Botany After School Care (ASC) in Sydney’s Eastern Suburbs has been recognised for excellence in delivering fun, safe and inclusive sports activities to children through the Australian Government’s Active After-school Communities (AASC) program.

Minister for School Education, Early Childhood and Youth, Peter Garrett visited the Botany After Care site this month to present the AASC Super Site nomination certificate to the school.

Children at Botany ASC have had the opportunity to get active after school by trying activities including tennis, AFL, athletics, cricket, softball, Zumba, Oztag, rugby league and soccer.

Botany ASC Centre Director, Nadene Webb said, 'We are really proud of and excited by the difference the AASC program is making.  Because it’s fun and non-competitive, even the most inactive kids are joining in and developing more healthy habits.'

'It’s great to be recognised for our success in delivering this program—but the biggest reward is watching the kids develop self-confidence and having a go at different activities that they normally wouldn’t have had the chance to enjoy,' Webb said.

The AASC program aims to enhance the physical activity levels of Australian primary school children by helping them to develop a love of sport that inspires them to join a local sporting club.

Botany ASC is now in the running for the 2011 NSW Super Site Award against other schools and after-school care centres that have been recognised for excellence in delivering the AASC program in NSW.

The winning site will be announced in November and will receive a trophy and a $500 voucher for sporting equipment.

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.  Each term, up to 190,000 children participate in up to 70 different sports and 20 structured physical activities after school.