Qld Clubs call for funding to kids sports in preparation for Olympics 2032

Southeast Queensland clubs are hoping Brisbane’s Olympics win will help secure much-needed funding for the next generation of sporting heroes.

Sporting clubs across the southeast are hoping the Olympic and Paralympic Games in 2032 bring financial support to unearth the next generation of sporting heroes.

The Australian Government invested $135 million into high-performance sport for the six years leading up to Sydney 2000, which is where Australia received their highest ever medal tally, winning 58 throughout the games.

Saia Faingaa 4yrs, Sienna Faingaa 6yrs and Soli Faingaa 2yrs future Olympians. Pic Annette Dew

Participation numbers will grow throughout the state over the next decade but with the Owner of Premier Gymnastics in Morningside Nicki Robbins said gymnastics and other sports like it should have more funding and hopes the games in Brisbane bring just that.

Five athletes from the club are competing in Tokyo and an extra focus could create Australian gymnastics own Simone Biles moment.

“It’s one of the biggest sport for children, gymnastics, our youngest gymnast is 3 months and our oldest is 83.”

“But we have to also target our top athletes with the funding to help them become professionals and support them with their training and medicals.”

She said how much hype the Commonwealth Games brought to the area and the Olympics will do the same.

“We need support and extra funding into sport, not only just infrastructure but supporting all the clubs out there,” Ms Robbins said.

Queensland’s Sports Minister Stirling Hinchliffe said investment already made into the Queensland Academy of Sport over the next two years would “inspire future sporting success.”

Striving for future Olympic success is Amelia, Ben, Sarah and Fraser Long with Claudia and Celeste Stuchbury. Picture: Annette Dew

“The investment will enable the QAS to kick-off a transformational high-performance sport strategy, aimed at identifying and nurturing the next generation of medal winning athletes and coaches to inspire the state, and the nation,” Mr Hinchliffe said.

The state government is also rolling out $144 million worth of upgrades, projects and equipment for sports clubs right across Queensland.

BK Gymnastics is using the momentum of the games in Brisbane and are opening two new centres in the coming months.

The club’s CEO Mark Rendell said he expects demand for the sport to increase over the next decade.

“Who knows, we may even have a future Olympian at one of our centres in the coming years,” Mr Rendell said.

“I’m very excited about what comes next and look forward to helping to grow gymnastics further throughout Queensland so that more children have the opportunity to enjoy the benefits the sport provides.”

12-year-old Jazara Keke at Beat Boxing Gym, Morningside. Picture: Richard Walker

The Director of the TSS Swimming Club David Thomas, who also has five athletes in Tokyo said the home games create a tangible and real goal that kids can aspire to.

“I’m looking forward to in 11 years’ time when the kids who are in that bracket now could be at their peak, it’s exciting, they are enthusiastic and it’s encouraging for them,” Mr Thomas said.

He said he hopes the games bring with it a focus into sport development in the region.

“Generally the home nations invest a little more time and money in talent identification to capture those future stars.”

“Your governing bodies want it to be a success so more and more things will be geared towards the region.”

The kids who are a part of the age bracket are like Alice Fainga’a’s three kids, who have been surrounded by sport their whole lives, with their dad Saia Fainga’a playing 36 games for the Wallabies and 99 for the Queensland Reds.

“We’ve always really valued sport for our kids, we’ve always gotten them into as many sports as they can and given them access to a wide range,” Ms Fainga’a said.

“As a parent that’s what is cool about the Olympics and Paralympics, I want my kid to watch people who are not being held back by anything.”

Beat Boxing owners, Chris and Christie Dunn are excited for the 2032 Olympics and the positive effect the games will have on the wider boxing community.

Nine-year-old Amarleigh Dunn at Beat Boxing Gym, Morningside. Picture: Richard Walker

The gym opened in 2013 shortly after the 2012 Olympics in London, where for the first time in history women’s boxing had become part of the official program.

Ms Dunn said the London Olympics made people more aware of boxing.

“We get a lot of parents who contact us saying that they want to get their kids off the screens … the great thing about boxing is that not only are these children getting fit, but they are also learning a life skill in terms of how to defend themselves,” she said.

“We definitely have a couple of kids who are talking about competing in 2032 … one of our coaches Max McChlery is an amateur fighter who started in our program when he was 11 … he is now 19 with a dream to compete at the highest level possible – the Olympics.”