November Momentum
"You must spend money to make money" - Plautus.
7 out of 8 Member Associations submitted an application for BA's Participation Grant. We aim to have the applications reviewed and assessed soon, and an Agreement generated for applicants to sign around the end of November. I'm in Peru till 20 Nov but will check emails regularly and will schedule time to discuss with Members if there are any questions about the applications.
In case you missed it, here are some highlights and news from my desk:
1) Did you know that The Australian Sports Foundation has a national small grants program that funds initiatives and programs aimed at increasing participation in grassroots and community sport throughout Australia? They have plenty of resources that enable you to feel confident about creating and executing your fundraising strategy or plan. Check out their link here and have a go at applying for a piece of the pie too!
2) Are clubs in your region welcoming and inclusive? Traditional values and stereotypes sometimes are challenging to overcome (eg. 'win at all costs, ‘those people won’t fit in’). Creating an inclusive club may require changing the club’s culture – a task that calls for strong leadership, appropriate policies and procedures and a commitment to change. Check out the following recommended steps to creating a better culture from Play By The Rules
3) The sports that Australians play today are the result of cultural evolution over the last two centuries. In 2040 Australians will most likely still follow and participate in AFL, cricket, rugby, soccer, swimming and netball - but what are the megatrends? I found the following 2013 CSIRO report for the Australian Sports Commission interesting, not because badminton was mentioned but simply because it recognises the forces that are changing the nature of participation. It questions the need for flexible membership systems, like fitness centres (how many members simply want to turn up and play without commitment?), the need to exploit the growth in wealth and access to Asian markets (how can we form alliances outside our sport?), the need for corporatisation of sport (to retain or maximise market share in an increasingly competitive environment).
4) Upcoming participation programs and events: Badminton WA hosts a Level 1 coaching course on 14 Nov. Please inform BA of upcoming participation programs and events in your States/Territories.
5) In other news: Atalanta Jamboree a hit Badminton ACT ran a successful Shuttle Time Teacher's course in Oct.
Regards, Marianne Loh Participation Manager Badminton Australia
