The secretary of the Lithgow District Football Association believes the state government’s Kids Active Rebate will increase junior membership in local soccer clubs by “at least a third”.
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“It wouldn’t impact everybody but for those families who do struggle or who have two or three kids, I think cost is the biggest contributor to not accessing sport,” secretary Lorraine Keay said.
State Treasurer Dominic Perrottet announced the ‘Active Kids Rebate’ as part of his 2017-2018 budget speech. The rebate will provide families of children in school with a $100 voucher per child per year for sports activities.
Sports minister Stuart Ayres said the rebate would not be means tested, and would also be available for non-competitive sports such as after school programs and swimming lessons.
The rebate will be available from January 2018.
“Membership costs for kids average around $120 a year in our district, so if people can get six months worth of football in for just $20 I think a lot more families will get involved,” Ms Keay said.
“For families with a few kids, they can be spending over $500 just in membership fees and that’s not including uniforms and equipment.”
“I think every sport will benefit from it as far as I can see.”
Lithgow District Football Association currently has 42 teams registered in the 2017 season in the under 6 to under 14s age groups.
“That’s about 400 kids,” Ms Keay said.
“We find that in the junior competition membership number remain pretty regular, it might fluctuate 20 up or 20 down each year.”
Where the association is having difficulty maintaining numbers is in the older age categories.
“We are down this year on under 16s ladies and men, they are no longer playing in Lithgow now. We find kids around the age of 16 are interested in doing other things,” she said.
“In the ladies and men’s teams we are dwindling in numbers but a few of the teams are playing in the Bathurst competition and playing their home games in Lithgow.”
Ms Keay said more children participating in team sport will benefit clubs, children and families.
“It gets kids exercising and encourages them to play with a team, they meet new friends that they wouldn’t normally meet because they all go to different schools. Parents get to meet new people on the sidelines too,” she said.
“It is creating a community.”
- Junior teams in the Lithgow District Football Association are currently into their 10th week of the winter season. The association is hosting it’s seven-aside carnival at the Marjorie Jackson field on August 6.
