Community coaches breathe new life into active after-school sport
Toomelah Public School in regional NSW, is looking forward to exciting new sporting activities thanks to a group of volunteers who have trained to become coaches in the Australian Government’s Active After-School Communities (AASC) program.
Eight members from the Toomelah community completed the Community Coach Training Program, a joint initiative of the AASC program and the Department of Education, Employment and Work Place Relations (DEEWR) Parent and Community Engagement program.
The eight new coaches began coaching in the AASC program towards the end of Term 3, 2011 and will coordinate the program from Term 4 with assistance from school and AASC staff. There are approximately 40 children that participate in the program at Toomelah Public School each term.
AASC Regional Coordinator Kate Dubois said, “the initiative provides an excellent opportunity for community members to get involved and encourages children from the school to develop a lifelong love of sport and physical activity through positive role models.
“For these eight community members, this is the first time they have coached sports programs and they are looking forward to contributing to the school’s future sporting success,” Dubois said.
“Having eight new coaches will mean the children will get to experience a variety of sports and activities.
“The new coaches are keen and enthusiastic and have planned a range of sports activities including netball and basketball, touch football, rugby league, soccer, cricket and dance activities for the children,” Dubois said.
DEEWR’s Community Development Officer, Amy Makim, said their Parent and Community Engagement program is aimed at Indigenous communities.
“The training course is fantastic, is very practical and teaches a range of skills to the new coaches to help them implement quality sports programs in the school’s AASC program,” Makim said.
The AASC program is an Australian Government initiative delivered by the Australian Sports Commission in up to 3,270 schools and out of school care centres across Australia.
