The Figtree Football Club won't get beaten by the rain, after scoring funding to install drainage on the main pitch at Harry Graham Park.
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Club president Ralph Harrison said that last year, as was that case with many other sports, the rain played havoc with their schedule.
"Last season I don't think anybody trained," Mr Harrison said.
"We had some matches on there that we were able to schedule during the off chance that we didn't have rain. We would often reschedule games for Monday night that would never normally happen."
The future is looking a lot brighter after winning funding through Wollongong City Council's Sports Grant Program.
From a funding pool of $420,000, the Figtree club received $54,000 to install drainage.
"If it doesn't let us play our games due to the other fixtures being washed out, it will certainly let our juniors train when we've got wet weather," Mr Harrison said.
The idea that the club could have raised that sort of money itself "was not an option".
"It would take us years to raise that kind of money," he said.
"We're a club run by volunteers, we spend a lot of our time already organising match days amongst other things and trying to juggle that with our day jobs and family life. It's not sustainable for us to do that sort of fundraising."
Wollongong City Lord Mayor Gordon Bradbery said the program was aimed to provide financial assistance to clubs using council sportsgrounds.
Our goal is to support the Wollongong sporting community by encouraging people of all ages and abilities to participate in sport," Cr Bradbery said.
Total funding from the Wollongong City Council Sports Grant Program
- Football South Coast (change rooms and amenities) - $90,909.10
- Illawarra Hockey (electrical distribution board) - $30,670
- Illawarra Hockey (field watering cannons) - $38,316
- Wiseman Tennis (resurface of tennis courts) - $30,000
- Helensburgh Off Road Cycling (shade and seating) - $44,180.40
- Dapto Rugby League (amenities refurbishment) - $59,615
- Russell Vale Junior Rugby League (drainage) - $12,500
- Figtree Junior Football Club (drainage) - $54,545.45
- Helensburgh Thistles (car park fencing replacement) - $18,000
- Northern Districts Cricket (cricket net renewal) - $45,000
Total funding allocated - $423,735.95
Our news app has had a makeover, making it faster and giving you access to even more great content. Download The Illawarra Mercury news app in the Apple Store and Google Play.
Glen Humphries
I'm an award-winning senior journalist with the Illawarra Mercury and have well over two decades' worth of experience in newspapers. I cover the three local councils in the Illawarra for the Mercury, state and federal politics, as well as writing for the TV guide. If I'm not writing, I'm reading.
I'm an award-winning senior journalist with the Illawarra Mercury and have well over two decades' worth of experience in newspapers. I cover the three local councils in the Illawarra for the Mercury, state and federal politics, as well as writing for the TV guide. If I'm not writing, I'm reading.
