Sunday Mail Column - Training future olympians

Olympic Cyclist and former Gold Medallist Anna Meares fractured her vertabra at the Cycling World Cup in January this year.

She came back this week to win a silver medal in the Women’s Sprint. An amazing achievement. Just one of the many astonishing moments we have witnessed over the past week, but it seems every success at the Olympics can be prefaced with a tale of hardship, of determination and the deepest commitment.

The Olympics have become much more than just a sporting event. It is a celebration of human endeavour.

It is hard to imagine anything more joyous than singing along to the national anthem while our flag is raised, but being a witness to our athletes trying their guts out to achieve their personal best is definitely up there.

Australia has done amazingly well. Our small population and comparatively modest investment has paid off with a per capita medal tally that is one of the best, if not the best in the world. Our athletes’ achievements inspire us which is something that cannot be counted or measured.

My children, for example, have overcome their football obsession temporarily and become Olympics-crazy. I am the daily recipient of breathless updates of the medal tally, and our record breaking achievements! There are many many young people who would be inspired by track stars like Silver Medallist hurdler, Sally McLellan, Gold Medallist triathlete, Emma Snowsill, or our Bronze Medallist canoeist, Robin Bell.

These are our potential future Olympians. Their training starts at the earliest age. Their talent is recognised and nurtured by coaches, parents and eventually the Australian Sports Institute. Their commitment is extraordinary, with a lifestyle reminiscent of a monastic order; in exchange they gain the chance to compete on the world stage.

In my own electorate it is a familiar sight to see the weekend pilgrimage to local youth sporting events. For parents of future Olympians this is a daily duty. The time and commitment that parents and coaches put into their children’s Olympic and other sporting dreams is huge and should be recognised.

Perhaps more importantly, developing healthy lifestyles from a young age ensures that our next generations live longer, healthier lives. Children who exercise regularly, through competitive sport or other means, are generally happier, certainly healthier, and even if they don’t win Olympic gold, we know that they will be less likely to get sick, and will be able to do more with their days.

I believe that money spent on helping our sporting heroes achieve their best is worthwhile, as our successful Olympians are an example of achievement and healthy lifestyle for our children to look up to. It is similarly important for Government to invest in local sporting facilities for our youth and community sporting groups. Dollars spent on encouraging local sport are dollars saved down the track on our health system.

The former Government had a commitment to developing the sporting stars of the future, and to encouraging local sport. In my electorate of Sturt I successfully lobbied the Howard Government for $1 million to fund the redevelopment of the Campbelltown Soccer Club, a much needed investment to improve the club rooms and sporting facilities. This will provide the Club with the means to expand and offer the opportunity to participate to more young people.

Over the past eleven years local sporting clubs were also the recipients of community grants and local schools, through the now defunct Investing in our Schools Programme, were able to upgrade and improve ovals and facilities.

Recently however we’ve hit a wall. The Rudd Government doesn’t seem terribly interested in helping to develop future Olympic champions, or support local sporting facilities, which are in truth about community building.

I’ve written to the Federal Sports Minister Kate Ellis on several occasions on behalf of local sporting groups needing assistance.

The Azzurri Sports Club is a good example. Based in Marden, they have been operating in Adelaide for fifty years. The club is strongly independent, paying for new facilities eight years ago fully funded by members and supporters. This expansion has lead to 220 playing positions being available within the club and various levels, and local interest flourishing with over 450 children attending try-outs!

Now they’ve asked for some assistance to build additional change rooms, seeking to share the costs 50-50 with the Federal Government. The response from Ms Ellis was not unsympathetic, but she was unable to assist.

It was the same response when I wrote regarding the Tranmere Bowling and Tennis Club which needs new turf. I have also written to request assistance to resurface the Margaret Bond Oval in Glenunga which is potentially dangerous to play on, with poor drainage and potholes. There are many more worthy and equally deserving sporting and community organisations in my electorate that need support. I will continue to lobby on their behalf.

To ensure we can offer our youth a shot at the Olympic dream, or even the opportunity to participate in a diverse range of activities that will keep them engaged and healthy, ensuring local sporting infrastructure is available is an important responsibility that our State and Federal Governments should not be allowed to shirk.