An electronic scoreboard, improvements to the dining area and an in-house chef are just some of the recent improvements at the North Geelong Football and Netball Club.
While the COVID-19 pandemic continues to disrupt their season, North Geelong Football and Netball Club are continuing to make improvements off the field and court.
“Our club has recruited well across the football and netball teams, and due to a disciplined training program started by the group leaders during restrictions, we have produced good results to date,” explained Anthony Davis.
The club has about 150 players across both football and netball, with two men’s football teams and one women’s team. There are four junior netball teams and four senior teams.
The 2021 football and netball season remains up in the air with the past two games - four in total for the year - cancelled due to COVID-19 restrictions.
“Like all teams, our players are experiencing a high number of soft tissue injuries due to missing a year of playing. This issue highlights the need for experienced coaches and trainers to ensure we adapt to these challenges, providing us with the best possible chance of improvement for our performances for the 2021 season,” Mr Davis explained.
Over the past three to four years, the club has undertaken a number of major projects, with several of these finalised during the year off.
Recent improvements have included upgrading the dining tables and chairs to seat 180 people in the club’s extended rooms and a new electronic scoreboard.
In 2019, the club’s front entrance was revamped, while in 2018 the cool-room was overhauled, office space created and new game day apparel was purchased for all teams.
This is the third year Bisinella has sponsored the North Geelong Football and Netball Club. Sponsorship has been used to support the club’s grant assisted major projects and
“Bisinella’s sponsorship over the past three years has provided much needed financial stability to the club,” Mr Davis said.
“North Geelong Football and Netball Club have traditionally traded year on year based on memberships, canteen, bar and fundraising funds,” he said.
“While these revenue streams have enabled our club to function successfully for many years, we found our club treading water in the facility development, game day compliance and consistency in our long-term financial security. This makes compliance, facility improvement, recruitment of professional coaching, trainers and players more difficult each year.”
“Our long-term plan has been to provide all of these things keeping in mind when the current exec and committee retire, the club as a whole will be better than when we started.”
In 2021, the club decided to employ a professional chef for their Thursday night dinners.
Mr Davis said this was another major step forward in increasing the club’s presence in the community.
“This decision has increased our meals from 40 to 50, to an amazing 90 to 100 each week. Not only does this take the pressure off our overworked volunteers, greater numbers in the rooms increases the excitement and feeling of participation throughout the club members, their families and the local community.”
This has been a great success story after such a challenging year with COVID.”
The club is also focused on new lighting for the main ground, a kitchen upgrade and beginning talks on the construction of another netball court.