AFL Central Australia has been named ‘Northern Territory Good Sports Club of the Year’ and ‘Leaders in Sport’ at the Good Sports Awards held in Melbourne last night.
The awards celebrate the club for promoting the values of the Australian Drug Foundation’s Good Sports program and leading the way for other clubs across the NT.
The Good Sports program works with clubs to help them provide safe and healthy environments through the responsible management of alcohol. More than 6,000 clubs are involved with the program around Australia.
The Australian Drug Foundation’s Northern Territory Good Sports Manager, Sharron Noske, said the Good Sports Awards recognise the sports clubs around Australia who are providing safe and healthy places for families to enjoy sport.
“As the Good Sports Club of the Year for NT, AFL Central Australia are showing the wider community that they place the utmost importance on the health and wellbeing of their players, members and spectators,” Sharron said.
AFL Central Australia Regional Manager, Andy Hood, said that they were thrilled to be recognised for the contribution they’ve made since joining the Good Sports program.
“We are extremely proud to be associated with Good Sports as it defines what we are trying to achieve within our footy environment. AFL is Australia’s game and should be enjoyed by all families across the country. This is what we are keen to provide and promote in the Central Australia Football League - a family environment.
“Good Sports has been a perfect model and process that has given us great assistance to achieve this. It has been the ideal partnership and I am proud to say, the Good Sports accreditation has enabled us to achieve our goals.”
AFL Central Australia joined Good Sports because they wanted to create a new culture and family-friendly environment, and one that did not include the negative relationship that alcohol and sport have held in the past.
The League first took the brave move of ceasing alcohol sales in the outer area and restricted alcohol sales to mid strength beer.
The League’s involvement with Good Sports helped to strengthen their position and showed supporters, players and the wider community that the sport was about families coming together to enjoy a great game, not about drinking.
As part of the program AFL Central Australia has put all bar staff through Responsible Service of Alcohol training, ramped up provision of food, water, tea and coffee and strengthened their relationship with local police who have a presence at all major events. They also have strict no smoking and drinking policies in place for players at carnivals.