The cost of sport has long been an issue for Canberra families and with the rising cost of living there are now calls for a sports voucher scheme to keep kids in the game.
abc.net.au/news/childrens-sport-too-costly-for-some-families-as-costs-rise/102519906As nine-year-old Amelia Ellis and her father James peer through the fence at her old netball courts, they reminisce on when she used to play.However, Mr Ellis can no longer afford his daughters' netball registration fees, leaving them both disappointed.
Australian Sports Commission data shows the ACT has the highest median cost of children's sport in the country, with families spending on average more than $1,000 on activities per year. "I know that there are children whose parents say, 'look, that's not an option, Premier League is not an option for us at this point'," Ms Higgins said.Kylie Higgins says the National Premier League club where her two kids play offers payment plans to help families cope with costs.
In other jurisdictions, including Queensland and New South Wales, the government has a voucher scheme which helps parents pay junior sports registration fees."If there was a voucher thing it would definitely make us feel a little bit better and able to do something," Mr Ellis said."If you're balancing putting money on the table for dinner and paying to get your children to turn up to junior sport, it's a tough gig, it's a really tough gig," he said.
After a two-year hiatus due to COVID, the organisation will start putting kids like Amelia back on the sporting field this summer season. Physical Activity Foundation CEO Lucille Bailie said the aim was to address as many of the barriers to sport participation as possible.
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