Cricket Australia today recieved a huge funding boost from the Australian Government of $750,000 per year for four years to support its junior cricket program, MILO in2Cricket.
The funding, announced by Sports Minister Mark Arbib in an on-field ceremony at the 'Gabba during the lunch break of the first Vodafone Ashes Test, is part of the government's wider sports funding of $11 million a year over four years to encourage more young Australians to become active and healthy.
Cricket Australia CEO, James Sutherland, said the funding was a welcome boost for all sports around Australia.
“This is a tremendous response by the Federal Government to the Crawford Review into Australian sport," Mr Sutherland said.
“Cricket is one of the sports that can really make a difference in getting Australian kids active and healthy through our ability to reach every corner of the country. Investing in major participation sports like cricket is a new direction for government but we believe it is the right direction.
Australian cricket has developed a comprehensive and targeted National Participation Strategy which is integrated across the nation to ensure cricket is a sport available to all Australians.
The latest National Cricket Census shows there are over 804,000 cricket participants across Australia – an increase of 7.76% on the previous year.
Cricket Australia, and the eight State and Territory Cricket Associations currently employ Regional Cricket Managers in the 75 cricket regions across Australia with the aim of growing participation and servicing the needs of all community cricket participants and volunteers.
The same survey showed sport is generally perceived by young people as being a way of building and solidifying friendship networks, improving skills, and achieving physical fitness.
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