- Eight WA women's teams to get $320,000 in total to help with cost of playing nationally
- Grants program provides funding to support sporting pathways for women to reach high-performance level
- State Government committed to growth and development of women's sport
Eight Western Australian women's sports National League teams have scored grants totalling $320,000 in funding awarded by the Sport and Recreation Minister.
There is an increasing community demand for women's sport in WA and the McGowan Government is committed to driving the growth and development of the sector by helping to remove barriers to female participation.
The Women's National League Grants Program funding will go to a variety of different State sporting organisations, from hockey to basketball, wheelchair basketball, soccer, ice hockey, netball, volleyball and water polo. The money will be used towards the costs associated with operating a women's team in a national league competition such as competition entry fees, court hire, player contracts, insurance and medical fees, as well as travel and accommodation when playing interstate.
The funding will be allocated as follows:
- $50,000 for Hockey WA for Women's Perth Thundersticks;
- $50,000 to Basketball WA for Perth Lynx;
- $10,000 to Basketball WA for Perth Wheelcats;
- $50,000 to Football West for Perth Glory;
- $20,000 to Ice Hockey WA for Perth Inferno;
- $40,000 to Netball WA for West Coast Fever;
- $50,000 to Volleyball WA for Women's Volleyball Steel; and
- $50,000 to Water Polo WA for the UWA Torpedoes and Fremantle Mariners Women's Teams.
The Women's National League Teams Grant Program is administered by the Department of Local Government, Sport and Cultural Industries. The goals are to:
- support the sustainability of women's national league teams based in WA;
- strengthen pathways and programs for women to compete at high-performance level;
- establish strong financial models to support teams' operations; and
- reduce the financial burden for participating athletes at high-performance level.
Comments attributed to Sport and Recreation Minister David Templeman:
"The McGowan Government is committed to improving opportunities for women to participate in high-performance sport and the Women's National League Grants Program is a brilliant example of putting those words into action.
"We are supporting sustainable sporting pathways for women to compete at a national level with funding for organisations to cover the costs of operating a team nationally, as well reducing the financial burden for WA's women athletes.
"I look forward to seeing the positive outcomes of this money being allocated to hockey, basketball, ice hockey, netball, volleyball and water polo women's teams in Perth."
Comments attributed to Women's Interests Minister Sue Ellery:
"Removing barriers to women's participation in sport at a national level has the added benefit of encouraging other women and girls to get involved, as they have incredible athletes to look up to.
"The McGowan Government is committed to supporting gender equality in Western Australia, from the boardroom to the sporting field.
"The Women's National League Grants Program is just one of the ways that our government is investing in opportunities for WA women and girls to reach their full potential."
Sport and Recreation Minister's office - 6552 5400
Women's Interests Minister's office - 6552 5700
