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Torquay netballers face decade wait for crucial facilities

From ABC Australia · () English

Summarized and contextualized by DistantNews.

At a glance

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  • Netballers in Torquay, Australia, face inadequate facilities, using gazebos as change rooms and facing long walks for basic amenities.
  • The local council's social infrastructure plan suggests a potential 12-year wait for dedicated courtside facilities.
  • Players express frustration over privacy concerns and safety issues, particularly for young female athletes, highlighting the unacceptability of current conditions.

Netballers in Torquay, Australia, are enduring substandard facilities, with players resorting to using gazebos as makeshift change rooms and facing significant privacy and safety concerns. The Surf Coast Suns club, which plays at the windy Banyul-Warri Fields, has been told by the Surf Coast Shire Council that dedicated courtside change rooms, toilets, and storage facilities might not be available for up to 12 years.

In simple terms, it's horrible. The facilities for netballers are next to non-existent.

— Codi EmeryPlayer and under-19s coach Codi Emery describes the current state of netball facilities.

Players describe the situation as "horrible" and "outrageous," with some opting to change in their cars due to the lack of privacy. The need for secure facilities is particularly acute for young players, who face the indignity of potentially dealing with menstruation in public spaces. "The fact that we class a gazebo on game day as 'facilities' is outrageous. It's not good enough," said player and under-19s coach Codi Emery.

The fact that we class a gazebo on game day as 'facilities' is outrageous. It's not good enough.

— Codi EmeryCodi Emery expresses her disbelief at the makeshift facilities used by the team.

Elisa Hall, A-grade co-captain, highlighted the safety concerns, stating it's difficult to trust young players to use distant, shared facilities at night. "I can't trust my girls will be safe to go to the toilet during training," Hall said. The club's football president, Jay Williams, echoed these concerns, calling the situation "unacceptable in this day and age" and a "real safety concern."

They're still figuring out how long they can have a pad on or a tampon in without getting a leakage.

— Elisa HallA-grade co-captain Elisa Hall explains the privacy challenges, particularly for young players.

The council acknowledges the need for improvements but points to the Grant Pavilion, 70 metres away, as the interim solution, which is shared with other sports clubs. This arrangement has led to overcrowding and further privacy issues, with one Saturday seeing the change room shared by four teams. The players argue that this is not a workable solution and that they deserve better, especially given the potential decade-long wait for proper amenities.

If they get one, they have to walk past a footy oval, in front of everyone and a bunch of strangers while bleeding.

— Elisa HallElisa Hall details the embarrassing and difficult situation players face due to lack of privacy.
DistantNews Editorial

Originally published by ABC Australia. Summarized and contextualized by our editorial team with added local perspective. Read our editorial standards.

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