Coledale Waves Junior Football Club like many Illawarra community sporting organisations suffered greatly during the Covid years and seasons disrupted by wet weather.
Before then in 2019 the club wasn't helped when it missed out on the Community Sport Infrastructure scheme dished out by the previous Coalition Federal Government.
Marginal Coalition seats at the time received more than twice the funding of an average electorate under the Community Sport Infrastructure scheme.
Coledale needed a better field to reduce injuries and storage so there was space for its male and female players to change.
The now State Health Minister Ryan Park stepped in with a $52,000 grant for the club much to the pleasure of Coledale Waves Junior Football Club president David Jirsa, who added the Waves were now on the upswing on and off the park, with better times on the horizon.
His optimism comes after news Coledale will receive a $100,000 grant from Wollongong City Council for fencing and irrigation work at its St James Park home ground.
The ground is used by 1200 players each week during the football season.
"The club spent a lot of its own money back them to get the shed built. This grant is welcomed and much needed," he said.
"We've been using temporary fencing. This grant will help us get a new fence around the park but also fix the irrigation of the ground. We are thinking big picture."
Jirsa added Coledale was in a good place on the park with 412 registered players, 90 of whom are female.
"We have 32 teams and of those 32 teams that we've got, we've got two all-age women's sides, we've got four masters teams and we've got three all-age teams. At the other end of the spectrum we have 14 mini-roos teams," he said.
"We are a very community-orientated club.
"One of the important points for our club is playing in a pink strip. We changed from maroon to pink about nine or 10 years ago to highlight breast cancer awareness and to raise funds for breast cancer.
"This is something that is very important to everyone at the club."
Coledale was one of eight local sporting organisations to share in $400,000 under Wollongong City Council's latest Sports Grants Program.
The other grant recipients were Bulli Football Club ($17,930), Figtree Football Club ($15,000), Illawarra Basketball Association ($80,000), Wollongong Vikings Rugby Union Club ($80,000), Illawarra Basketball Association ($21,500), Wollongong Vikings Rugby Union Club ($45,541), Port Kembla JRLFC ($40,029).
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Agron Latifi
Wollongong born and bred. I love reporting about the Illawarra region and have been doing it for more than 20 years. I've moved into sport recently after covering the education round for the last five plus years for the Illawarra Mercury. It's been a great pleasure.
Wollongong born and bred. I love reporting about the Illawarra region and have been doing it for more than 20 years. I've moved into sport recently after covering the education round for the last five plus years for the Illawarra Mercury. It's been a great pleasure.
