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Southern Flinders Football Club |
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Introduction / Club profile Southern Flinders Football ClubLocation (state, area and distance from capital city)South AustraliaSouthern Flinders Region250 kilometres on average Number / gender / age range of members / participants350 members including netballers50% males50% femalesU/7 - seniors Number of teams (breakdown of junior / senior)6 teams- 2 seniors, 4 juniors Competition club plays in Northern Areas Football Association, most towns within 250 kilometres of Adelaide. This association is affiliated with the SANFL (South Australia National Football League). Club venue consists of two clubrooms with basic bar facilities, one external bar facility, 3 ovals in 3 towns. History The club is the result of the amalgamation between the Rocky River Football Club and Laura-Wirrabara Football Clubs. The club has provided sporting activity for people from the towns of Georgetown, Gladstone, Laura and Wirrabara since 2001. The netball clubs in this association hold their sport on same day and at same venue as the football. This makes it a family day out. The club committee was aware of its responsibilities regarding alcohol sales and consumption, and compliance with the liquor licensing laws; however, few volunteers working in the bars had attended any formal training. The committee of the club identified that members and patrons participating in the club’s activities had the potential to put themselves and others at risk due to drink driving. The committee recognised that this needed to be addressed. Key things the club did to create change The club initially started working on this problem in partnership with the Rocky River Health Service with a Drug Action Team Small Grant from the Mid North Regional Health Service. This grant was to help produce a club wide planned approach to responsible alcohol sale and consumption. The Good Sports Program was launched shortly after the project began and the club then decided to take up the program as it provided the framework that the club was looking to adopt. The club signed up to the Good Sports program and achieved level 1 this year. Buses were provided for patrons to major club functions Club volunteers working behind bars attended awareness training sessions in Responsible Service of Alcohol provided by SA TAFE and the Mid North Drug Action Team. Provision of substantial food at club functions later in the night, Non alcoholic drink alternatives easily available, Distribution of standard drink information for patrons, Signage updated to ensure patrons understood the clubs stand on underage drinking and service of alcohol to intoxicated people. Education of patrons on the club’s adoption of the Good Sports Program through articles and Good Sports logo’s in the clubs match day magazine(Tiger Talk) were all benefedical, as were Good Sports Bar Mats, Education evening combined with players and officials tea on the club’s adoption of the Good Sports program Challenges & difficulties A major challenge all clubs face in rural Australia is one of transport choices and the existing habits people have formed. There is no public transport available. This meant that for two of the club’s major functions buses where chartered at the club’s expense, reducing the income from the event. The bus was under-utilised the first time, however the next time people were aware of the service and made use of it. The buses were full on both return journeys (40-seat bus).The number of services that buses can provide was minimal due to cost, and further utilisation would occur if more trips to and from the event were available.Access to Responsible Service of Alcohol training. The Outcome The Good Sports recommendations for responsible service and use of alcohol are now an integral part of planning for club functions and activities Over 100 people made use of buses for transport to and from major club functions. The bus was better utilised for the second function suggesting that people were aware of the service and chose not to drive. Many cars were left at the function locations and picked up the next day suggesting that people were choosing not to drink and drive Volunteers working behind bar are now more aware of the club’s responsibilities and operated accordingly Through analysis instigated by the Good Sports program, the club found that alcohol sales did not make up the majority of its income and is now starting to shift its focus away from alcohol revenue streams into improving existing income streams and incorporating new income sources. Image – the changes made in the club at level one focus on the club ensuring that they are complying with its responsibilities under the liquor licensing laws. The patron does not see a lot of this work. As the club works towards the next levels, patrons and people involved with the club will continue to view the club as acting responsibly and a good club in which to be associated. Benefits to the club and communityReduction in risk of members and patrons drink driving Reduction in focus on alcohol sales as part of club revenue. The club is now using a more structured approach to acting responsibility under its obligations to the liquor licensing laws and the community Club committee member, Craig Smith said “In rural communities, the football and netball clubs are major providers of social and physical activity for people, however the increasing range of legislated requirements and responsibilities from many government and non-government organisations is starting to overwhelm the volunteers who manage them. The Good Sports Program helped reduce this increasing burden. T he Good Sports Program provided a timely simple to understand framework for the club committee to adopt. It has allowed the club to save time and frustration in the design process of a framework and enabled it to start implementing strategies to achieve its aims. The adoption of the Good Sports program has become an integral part of a process the club is using to provide a safe, enjoyable, family friendly sporting and social experience.” |
