There are ongoing concerns when it comes to junior sports in Lithgow, in particular the old school winter sports, such as netball, hockey and soccer, which have all seen a decrease in junior numbers this season.

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Lithgow Netball Association secretary Zoe Barnes said it was concerning that sport numbers had decreased because team sports in particular taught children a lot about partnerships, working together and commitment.

"They help teach children [how to] make friendships and relationships outside of the school environment and in a small town this is invaluable when juniors get to working age as they have others they can seek advice and assistance from when looking for work," she said.

Ms Barnes said, although Lithgow's junior netball numbers had been fairly consistent in the last couple of years, it had taken a lot of work to keep them that way.

"We've been fairly consistent to 2018, however there are a lot of new players, most players from last year did not return. If you look back 10-15 years ago we have certainly had a large downturn in numbers over that time," she said.

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She said she thought this was because of the location of the stadium, outside Lithgow.

"We feel this doesn't help our numbers as the travel out of Lithgow can be hard for some, and our local stadium is actually quite cold.

"While it can be good for when it comes to escaping the rain, it doesn't really help with players and spectators being cold," she said.

Ms Barnes said she believed that being in a regional area affected competition numbers compared to metropolitan centres.

"I have family who live in Western Sydney and they have huge numbers in their netball club, I believe the popularity of netball as a whole is growing but we are not seeing that increase in our association or other regional associations," she said.

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Lithgow Hockey Association vice president and junior chair person Paul Thurtell said he believed being located in a regional area was a positive when it came to hockey in Lithgow.

"I don't think it affects it that much as it is cheaper and easier to get around," he said.

However, he said numbers in junior hockey had unfortunately dropped since last year.

"Numbers are a little down on last year, we're not sure why whether it's all screen based stuff or parents just don't have as much time as they used to," he said.

Mr Thurtell said historically sport was played on Saturdays but today children were faced with many sport choices and it could be difficult to pick only one.

"I understand sports being played on days other than Saturday have allowed for greater flexibility for families, numbers will change each season in any sport, I guess the most important thing is getting kids active and enjoying their sport indoor or outdoor," he said.

He also said the Active and Creative kids rebate had helped players and their parents when it came to purchasing sport related items.

Lithgow District Football Association president Jeff Kemp said the cost of sport could also have an impact on numbers.

"Fees should be less so people can afford them although at the moment the Active Kids Voucher has helped our numbers increase slightly.

"But the cost of equipment for sports can be expensive," he said.

He said electronic devices could also play a part in kids not joining sports.

"Kids would rather play video games and they become quite obsessed and addicted to them.

"We are losing the tradition of getting outside to meet new people, make new friends and just basically having fun," he said.

Mr Kemp said he would like to see kids become more involved in soccer to keep them active and learn team spirit by working together.

Lithgow Storm Rugby League Club was also contacted for comment but did not reply.