Sandown Cobras tackle pandemic with video
All local footy clubs like playing home games, and in a social-media initiative the Sandown Cobras are using the stay-home message to help tackle the coronavirus crisis.
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Like all community football clubs, the Sandown Cobras have been grounded by the coronavirus pandemic.
But the Southern league club is kicking goals with a social-media initiative to “flatten the curve’’.
It has rounded up 44 clubs from all over Victoria to spread the message for footballers to stay at home and help in the effort to slow the rate of infection.
All clubs enjoy their home games, and the Cobras have employed the tag “nothingsbetterthanplayingathome’’ to tackle the pandemic.
Sandown vice-president and 10-year player Ricky Ettridge came up with the idea.
“Last Saturday the message had gone out that everyone needed to stay home to flatten the curve,’’ Ettridge, 29, said.
“I was out doing some work at the front of my house and I noticed a lot of people weren’t really adhering to the advice being given.
“I thought Sandown as a club could put a message out telling our members to stay home, stay safe, do the right thing.
“From there we reached out to a couple of other clubs to ask if they’d be interested in doing the same. Merrigum got back to me saying it was a great idea so we ran with it.’’
A couple of clubs quickly became quite a few, and word continued to spread.
Ettridge asked club representatives to send him a short video message. He put them into a six-minute clip that was launched on Wednesday night. It has already had 72,000 views.
Cobras player Matthew “Bear Trap’’ Jolley came up with the nifty slogan.
Ettridge is thrilled to ribbons with the response to the campaign. Twenty-six leagues are represented.
“I honestly thought if we could reach 10 clubs it would be fantastic,’’ he said.
“But to get to 44 was amazing. When me and the president (Ricky Logan) were sitting in front of our devices at our homes watching all the notifications come through on our social media pages, it was incredible and overwhelming. I didn’t think it would go as far as it has.’’
Other clubs have since made contact asking to be involved, and Ettridge has given them pointers on how to get their messages out there.
“Footy clubs have a voice in their community,’’ Ettridge said.
“When times are tough like they are now, clubs can reach out to their communities and make a difference, use that voice for good.
“Clubs big and small from everywhere can get the message out, stay home, stay safe, flatten the curve.
“I worked out that if you drove from Sandown to every single club involved (in the video) and drove back to Sandown, it would be a 3350km round trip.’’
Ettridge is feeling the absence of local football more than most. In Round 2 last year he ruptured his Achilles and missed the season. He had been back training for two sessions when the Southern league announced the season was on hold.
“That was really hard to take,’’ he said.
“I’m three games off my life membership (150 games). That’s one of my goals in footy and I’m so close to getting it.’’
Ettridge said he appreciated the support of his wife, Kelly, and the clubs in making the video.