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Increased Gippsland youth sports participation to recover from 40% decline during COVID and cancelled Commonwealth Games

Melina Bath stresses the importance of youth sports participation and laments the 40% decline during COVID. She queries the minister about plans to boost athletics engagement and facilities in Eastern Victoria.

By news@gippsland - 6th November 2023 - Back to News

My question is to the minister for sport. We can all agree that children's participation in both exercise and sport has lasting benefits for their mental and physical health. During COVID lockdown when all of the traditional sports, including the Traralgon Little Athletics club, were locked down and people were unable to participate, numbers reduced by 40 percent.

Amid COVID lockdown, traditional sports, like Traralgon Little Athletics, halted, causing a 40% decrease in participation. The Commonwealth Games' cancellation dashed hopes of membership growth

The club looked forward with enthusiasm to the Commonwealth Games - now cancelled - to stimulate its membership. Indeed recently Sarah Johnson from the little athletics club stated: It's a bit of a kick in the guts as well because we need to improve our facilities in regional areas, we don't get as much as what metro-based clubs have got. What specifically will the minister do to stimulate athletics numbers and participation numbers in my electorate, Eastern Victoria electorate?

Pictures from Traralgon Little Athletics Centre Facebook page.

Source: http://gippsland.com/

Published by: news@gippsland.com