A new club for the new generation

A NEW sports club could unite the youngest athletes of the Shire’s north.

Last week, Golden Plains Shire Council hosted a forum at The Well in Smythesdale to gain a sense of the community’s interest in forming fresh junior football and netball teams, and providing opportunities for more children and families to be active.

Twenty community members, including the Smythesdale Football Netball Club Committee, and representatives from Netball Victoria and the Regional Sports Assemblies attended the meeting.

Although unable to make it, AFL Goldfields, the Western Bulldogs, and Sport and Recreation Victoria have expressed their interest in support in developing a new club.

Golden Plains Shire Mayor, Cr Owen Sharkey said council is supportive of establishing the team.

“Our local sporting clubs are the heart and soul of many of our towns across the Shire,” he said.

“The loss of the Smythesdale Football Netball Club in 2018 left a hole in not just the Smythesdale community, but also many of the nearby towns in the Shire’s north.

“With a number of schools in Smythesdale and the surrounding area, it would be fantastic to have a local junior football and netball club for the region’s young people, so they don’t need to leave the shire to play the sport they love.”

A working group has formed with the aim of securing AFL Goldfields’ support to enter teams into their 2020 season.