The North Turramurra Netball Club was recently announced as one of the 10 recipients of the Woolworths Pick Fresh Play Fresh Netball Grants for 2023. The $8,000 is awarded to deserving clubs that intend to reduce the barriers in participation by creating welcoming environments for families within the local community.

Grassroots sports play an impactful role in the development of culture within our local communities. Continuing to grow the game from this level allows for the emergence the next generation of young athletes, as well as providing important roles and experience for individuals off the field.

In a perfect world, every community sports organisation would be able to function with unlimited resources and volunteers. However, the reality is that sustaining a sports club is a challenging task, and one that is showing to be more difficult as time goes on.

According to a report released this past May from the Australian Sports Foundation, the long-lasting impacts of COVID-19 continue to halt the progression and expansion of these sports clubs. Out of the 3,000 clubs that provided a response, over half admitted that increased economic pressures have made it difficult to boost participation numbers, with 24% even considering halting operations altogether.

For a club like North Turramurra Netball, who places a great importance on the development and promotion of netball in younger age groups through the NetSetGo programme, this grant could mean just as much in the near future as it does in the present.

The NetSetGo initiative is designed to teach young netballers the foundational skills of the sport, but more importantly, spark their love for the game at a young age. The club intends to delegate funds in progressing near 100 of their Woolworths NetSetGo participants into the Northern Suburbs netball system.

On top of this, North Turramurra will be looking to boost community participation overall by introducing further clinics and programmes designed to promote club culture and a nurturing environment.