This was one of Star Weekly’s top stories of 2021. Here’s your chance to read it if you missed it, or revisit it before another year of jam-packed news content.
Old Paradians Football Club has announced “fee free football” for all of its players for 2022.
The club received formal sign-off on the decision from the Victorian Amateur Football Association, and will not require the payment of annual fees from any players next year.
Old Paradians Football Club committee member Damian Hannam said following on from the COVID-19 pandemic and its impacts on the 2020 and 2021 seasons, the club had reviewed its expectations of players.
He said the game had been a bit of a struggle, and that players had been affected on many levels, including mentally.
“We wanted [to do the fee free football] as a bit of an encouragement, to get all the players back, and to hopefully encourage some new players to come to the club,” Hannam said.
“But we also recognise that the financial situation of some people might have taken a hit over this COVID time.
“We’ve put [the fee free football] in place so that it’s not a barrier for people to come and play footy.
“As a general rule, clubs require the players to pay a subscription of registration every year.
“The financial situation of some people may lead to them saying ‘I can’t afford to play footy’, and we don’t want that.”
Hannam said appreciation from the existing playing group was high, and feedback about the decision was positive.
“It’s important that the [playing group] knows that we’re not just there for them as an avenue to play football, but as an avenue to hang out with their friends, and have a release,” he said.
“If we give them that opportunity, uninhibited [by] having to pay registration fees, then that can only be a good thing.”
According to the Old Paradians’ Association’s Facebook page, senior players were required to pay $360 in annual fees for 2021, while under-19s players paid $120.
Michaela Meade
