Youngsters get uniforms boost

By Tania Martin
UP AND COMING sports stars from across the Dandenong Ranges and Yarra Valley will now be able to don a new pair of football shorts or a new basketball top with the help of State Government funding.
Sports Minister James Merlino last week announced that 20 sporting clubs in the Shire of Yarra Ranges had secured funding for new uniforms.
From Montrose and Mt Evelyn to Powelltown and Healesville football clubs players will now get to don new footy uniforms.
But it’s not just football clubs that have been winners with netball clubs, basketball associations and soccer clubs across the shire also donning new uniforms.
He said the clubs would receive more than $19,000 to help purchase essential sportswear for their teams to train and play in.
Mr Merlino said that many sporting clubs in the shire were thriving but they lacked a lot of essential resources such as uniforms and equipment.
“The new uniforms will play an important role in building local sports culture, helping to establish a club’s character and build morale among team mates,” he said.
The funding announcement was part of the first round of the State Government’s $1.5 million Our Club, Our Future Uniforms Grants program.
The first round of funding has seen more than 770 clubs across Victoria share in $750,000, and Mr Merlino has now urged clubs to apply for the second phase of the funding program.
He said the program would offer another $750,000 in the second round and that priority would be given to disadvantaged and junior clubs.
“This uniform funding directly benefits grassroots sporting clubs by encouraging further participation in sport,” Mr Merlino said.
“We are now encouraging clubs who have not yet been approved for a grant to jump at this second round opportunity to get a cash boost to help their players put on the club colours and help create a sense of team unity and pride.”