Smooth Sailing for Local Yacht Club

Established in 1892, the Royal Port Pirie Yacht Club (RPPYC) is a small family oriented club that has been accredited in the national Good Sports program since 2007.

The RPPYC constantly strives for best practice in all areas of club development, with Good Sports accreditation seen as a proactive way to assist with risk management at the club. Club Policy Officer, Gene Collins has been actively involved with the RPPYC and the local community for many years.

“We do not have the problems associated with alcohol that some of the larger clubs face, but never-the-less we do recognise the importance of addressing issues in the event of something happening,” she said.

Drawing on her previous experience as a teacher and a Master’s Games volunteer, Gene suggested the club prepare a formal risk management plan. “Considering the risks and litigation facing sporting clubs I thought it would be a great opportunity to piece together a Risk Management Plan for the Yacht Club,” she said.

Central to this is the integration of three Good Sports best practice club policies; smoke-free, safe transport, and an overall alcohol management policy, as the club progresses through the program. 

The club is continually looking at ways to improve its operations, whether through planning or attending training courses, such as a Good Sports Responsible Service of Alcohol training course recently held at the Port Pirie and Districts Hockey Association.                                                 

Although only a small club, RPPYC members and volunteers are very supportive of its approach to alcohol management, and are willing to be involved.

Adelaide City strikes first goal with Good Sports

The Adelaide City Women’s Football Club (WFC) recently joined the Good Sports program as the 4000th accredited club nationally, and also the first women’s football club to become Good Sports accredited in South Australia. 

Since 1997, the Adelaide City WFC has grown not only as a soccer club, but as a major entity in the women’s soccer scene and local community. This determination saw their Premier League team achieve back-to-back Premier League and Championship Cup wins in 2009 and 2010. 

The club sees the Good Sports program as a positive way to continue providing a safe environment for all junior and senior players at a sport, social and community level.

The club also hopes to increase membership and sponsorship opportunities. Club Canteen and Social Events Manager Miryana Luksa said, “Good Sports will help Adelaide City WFC be seen as a leader in the local and soccer community with a strong focus on maintaining a safe approach to the serving and consumption of alcohol, improving an already family-friendly environment and the implementation of safe alcohol consumption and smoke-free policies”.

According to Luksa, becoming a Good Sports club and achieving Level 1 accreditation is all about establishing and maintaining a safe environment for club patrons.

The club also wants to ensure senior players have an environment where they are able to compete at the highest level possible, while contributing to the community and their club.

Scoring Runs With SA Cricket

The Good Sports program in Adelaide has been working closely with the South Australian Cricket Association (SACA) for a number of years. Since the progressive accreditation of Grade Cricket clubs, Good Sports has also recently been incorporated into the SACA’s new Cricket Partnership Program (CPP).

The CPP enables the SACA to work with their associations and clubs to improve the cricket experience for all participants and volunteers. It will ensure ongoing growth of the sport so that cricket remains accessible to all South Australians. Cricket clubs and associations involved in the CPP receive many tangible benefits such as access to development opportunities for players, volunteers and officials. This includes guidance in becoming a Good Sports accredited club.

Once accredited in the free Good Sports program, clubs get access to a range of valuable resources and benefits including heavily subsidised responsible service of alcohol training and advice on liquor licensing requirements.

Since the advent of the CPP other local cricketing bodies including the Adelaide Turf Cricket Association (ATCA) and the South Australian Metropolitan Cricket Association (SAMCA) have also demonstrated their support for the program, and will be working with Good Sports to further engage SA community cricket clubs in 2011. For further information about the CPP, visit: www.cricketsa.com.au