Eagleby champions good sports

Eagleby Giants Junior Rugby League Football Club has picked up a national sporting honour, being crowned best junior club of the year and best Queensland club of the year.

The awards were presented to eligible Good Sports clubs, a program which includes 10,000 clubs across the country.

It encourages them to set up a better environment for players, volunteers, supporters and officials.

The awards, hosted in Melbourne, recognised dedicated volunteers who are passionate about community, their members and making their club the very best it can be.

Eagleby Giants Junior Rugby League Football Club receives $1000 for creating a safe space specifically for kids and their families in Eagleby to find a sense of belonging through sport and community.

“The Good Sports program helped our club make small changes to combat bigger health and societal problem before they begin, especially among young people,” club vice president Nick Carroll said.

“This has been the greatest reward but to also be recognised for the hard work we’ve done to turn things around is a really proud moment for us.”

Mr Carroll also won the Queensland Volunteer of the Year award.

“Every Good Sports Award nominee, finalist and winner should be incredibly proud of the dedication they’ve shown toward their community, members and making their club the very best it can be,” Dr Lalor said.

“We hope that Good Sports Awards has given clubs an opportunity to reflect on their wins on and off the field, and celebrate their achievements especially for those clubs who were affected once again by COVID-19 restrictions.”

Good Sports is Australia’s largest community health sports program helping build strong community sporting clubs across Australia for over 20 years.

In Queensland, Good Sports is funded by the Australian Government and managed by the Alcohol and Drug Foundation.   

“Sporting clubs that model healthy behaviours are leaders in their community, and the 1,186 Good Sports clubs in Queensland play an important role to prevent and reduce harms from alcohol and other drugs,” Dr Lalor said.

Good Sports is proven to reduce risky drinking at participating clubs by 37% and has seen a reduction of alcohol-related accidents among Good Sports club members and supporters of 42%. 

Good Sports clubs enjoy greater rates of participation from their communities, particularly by women and children.