VicHealth’s Changing the Game: Increasing Female Participation in Sport program was launched on 10 August 2015 at the National Tennis Centre, Melbourne. Through the program, VicHealth is funding six sporting codes to work with women and girls who don’t normally participate in traditional sports programs that are provided through clubs and competitions.

The launch featured high profile sports people, who were interviewed for their views on female participation in sport as well as raising the profile of and giving women’s sport the recognition it deserves. There was also a participation demonstration of three of the funded sports for media and guests.

The evidence tells us that not enough females are sufficiently physically active and participation levels decline as females get older.

 

Our objectives – VicHealth is thinking big!

1. Our focus is on getting tens of thousands of Victorian females who are inactive and somewhat active to become active more regularly through sport.
2. VicHealth wants to raise the profile of female sport and be a champion for female sport and health on a large scale. We also want to reach more than a hundred thousand females in Victoria and beyond. 

Changing the Game is part of VicHealth’s long-term plan to get more Victorians living healthier and happier lives.

 

Funding recipients

Through its Changing the Game program, VicHealth is funding six sporting codes to work with women and girls who don’t normally participate in sports programs that are provided through clubs and competitions. 

To find out more, visit Start Here: Six new activities on offer.

 

AFL Victoria (together with AFL)

AFL Active is a group fitness session to improve women’s health and wellbeing. It can be tailored to suit any fitness level and doesn't require any AFL specific skills. The program is designed to use activities that combine the unique AFL specific fitness components of endurance, speed, strength, agility and dynamic movement. It’s a constantly changing, total body workout based on AFL training techniques which can be delivered anywhere. It is the first product developed by the AFL to reduce key barriers of physical contact, organised sport structure and rigid time commitments and has been consciously developed for women.

 

Cycling Victoria

Cycling Victoria will provide women-only pop-up spin style classes in local parks and other scenic locations. Based on a fun and social experience, social spin classes will be tailored to match each woman’s level of skill and confidence. The sessions will be delivered using standard bikes on wind trainers which enables the program to run in flexible, unique places without the need to bring along a bike.  Over time the aim of the program is to transition women into short supported rides. A user-pays model will be introduced to continue the program.

 

Gymnastics Victoria

Gymnastics Victoria’s Move My Way program will engage and inspire women to try simple, fundamental movements to improve their wellbeing, strength and flexibility. The program allows women to choose how they learn the activities either through following short videos online in their own homes, in their own time, or by participating in a fun and social club program.

 

Netball Victoria

Rock Up Netball is a new initiative being developed by Netball Victoria, which will offer flexible, participant-led and "pay as you go" activities for women and girls over 15 who want to become more active.  Designed to provide social, fun and unstructured opportunities for both beginners and those coming back to netball, accredited Rock Up Netball Venues will have skilled coordinators who understand varying fitness and skill levels and respond with a mix of skills, drills and game play - participants will make the rules!

 

Surfing Victoria

Surfing Victoria's introductory program Coasting will deliver Stand Up Paddleboarding sessions (SUP) for women in beach, bay and inland locations across the summer. Sessions are tailored for women who may be having their first go at SUP. Both the introductory sessions (with Heath Meldrum) and the SUP school sessions have a focus on having a fun, enjoyable and social experience out on the water.

 

Tennis Victoria (together with Tennis Australia)

Tennis Australia is creating Get Into Cardio Tennis, a program specifically for inactive/somewhat active women who want to get active and moving. It will be low impact and easy to participate in, regardless of tennis ability. It will feature fun fitness activities using a racquet and a ball and can be delivered for large groups in non-traditional settings such as parks and for workplaces.

 

 

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Women’s Big Bash League – Melbourne Stars and Melbourne Renegades 

VicHealth is very pleased to have partnered with both the Melbourne Stars and the Melbourne Renegades for the inaugural Women’s Big Bash League cricket season.  The aim of this partnership in 2015-16 is to raise the profile of women’s sport and encourage more women and girls in Victoria to get involved and increase the number of women in leadership positions in sporting clubs. The WBBL is a prime example of the continuing progress being made in promoting women’s sport.