Media Release
Wednesday August 26, 2009 – for immediate release
MORE GOOD SPORTS REACH MILESTONE
Heavy alcohol use at local footy, cricket and rugby clubs is a well-recognised threat to safety and a powerful
repellent for families wanting to bring their kids to weekend sport. The Endeavour Hills Rugby Union
Football Club realised they wanted to change the club’s culture back in 2002 when they were concerned
about off-field behaviour. Today, the club is celebrating its latest achievement as Victoria’s 500th to reach
the top level of the Australian Drug Foundation’s Good Sports program.
According to club president Ashley White: “We applied sensible changes to drinking and
smoking behaviour at the club, which we now consider part of our culture. Perhaps our
biggest challenge has been to advise visiting clubs that after-match drinking games are not
part of our club culture anymore,” Mr White says.
Senior players are now role-models to younger players who are joining in larger numbers. Today, the
expanding junior base can watch their older mentors celebrate victories responsibly. “Quite simply our
culture is now one of ‘family’ and ‘welcome’ for our members and our visitors.”
Good Sports accreditation is easy to implement and a powerful way to shift the emphasis off alcohol in
community sport.
‘This is an outstanding achievement for Endeavour Hills as well as for the state of Victoria where we now
have 1500 Good Sports clubs,” says Good Sports state manager Rod Glenn-Smith. ‘These clubs are serious
about addressing the heavy drinking culture too often associated with sport.’
Benefits to clubs include:
Reduced levels of risky drinking
Increased club memberships – with families returning to previously male-dominated environments
Alternative and improved revenue streams through food sales and sponsorships
Reduced risks of legal liability
Improved relationships between clubs and police and local government.
Victoria leads the rest of the nation with the number of clubs involved in the Good Sports program. A third
of those have the highest accreditation and can mainly be found in local football, netball and cricket.
Level 3 clubs must have an alcohol management policy, safe transport policy, they must offer a range of
mid-low-non alcoholic alternatives and conduct club functions responsibly by excluding ‘alcohol inclusive’
tickets.
As the end of season fast approaches for many sports, Mr Glenn-Smith has urged clubs to seriously consider
the way they conduct their functions. ‘All you can drink’ tickets clearly send out the wrong message,
promote irresponsible drinking and significantly contribute to alcohol-related problems.’
The Good Sports program is a national initiative of the Australian Drug Foundation to help develop safer and
healthier communities. Clubs voluntarily register for the free program and are stepped through the three
levels of accreditation over a minimum of three years. They must then work to retain their accreditation.
Backgrounder:
Traditionally, sporting clubs have focussed on player behaviour rather than looking at a
bigger picture.
The Australian Drug Foundation’s research has proven there is little positive benefit
to be gained if the culture of a sporting club is not tackled at the same time as
heavy-drinking and drug-taking players.
Clubs need to set expectations. They also need to put an end to “symbols” that
reward excellence with grog. Examples we’ve witnessed across Australia include:
o
a bottomless mug for the night for the ‘best on the ground’. Many Rugby
League clubs give an “endless mug” to their player of the match. This means
that when he is at the pub after the game the mug he is given must be
constantly filled up with beer or other alcohol drinks that his team mates
want to put in there.
o
The president’s lunch provides as much alcohol as diners wish to consume –
clearly no controls over consumption.
o
A large bin with cans of beer on ice is provided in the change rooms to both
teams after the game
o
U18 age players who play their first senior game provided with alcohol
o
Clubs holding “hoon” nights where players are effectively “locked-in” the
club to have an alcohol based “bonding session” (not allowed to leave
before a certain time).
o
Slave game - under 16 rugby player indentured to a first grade player. After
each game the young bloke has to go drink for drink with mentor
o
The boat race in rugby - players line up after game and have sculling race.
o
Coaches of under 16 teams putting on a keg and wine at end of season
functions – standard practice.
o
‘Kangaroo Court’ sessions where senior players act as judge & jury on
'infringements that occur during each week. The ‘reported incidents’ by
their ‘mates’ usually focus on the younger players in the group and the
sessions act as ‘apprenticeships’ in passing on the club ‘culture’ to the next
generation – we have witnessed these Kangaroo Courts at all levels of the
game including international levels. Infringements range from being late to
training; repeated skill errors; breaking in-house protocols etc.
Good Sports offers a viable alternative that has been embraced across the country with tangible results.
For more success stories and photos, contact Laura Thompson, (03) 9278 8135.
NEWS 
