come to the club and do your training and you'd leave whereas now people stay. It's gone from being a transient space to a real community hub.
'For girls and women it's allowed them a space away from men to get changed and prepare to play, which is really important. They feel incredibly comfortable and catered to and they feel recognised which is a big thing.'
It's hoped these pavilion upgrades will help keep players connected with their sport and club. 'I'd always play footy anyway,' says Emma. 'But this makes it nicer.'
