AFL Central Victoria is teaming up with a sports-based health charity to deliver education, culture and leadership training to local football and netball clubs.
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Sports and Life Training (SALT) was founded two years ago with the aim of working with grassroots sporting clubs to change their culture in relation to social issues, in particular drugs and alcohol.
Its founder and director Dave Burt was a 30-year physical education teacher and school chaplain, whose resume included a stint with TAC Cup team Easter Ranges as their chaplain.
He leads a team of 15 teachers dedicated to the welfare of young sports men and women.
Burt said the SALT program said his team comprised trained experienced and teachers, who had played grassroots sport and understood sporting clubs.
"We base all our teaching around the principles of sport and we try to make it very interactive," he said.
"It's not a lecture style, it's 'what kind of club do you want to be', 'what kind of people do you want to be', 'what type of reputation do you want to have' and 'where does drug and alcohol fit into that'.
"If you put a block on for your mate on the field, would you do the same thing off the field if he was about to cross the floor and use drugs.
Burt said the organisation’s programs were built on the skills and values already demonstrated by players such as sacrifice, courage, preparation, team work, mateship and self discipline.
He said the program concentrated on positives, preaching motivation over criticism.
Topics covered by SALT included drugs and alcohol, respect for women, racial vilification and discrimination, social media, well-being, anxiety and depression, responsible gambling and positive coaching.
SALT programs have already been delivered at Bendigo Football Netball League club Golden Square, with plans to introduce them at five more clubs during the 2017 season under the AFL Central Victoria, which incorporates the Heathcote District Loddon Valley and North Central leagues.
Funding for those programs has been sourced though non-for-profit organisation Sports Focus.
Burt said the SALT's reach would not be limited to football and netball clubs, with cricket and other clubs, including Bendigo Cricket Club, getting involved.
The non-profit organisation has experienced growing demand for its programs, delivering 47 presentations at 26 clubs in 2015 to about 200 this year.
Former four-time AFL premiership coach David Parkin is SALT's patron.