Sixteen-year-old Jaylene Bonson has accomplished much more than many young people her age. Having been selected in the Australian National squad in both touch football and basketball, Bonson is one of Australia’s most promising dual internationals and just one of the many talented athletes who are making use of the Australian Government’s Elite Indigenous Travel and Accommodation Assistance Program (EITAAP).

In the course of her busy sporting career, Bonson has been selected in over 16 national teams. She travels more than five times a year and will soon be preparing for the 2011 touch football youth world championships, in which she will be competing as part of the national under-18 women’s side. She was also invited to train with the Women’s National Basketball League (WNBL) team the Dandenong Rangers.

Due to the significant amount of travel needed for Bonson to follow her sporting dreams she applied for support from the EITAAP, a joint initiative of the Australian Sports Commission and the Department of Health and Ageing.

EITAAP provides funding support for travel and accommodation for Indigenous sportspeople selected for mainstream national or international-level championships. Funding of up to $1500 per person for national events and $4000 for international events (each financial year) are currently available.

Bonson has been accessing EITAAP for seven consecutive years and uses its funding to help meet the costs of travelling to compete in national competitions annually. She says the funding enables her to continue playing both touch football and basketball at the utmost level.

‘Without the funding I wouldn’t be able to attend most events and if I didn’t have it I would have to choose between my two sports which would be very difficult.’

Although Bonson dedicates more than 20 hours a week to juggling both sports, finishing her final year of school and maintaining a part-time job, she is not yet ready to make a commitment to just one sport.
Since 2006, EITAAP has provided financial assistance to almost 2200 talented Indigenous sportspeople. From 1 July 2010 the EITAAP application process will be available in an online format.