From entering at Auskick or NetSetGo level, to playing through your teenage years and early adult life, you form key life skills and views during those times.
The topic of family violence has been front and centre this week for Shepparton United and Tatura as they prepare to play for the Family Care Cup on Saturday.
A highlight of the Goulburn Valley League calendar, the Family Care Cup (senior football) and Shield (A-grade netball) will once again be up for grabs.
Acquiring the silverware may be high priority for both clubs, but raising discussions on why it’s a showpiece event is the top priority for Tatura netball co-ordinator Simon Pogue and Shepparton United secretary Stacey Cole.
“It’s a great vehicle, as always, to raise awareness and have conversations about family violence,” Pogue said.
“That’s what we have to keep doing, the more you talk about it, the more other people talk about it.
“We shouldn’t be afraid to have those conversations at all and if we’re not having those (conversations) then we’re not doing our job as a community club.
“I can’t stress how proud our club is to still be doing this with United; I think it’s been a blessing for our clubs, community sport and for our league to maintain this relationship with Family Care.”
Cole stressed the important role of community sporting clubs in developing and shaping the next generation.
“They’re integral in the whole process,” she said.
“One of the main focuses has been creating a place and environment people want to come to and they feel like they belong here and hopefully we can eventually be the club of choice in Shepparton.
“Now maybe our on-field results isn’t as strong as it once was, but we feel really confident that our off-field is kicking goals.”
Family Care chief executive David Tennant thanked Shepparton United and Tatura for maintaining their support over the years on a societal issue that needs to stop.
With stresses on households in recent years due to the cost of living and the COVID-19 pandemic, Tennant highlighted the need to continue offering support to those in need.
“We’ve got two clubs that are willing to say this is really important to us,” he said.
“They’ve got all these connections with kids coming up through underage grades and the message that sends to clubs top to bottom is important ... ever since we started doing this, the willingness of people to speak openly and to seek support has improved exponentially and with that comes a greater likelihood of reporting, so that’s a positive thing.
“Numbers don’t tell everything, but if more people put up their hand to ask for help that’s a really good thing ... always, always more can be done.
“We have reached a point as a community to do better to recognise where vulnerability is and to help those in need.”
The netball contest shapes up to be an intriguing battle, with the unbeaten Bulldogs sitting atop of the ladder.
United, in a bid to return to another grand final, has faltered this season and has two wins on the board.
Tatura could have the chance to knock off United’s A-grade netball for the first time in more than a decade.
The senior football action kicks off at 2pm and the A-grade netball to follow at 2.15pm at Deakin Reserve.
