PLAYERS at Golden Plains Soccer Club are set for better facilities following the announcement of grant by the State government from the 2019-20 The World Game Facilities Fund.<\/p>\n
Just under $500,000 has been set aside for capital works at the club\u2019s home ground on the northern edge of Bannockburn and will include new female friendly change rooms, referee rooms, lighting for the second pitch, and fencing.<\/p>\n
Club president Anthony Vanjek said the new facilities would help the Golden Plains Soccer cope with the booming interest in the sport.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe new lights are going to help immensely. The first pitch is getting used five nights a week for training, plus on weekend game days. It\u2019s been taking a hell of a beating for the last few years,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019ve slowly developed over the last few years. We started in 2012 with about 20-30 kids and now we\u2019ve got about 250 players.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re the only club in the Shire, players come from all the towns around the district, including Ballarat and Geelong.\u201d<\/p>\n
Nineteen-year-old Rachel Kaiser first ran on for Golden Plains when she was in grade 5, in the club\u2019s inaugural year.<\/p>\n
Now a member of the senior women\u2019s squad, she\u2019s said she\u2019s looking forward to what the upgraded facilities would bring.<\/p>\n
\u201cYou\u2019ve seen over the years how soccer has progressed, especially for females,\u201d she said. \u201cIt\u2019s quite an inspiration and heart-warming to see that even in a small community like Golden Plains we\u2019re able to give an opportunity to women and empower our voices.<\/p>\n
\u201cFemale friendly change rooms mean more privacy, and worth within the women\u2019s teams. Having our own space is recognition, so it\u2019s about having a sense of power in something that\u2019s ours.\u201d<\/p>\n
Mr Vanjek said that he hoped the new female friendly facilities with bring in more players to the club, especially as the Women\u2019s World Cup drew closer.<\/p>\n
\u201cObviously it was problematic with just the two change rooms for women and men, and made even worse when you have opposition teams,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s also training nights too, we\u2019ve got girls and boys as well as men and women, so it\u2019s going to make a huge difference to us.<\/p>\n
\u201cAll this has coincided with the announcement that Australia is going to be co-hosting the Women\u2019s World Cup in 2023. There\u2019s already has been huge growth, and this will enhance that and having the facilities to facilitate that will just help so much.\u201d<\/p>\n
In announcing the money Western Victoria upper house MP Gayle Tierney said the aim of allocating cash from The World Game Facilities Fund was in part to get more people active and kicking goals, as well as support soccer\u2019s expansion.<\/p>\n
\u201cFootball is booming in Victoria and we\u2019re expecting growing numbers of boys and girls, men and women to sign up to play at local clubs, however many clubs are struggling with inadequate facilities,\u201d she said.<\/p>\n
\u201cWe\u2019re working hard to encourage and enable all Victorians to embrace a more active and healthy lifestyle.\u201d<\/p>\n
The nearly $500,000 for Golden Plains Soccer Club comes on the back of a similar amount for like capital works at Inverleigh Recreation Reserve, as well as funding for upgrades at Lethbridge\u2019s sporting precinct.<\/p>\n
With cash for sports facilities pouring into the Shire from State and Federal government, Golden Plains Shire mayor Cr Owen Sharkey said the money took the pressure of the municipal budget.<\/p>\n
\u201cWhether it\u2019s in Lethbridge, Rokewood, Bannockburn, Linton or Inverleigh for football clubs or soccer clubs, there\u2019s just so much happening,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n
\u201cThere\u2019s a huge need and desire as these communities are rapidly growing. It\u2019s fantastic to get opportunities like these. The effects they have on the community are massive.<\/p>\n
\u201cIf we didn\u2019t do it though grants programs and the strategic planning wasn\u2019t done, we would be only standing at one club saying, \u2018This is fantastic, we\u2019ve put in half-a-million dollars.\u2019 They just wouldn\u2019t happen.\u201d<\/p>\n
For Mr Vanjek, he was just thankful for the continuing support of his club and its facilities.<\/p>\n
\u201cOn behalf of the club and the whole community I\u2019d like to thank Golden Plains Shire and the State and Federal government,\u201d he said. \u201cThey\u2019ve all provided funding to help these facilities get built over the last few years.<\/p>\n
\u201cThe staff at the council have been tremendous, they\u2019ve worked tirelessly behind the scenes to work out the detail and submit applications for funding.\u201d<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
PLAYERS at Golden Plains Soccer Club are set for better facilities following the announcement of grant by the State government from the 2019-20 The World Game Facilities Fund. Just under $500,000 has been set aside for capital works at the club\u2019s home ground on the northern edge of Bannockburn and will include new female friendly […]<\/p>\n