Crunch time for $360,000 new courts

But according to Kangaroo Flat Football Netball Club president Greg McClure the decision is a “no brainer”. 

“At this stage the netball club has to train at several different venues around Bendigo because we have only one court,” Mr McClure said. 

“And that court’s not compliant with guidelines.” 

The fact teams are spread and that their Dower Park home does not currently have showers and a change room makes running the club difficult.

Instead of announcing A grade and B grade teams on the ground after training – as most clubs do – KFFNC posts their line-ups over Facebook. Players who want to shower after a game have to go home. On a cold winters day, few who do come back to the post-game celebrations. 

Not that it has stopped their on-court success, Mr McClure said. 

The team won three of five flags last year, taking out the women’s A grade and B grade as well as the under 17s competitions. 

“For all the adversity, the girls have done pretty good,” he said.  

But whether they can take convert that on-field momentum into off-field success will depend largely on the decision of the City of Greater Bendigo council this week. 

Councillors will be asked to back a bid for $100,000 in funding from the state government. 

The club has already raised the $35,000 required of it to build the new acrylic surface netball courts, compliant with Netball Australia guidelines, and lighting.

Councillors will be asked to commit $225,000 for the project as part of the 2017/18 budget.

The construction of the courts is listed as the number one priority of the Dower Park Master Plan, adopted by Council in 2015, to redevelop the old caravan park site.

The new courts would replace the single non-compliant asphalt court located within the car park – which would open up additional formalised car parking.