A new campaign has been launched to help keep young children playing football in Melbourne’s west.
The Kicking In For Kids Campaign was launched by the Western Bulldogs and the Western Region Football League last week.
As part of the campaign, the Bulldogs and its partners, will pay for the league registration fee for all WRFL junior players from under-8s to under-16s.
More than 1300 footballs will be provided to WRFL clubs to help the clubs have the equipment needed to best help the kids as part of the campaign.
Bulldogs chief executive Ameet Bains said children had been heavily affected by the pandemic.
“As everyone is aware the last couple of years has been really difficult and really challenging with COVID,” he said.
“Particularly our children, who sadly have been deprived a lot of childhood activities we’ve taken for granted.
“Whether it’s going to school or kicking the footy at their local footy club these are things that haven’t been able to be done.
“It’s exciting to be here talking about the Kicking In For Kids Campaign. Throughout the campaign for season 2022, the league registration fee will be paid for every child in the WRFL from under-8s all the way through to under-16s. More than 5000 kids will benefit from that, it will lesson one of the barriers of returning to football.
“We’re just so grateful to be part of this initiative, playing our part int getting kids back to being healthy and doing things they should be doing at this age.”
WRFL chief executive Matthew Duck said it had been an incredibly challenging couple of years for everyone involved.
He said 100s of children had stopped playing football in the west the last couple of years.
“While the cost to play Australian rules football is very low in comparison to many other sports, we do know the barrier to entry for many.
“This investment from the Western Bulldogs and their partners represents a significant financial investment into the local football ecosystem here in the west and is aimed squarely at reducing the costs with the benefit going directly to 5000 families here in the western suburbs.”
The Burnham family from West Footscray Football Club are the faces of the campaign.
Western Bulldogs stars Lachie Hunter and Isabella Grant were part of the launch. Both played their junior football in the WRFL.
Grant said local footy was where you fall in love with the game.
“For me, footy is the first place I felt comfortable being myself… Especially young girls growing up, they can feel like they are part of the community and they’re safe to be who they are.
“This provides an opportunity to stay in that system.”
Hunter added, “I grew up in Williamstown and played under-9s to under-16s. I spent a lot of years there.
“The thing I remember is that’s where I met a lot of my best mates now. I still hang out with a lot of kids I played in under-9s, under-10s teams with.”
