Applications close this week for the federal Coalition government’s $200 million Sporting Schools program and all local schools are being encouraged to apply.
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Statistics show more than 80 per cent of children are not getting enough physical activity and that 27 per cent of children aged 5-17 are overweight or obese.
Sport and physical activity needed to be an important part of holistic childhood development.
Sporting Schools continues to grow at a fantastic rate and, most importantly, more Australian kids are growing up with this important national program that gives them the opportunity to be more active before, during and after school.
Almost 80 per cent of Australian schools have registered for Sporting Schools over the lifetime of the program. More than 3700 primary and secondary schools will run a Sporting Schools program in Term 2 this year, an increase of more than 770 from last term. More than 150 schools are being funded for the first time this term, which means Sporting Schools continues to expand and reach more children than ever.
An early connection to sport can positively influence participation and encourage a lifelong love of sport and physical activity.
Time and expense are often cited among the barriers to sport participation, but Sporting Schools enables children to sample and experience sport with no financial outlay or time commitment expected of parents.
Sporting Schools provides improved access to sporting opportunities for all and gives children the chance to try a lot of different sports – you never know which one they will fall in love with.
The Australian Sports Commission (ASC) manages Sporting Schools in partnership with more than 30 different national sporting organisations (NSOs) to deliver sport before, during and after school hours.
The Sporting Schools program is provided free to children and their families and is underpinned by the quality assurance of NSO-endorsed sporting coaches and products.
Having initially started in primary schools, the program has expanded to include targeted secondary schools.
In the 2018 Federal Budget the government committed an additional $41.7 million to extend the Sporting Schools program until the end of 2019. It is part of $230 million package for sport participation and physical activity initiatives announced in the 2018-19 Budget to encourage more Australians to be more active.
More information about Sporting Schools program can be found at sportingschools.gov.au/.
