Local Sporting Champions grant available for competitors aged 12-18

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Local Sporting Champions (LSC) is an Australian Government initiative designed to provide financial assistance for coaches, officials and competitors aged 12-18 who are participating in state, national or international competitions.

The LSC program commenced in November 2008 and has supported over 75,000 junior sportspeople to achieve their sporting goals.

The Australian Government recognises that junior sportspeople, and their families, find it difficult to meet ongoing costs associated with participating in state, national and international sporting championships.

The LSC program aims to support these junior sportspeople to participate at various sporting championships, which they may not be able to without this financial assistance.

The objectives of the LSC program are to:

  • Provide financial support to junior sportspeople to assist with the costs associated with competing at elite or sub-elite level competition.
  • To provide financial support through this program to families so that financial considerations are not a barrier for junior sportspeople to continue participating in sport.

If successful, applicants will receive between $500 and $750 towards the cost of attending their nominated championships.

  • Base Grant: $500
  • Applicants travelling 800km – 1999km to their nominated championships: + $100
  • Applicants travelling internationally or greater than 2,000km to their nominated championships: + $200
  • Applicants residing in a rural electorate: + $50

Examples of expenses which are eligible include, but are not limited to:

  • competition registration/entry fees/levies
  • transport costs (e.g. airfares, petrol)
  • accommodation
  • transport and accommodation costs for parents/guardians can be accepted where the parent/guardian must attend the championship
  • uniform
  • sporting equipment

This grant specifically in football is important with junior participation on the steep rise and the crucial foundation being set for the sport’s sustainable future in the country.

A common barrier for participation in football across this age group is financial issues and so this grant is extremely valuable for families who want their children aged 12-18 to enjoy playing football without it feeling like too much of a financial burden.

Round 4 2023-24 Applications are now open and is eligible for competitions held between 1 January 2024 and 31 August 2024.

The applications close: 11.59pm AEST on Tuesday 30 April 2024

To apply, click here: https://sportaus.smartygrants.com.au/lsc202324-r4

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Adidas apparel deal under threat for Manchester United

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Manchester United’s season goes from bad to outright embarrassing as each week passes, and a new report suggests that their massive apparel deal with Adidas is under threat due to their on-field failures.

According to The Telegraph, Adidas holds the right to terminate the deal with a one-year notice period should the Red Devils face relegation to the Championship.

United’s Form Sparks Concerns Over Lucrative Partnership

Manchester United’s long-standing relationship with German sportswear giant Adidas is under serious threat as their poor form continues to raise relegation fears.

Adidas first supplied Manchester United’s apparel in 1980 to 1992 before reuniting with the clu in 2015 following a 23-year gap.

The two parties recently inked a lucrative 10-year extension in June 2023, worth $1.8 billion AUD (£900 million). However, United’s current Premier League struggles could jeopardise this deal.

Premier League Woes Could Prove Costly

Sitting in 13th place, Manchester United are only seven points above the relegation zone, with Ipswich Town breathing down their neck.

It comes after the club had the least amount of points after the halfway mark to a Premier League season in the club’s history (22 pts), a record they seemingly find themselves breaking every year.

In the unlikely event that relegation does happen, the financial blows would be critical for the club.

Adidas’ Relegation Clause Explained

Adidas reportedly has a clause in the contract that allows them to reduce payments by 50% if Manchester United are not in the Premier League. Moreover, the club stands to lose an additional $20 million AUD (£10 million) annually if they fail to qualify for the Champions League.

If United were relegated, their payout could shrink to a mere $70 million (£35 million)  next season—a massive drop from the initial agreement.

Relegation Battle Heats Up

United manager Ruben Amorim has acknowledged the reality of the relegation battle his side faces.

Even if the concept of a Red Devils relegation seems impossible, the mere discussion of it is an indictment on the club.

Conclusion

If Manchester United’s downward spiral continues, the club not only risks relegation but could face severe financial consequences.

Their lack of Champions League football and a potential season without European football as a whole would mark a historic low point for the club and bring significant commercial repercussions.

The importance of a strategic plan for clubs

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For any club aiming to survive, thrive and endure, a strategic plan is a vital tool that needs to be implemented. 

Strategic plans provide a direction, goals, and timeline to clubs to ensure they continue on the right track into the future, by detailing the actions and steps the club will take.

These plans also help to determine the principles and values of the club, highlighting the way a club presents itself to the world.

Additionally, having a strategic plan lowers the amount of risk a club undertakes, and can act as a guide in times of emergency or uncertainty.

Strategic Planning Resources 

Creating a strategic plan can be a long process, which may require outside help to gain fresh perspectives and guidance.

Fortunately, many states and territories host an array of freely available resources such as fact sheets, videos and guides that directly address strategic planning. Additionally, a range of organisations provide consultancy assistance.

Strategic Planning Processes

Strategic planning will differ from club to club depending on how each approach the situation, especially if working groups are consulted.

However, the phases of a strategic planning project will share similarities.

Stage 1 

Clubs will often begin strategic planning by scrutinising club documents and key matters in order to review the health of the club and to understand the club’s identity.

This process will evaluate a wide breadth of material such as the club’s guiding constitution, policies, rules, financial documents, fundraisers, membership, club infrastructure, social media profiles, programs, teams, levels of success and more.

After completing the first stage, clubs may undertake a member survey. They can be a very useful tool, as they gather a valuable understanding of the attitudes a club’s community may have about its stature, culture, future, and what they want to see from it.

Stage 2

Next, a club would begin to discuss its future by highlighting goals it wishes to achieve.

Goals can be diverse and range from off-field to on-field matters, however they should always be relevant to the club and achievable. By setting objectives, you ensure that the club is working together towards something every day.

Across this process, timeframes and actions should be explored to create a plan of how to achieve the outlined goals. It can be advantageous to delegate goals to specific people or boards to ensure that multiple projects can be worked on and tracked at once, instead of having them all be lumped on one individual or being nebulously attached to no one.

This phase also presents the opportunity to reflect on the principles and values of the club. While it can appear superfluous, a small selection of small meaningful words can be incredibly impactful. A club’s chosen values describe the club to those outside of it, reminds club members of its purpose, and can also help formulate the goals, objectives and vision of the club.

Stage 3 

Once a club has moved past goal setting and is beginning its action plans, reaching out to legal and accounting firms to review materials and provide advice can be highly valuable.

These organisations can provide comprehensive details on where to make adjustments for governance and how to budget effectively.

Stage 4

Finally, the club will begin to formulate the final document of the strategic plan before presenting it to members.

When creating the document, ensure it can be easily understood by a wide array of audiences.

Additionally, include a concise yet detailed summary of the plan so it doesn’t require members to read the document fully.

Conclusion 

As time passes it is important to check in on the strategic plan to ensure that the club is on track for its goals and that the document is still relevant. Circumstances can change, so it can be beneficial to amend the plan to ensure it is still applicable to the club.

However, it is important to note that strategic plans are a long-term investment, and can take years to fulfill, so do not be over eager in manipulating them.

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