Nowhere for sportswomen to change at Goodwood sportsground prompts council investigation
A SURGE in female footballers and cricketers has prompted a move to upgrade “outdated” changerooms at a suburban sportsground.
A SURGE in female footballers and cricketers has prompted a move to upgrade “outdated” changerooms at a suburban sportsground.
Unley Council has voted to investigate improving Goodwood Saints Football Club and Goodwood Cricket Club’s showers and change rooms because female players and umpires had nowhere to change in private.
The cricket club has 12 registered females for a competition in January, up from three who played in men’s teams last season.
The football club had 34 female players this year, up from 15 in 2014.
Goodwood Saints footballer Jessica Chyer, 12, has played at the club for a year and said girls deserved the same amenities as the boys.
“We have to change at home because we do not go and use the change rooms at all … it is all boys’ stuff with no closed up showers and that,” Jessica, of Colonel Light Gardens, says.
“I think we deserve to have the same chances, whether it be on the field or having change rooms.”
Goodwood Saints president Craig Scott said the changerooms, located within a grandstand, were outdated.
“Women do not change in the change rooms at the oval, they just rock up and go home in their gear — it is the only way we can do it,” Mr Scott said.
“And because of the push for women in sport, we need a separate facility to assist this growth.”
Mr Craig said the club was in a “position to put money into the project”, but would not reveal how much, and would apply for state and federal grants.
The new changerooms would be part of a wider $4.9 million upgrade of the Goodwood Oval and Millswood Sporting Complex, which would include floodlighting, upgraded clubrooms, improved parking and play spaces.
Under the unfunded plan, endorsed in 2014, upgrading the grandstand would cost about $1 million.
Goodwood Cricket Club president Jeff Emmel said the changerooms needed to be improved as soon as possible.
“I went back down for a shower the other night after a cricket match and I was kicking around tiles that are starting to peel away from showers,” he said.
“We have the odd plumber or tiler around the club that can do little fixes, but this is not a long-term solution.”
Cr Don Palmer, who pushed for the plans, said the changerooms had to be upgraded to encourage women to play sport.
“Football has female umpires and their changeroom, at the moment, is no bigger than a cubicle — this is not good enough,” Cr Palmer said.
Plans would be presented to the council in March and, if endorsed, included in its 2017/18 budget deliberations.
Unley’s long-term financial plan includes $1 million for upgrades to Millswood Sporting Complex and Goodwood Oval.