A paramedic had to use an iPhone light to assess an under-15 North Geelong soccer player

A paramedic using a mobile phone light to assess a Bell Park junior female soccer player has renewed calls for improved illumination and playing surfaces at a local reserve.

A paramedic had to use an iPhone light to assess a Bell Park under-15 female soccer player suffering from a personal health issue at a local reserve due to a dangerous lack of illumination, her frustrated local club says.

North Geelong Warriors Soccer Club operations chief Aaron Bailey told the Geelong Advertiser an ambulance was called to Hume Reserve’s pitch three on August 8 after dusk.

The girl had to be transported approximately 200m in a wheelchair to an ambulance in the car park due to a lack of access to the pitch.

The young girl was transported for monitoring in a stable condition.

The Geelong Advertiser has kept the nature of the girl’s health issue private out of respect to the family.

However, Bailey said the reserve’s three light towers provided “insufficient” illumination which was increasing the chance of injuries.

North Geelong players Evie Stosic, Luisa Kump and Mia Lo Presti training at Hume Reserve, Bell Park. Picture: Brad Fleet

“It’s not even safe to walk your dog down there, it’s so dark,” Bailey said.

“The globes are losing their power, it’s terrible.

“The lighting is insufficient.

“When they have to use iPhones to get enough light there, it’s just not good enough in this day and age.”

He said it was fortunate the girl’s life was not at risk.

“It could have been something serious, we dodged a bullet there,” he said.

“It could have been a disaster.

“It was enough for me to say, something has to happen,

“I get a bit emotional about it, just the innocence of these kids even witnessing this.

“It was a distressing situation.”

He said the welfare of young players was also at stake with an “atrocious” training surface which resembled a cricket pitch, had minimal grass and was littered with holes.

Evie Stosic, Luisa Kump and Mia Lo Presti are concerned with the state of the surface at Hume Reserve. Picture: Brad Fleet

Bailey said there had been a 35 per cent increase in injuries this season, and was calling on the City of Greater Geelong, which owns the reserve, for support.

“The grounds are so hard, there are holes everywhere,” he said.

“We’ve had a number of stress fractures in the back this season.

“We’ve had ankles, knees, all from the training, none from the games.

“And the key can’t go in, as Richie Benaud would say. It’s like a cricket pitch.”

He had advised players to come to training in runners as the surface was too hard.

“We are the premier team in Victoria when it comes to development,” he said.

“Our girls and boys are brilliant, they deserve better.”

However, an Ambulance Victoria spokesperson said their paramedics were experienced in working in “dynamic environments”, including the use of wheelchairs.

“In this case, timely access, assessment and clinical care delivery was not affected,” the spokesperson said.

Geelong council’s acting director of customer, community and economy Bryce Posser said it tried to support all clubs with the “budget and resources we have available”.

The council’s Fair Play Strategy, where lighting is not provided as standard at sporting reserves, is currently under review but grants of up to $350,000 are available.

However, the council has agreed to an “extensive list of actions” to take place at the pitch at season’s end, including an irrigation and surface audit.

“(We) understand their concerns regarding pitch three at the reserve,” Posser said.

“We audit all of our sporting reserves for safety and compliance each week.

“It is also a responsibility of user groups to carry out a condition report before using facilities, and if they believe a ground is unsafe, no training or matches should take place.

“We mow the ground weekly and apply wetting agent in an effort to provide the best surface for players possible on what is a heavily-used ground.”

He also said a key to a nearby gate – which can be unlocked for emergency vehicle access – was no longer in the club’s possession.

Originally published as A paramedic had to use an iPhone light to assess an under-15 North Geelong soccer player