Melton has one of the lowest rates of sports participation among young Victorian children, a new study has revealed.
Only 10 per cent of children under 14 were enrolled in a sports club last year, compared with sports-mad regional and rural areas where up to 45 per cent of children had joined clubs.
The research, conducted by Victoria University, VicHealth, Sport and Recreation Victoria and Federation University, examined almost 900,000 registrations in football, basketball, bowls, cricket, golf, gymnastics, hockey, netball, soccer, sailing and tennis.
Greater Dandenong ranked bottom of all local government areas at 7.1 per cent, while almost 20 per cent of Moorabool youngsters played sport last year, the research reveals.
Victoria University’s Rochelle Eime said poor planning and a lack of facilities in urban growth areas were contributing to the low participation rates.
“It’s important that planners consider sport and recreation needs of these growth areas before developers start dividing up house and land packages,” Associate Professor Eime said.
A spokesman for Sports Minister John Eren said the state government invested heavily in sports clubs across the state, including the $26 million Supporting Victorian Sport and Recreation Program, $100 million Community Sports Infrastructure Fund and $4.6 million Sporting Club Grants Program.
He said the government wanted to hear from Melton council about future sports projects that needed funding and other opportunities that could increase participation.
“To help Victorians be as healthy as they can be, we are getting on with opening more doors for people to get involved in grassroots sport and recreation,” he said.
“Boosting participation among girls has been a particular focus, but we also believe that all players deserve equal access to equal facilities.”
The research also found only 10.5 per cent of Victorian women and girls were involved in sports, compared with 20 of men and boys. The gap blew out for children aged five to 14, with 80 per cent of boys involved in sport, compared with 50 per cent of girls.
Melton council recreation and youth acting manager Glenn Mulcahy said sports involvement was “crucial” in improving children’s physical, mental, social and emotional health and wellbeing.
“Learning to work as a team, deal with losing, being a good sport … and operating in fun and at time pressure environments are great lifelong learning experiences,” Mr Mulcahy said.
He encouraged anyone interested in taking part in council-run sports clubs to call 9747 7200.
