If you’re a country netball club in need of new equipment to improve health and safety, it pays to apply for the WorkSafe Club Safety Fund.
Applications are now open for the 2022 WorkSafe Club Safety Fund, which provides financial assistance to netball clubs to make improvements to the safety of their grounds or provide added safety for both players, volunteers, and spectators.
Kangaroo Flat Football Netball Club playing in the Bendigo Football Netball League was one of the grant recipients in 2021. Following long-needed new netball courts being built at the club’s home ground, additional funding was required for new safety equipment such as appropriate goal post padding.
“We used to use the old goal post pads that didn’t fit and had to use tape to hold them together on game day. Besides being unsightly, there was always a risk that the padding wasn’t fully protecting the posts and could be a risk to players,” said Hayley Smith, Kangaroo Flat Football Netball Club netball operations manager.
“Our new goal post padding fits perfectly and is easy to assemble and remove. They are a snug fit that fully protects players from injury caused by collisions with the post.”
Another issue WorkSafe funding has improved is the removal of leaves and other hazards from the court thanks to new brooms and a blower. “The courts are located under a gum tree and because of such there is always debris that requires to be cleaned off the court before training/games. We also have birdlife that reside near the courts and leave a mess that can be quite slippery,” said Smith.
Finally, Kangaroo Flat Football Netball Club have also been able to invest in a new first aid kit and stretcher, as well a defibrillator in conjunction with the senior football club, “Our first aid kits were broken and not appropriate in storing first aid supplies. The new kits are portable, weatherproof, and offer an abundance of supplies for our players,” Smith said.
Smith recommends other clubs in need of a helping hand apply for the WorkSafe Club Safety Fund, saying the process was “very easy.”
“It is a way to obtain urgent financial assistance for OH&S equipment without increasing membership prices and spectator entry fees too much,” she said.
Supporting country sporting clubs is especially important to WorkSafe after the last two years of bushfires followed by the pandemic. COVID-19 has impacted most local sporting organisations financially, including Kangaroo Flat Football Netball Club.
“There have been less players and spectators, but they may be on the rebound. There are less volunteers around to help support the club and sponsorship is hard to generate due to financial pressures on businesses,” said Smith.
Despite these challenges, players at the club are thriving on game day with the new courts and safety equipment. The club’s values (as decided by the players at the annual bonding day) also remain at the forefront of every decision and match.
“Our 2022 values are F.L.A.T: Fun, Loyal, Accountable and Teamwork. These values summarise what we are about…Our players and support staff are a welcoming group of people who strive to create an atmosphere that is successful, supportive, inclusive, safe, and fun.”
From pre-season to finals, Kangaroo Flat Football Netball Club’s five grades operate as one unit. Smith said, “Although we dedicate part of our training schedule to focus on team specific drills, we generally train as one inclusive unit. This enables players across all grades to know and support each other.”
Smith looks forward to seeing new permanent netball facilities planned at their home ground of Dower Park including new change rooms, toilets and shelter for spectators.
Applications are now open for the 2022 WorkSafe Club Safety Fund for all netball clubs affiliated with Netball Victoria playing in the WorkSafe Country Netball League. Find out more and apply.
