By Jena Carr
Geelong Athletics will receive a grant for a new bus to help its junior members compete in competitions across the state.
Secretary Anna Devonish said the state government’s $2000 Athlete Pathway Travel Grants Program would help its athletes compete in 10 Athletics Victoria cross-country races in 2023.
“The cost of travel and the distance to attend events has been prohibitive for many of our junior athletes,” she said.
“To be able to offer a team bus to safely get these juniors to events is extremely important to our ability to grow and promote cross country running for regional athletes.”
Winter portfolio manager Matt Gunther said it was “very exciting” to receive the grant for a new bus.
“The athletes are pleased as it’s going to be able to make it much easier for them to get to the events,” he said.
“The grant is making it much more accessible for the athletes to get there, and it is important for them to get out and enjoy their Saturdays in many different locations.
“Having the $2000 will allow us to effectively hire a bus and then provide that option to people rather than needing to find their own way there.”
Mr Gunther said it was “quite important” that the athletes and their parents had the option to take the bus instead of them working out how they would get to each event.
“We sometimes struggle with getting people to go to the event and to travel,” he said.
“We’ll probably leave from somewhere in Geelong, so it’s only close to a 10-minute drive for the parents, rather than it being a whole day thing.”