1 00:00:06,667 --> 00:00:10,427 Speaker 1: You're listening to the Weekend Sport podcast with Jason Vine 2 00:00:10,707 --> 00:00:16,067 Speaker 1: from Newstalks EDB. The biggest names in sport are here. 3 00:00:16,427 --> 00:00:19,907 Speaker 1: Weekend Sport with Jason Vine, News Talks EDB. 4 00:00:20,347 --> 00:00:23,827 Speaker 2: The cost of playing amateur sport is becoming a growing issue, 5 00:00:23,827 --> 00:00:26,307 Speaker 2: not just for families, but for the clubs trying to 6 00:00:26,347 --> 00:00:29,667 Speaker 2: survive as well. As Some clubs experiment with ways to 7 00:00:29,707 --> 00:00:33,587 Speaker 2: reduce barriers for young players. Others say rising costs are 8 00:00:33,627 --> 00:00:38,307 Speaker 2: forcing difficult decisions about fees just to keep the lights on. 9 00:00:38,387 --> 00:00:41,467 Speaker 2: Some clubs are waiving junior fees in a bid to 10 00:00:41,547 --> 00:00:46,627 Speaker 2: ease financial pressure on families and to revive grassroots participation. 11 00:00:46,827 --> 00:00:51,347 Speaker 2: Other clubs are struggling to balance affordability for families with 12 00:00:51,467 --> 00:00:55,947 Speaker 2: the rising cost of running community sports clubs. Coaching and 13 00:00:56,027 --> 00:01:00,267 Speaker 2: sports management professional Stephen Dillon has written about this problem 14 00:01:00,387 --> 00:01:03,987 Speaker 2: regularly and some possible solutions for it. He joins us. Now, Stephen, 15 00:01:04,027 --> 00:01:07,347 Speaker 2: thanks for taking the time this afternoon. How serious is 16 00:01:07,387 --> 00:01:12,107 Speaker 2: the issue of participation cost in amateur sport? Right now? 17 00:01:13,907 --> 00:01:16,467 Speaker 3: Thank you? Pardi. Well, it certainly is important because it's 18 00:01:16,747 --> 00:01:20,027 Speaker 3: a topic which comes up each year from both sides, 19 00:01:20,387 --> 00:01:22,587 Speaker 3: from the parents, and you know that both those people 20 00:01:22,627 --> 00:01:25,867 Speaker 3: are wanting to get involved in communitiesport particularly, and then 21 00:01:25,947 --> 00:01:28,227 Speaker 3: also the conversation comes up on the other side from 22 00:01:28,227 --> 00:01:30,867 Speaker 3: the clubs, which, as you said in your introduction, are 23 00:01:30,867 --> 00:01:33,747 Speaker 3: looking at different ways to bring costs down, save money 24 00:01:34,107 --> 00:01:37,347 Speaker 3: and ultimately keep the club running. So yeap certainly is 25 00:01:37,507 --> 00:01:40,707 Speaker 3: a very very important issue comes around each year and 26 00:01:40,907 --> 00:01:43,547 Speaker 3: hopefully the clubs, federations and parents can come up with 27 00:01:43,947 --> 00:01:45,907 Speaker 3: some type of solution to make sure that there's many 28 00:01:46,067 --> 00:01:48,867 Speaker 3: kids and people get involved in a sport as possible 29 00:01:48,907 --> 00:01:49,387 Speaker 3: in the country. 30 00:01:49,507 --> 00:01:52,267 Speaker 2: I want to talk about some possible solutions with you, 31 00:01:52,307 --> 00:01:56,027 Speaker 2: but is there the risk that if solutions aren't found, 32 00:01:56,107 --> 00:01:59,667 Speaker 2: where we're running the risk of pricing some families out 33 00:01:59,667 --> 00:02:01,347 Speaker 2: of community sport altogether. 34 00:02:02,827 --> 00:02:05,707 Speaker 3: Absolutely, we don't want this sport to become a sport 35 00:02:05,747 --> 00:02:08,027 Speaker 3: which only people that can afford it can play. The 36 00:02:08,147 --> 00:02:10,827 Speaker 3: beauty of football particularly is that it is a sport 37 00:02:10,867 --> 00:02:13,587 Speaker 3: which everybody can play at what should be a low cost. 38 00:02:13,667 --> 00:02:17,067 Speaker 3: And absolutely, if we keep putting the costs up and 39 00:02:17,187 --> 00:02:19,907 Speaker 3: membership fees and costs et cetera rise year on year, 40 00:02:20,507 --> 00:02:22,107 Speaker 3: then it's going to mean less and less people are 41 00:02:22,147 --> 00:02:23,667 Speaker 3: going to want to be part of this sport and 42 00:02:23,707 --> 00:02:26,867 Speaker 3: potentially go into another one. So it's certainly an issue 43 00:02:26,867 --> 00:02:30,027 Speaker 3: which does need to be addressed, and I'm hopeful that 44 00:02:30,227 --> 00:02:32,427 Speaker 3: a number of solutions, which not only for myself but 45 00:02:32,547 --> 00:02:35,187 Speaker 3: other people that are way smarter than me, we'll be 46 00:02:35,187 --> 00:02:37,347 Speaker 3: able to think about different ways to help bring that 47 00:02:37,427 --> 00:02:40,107 Speaker 3: cost down, help fund the sport, and help make sure 48 00:02:40,107 --> 00:02:42,187 Speaker 3: that people are involved in the beautiful game. 49 00:02:42,587 --> 00:02:45,307 Speaker 2: Do clubs actually have a lot of choice here, Steven 50 00:02:45,507 --> 00:02:49,587 Speaker 2: or are they simply just passing on unavoidable costs? 51 00:02:50,747 --> 00:02:52,907 Speaker 3: From my experiences, there's a mixture of both. I mean, 52 00:02:53,187 --> 00:02:56,387 Speaker 3: there are certainly some fixed costs which being a member 53 00:02:56,427 --> 00:03:00,667 Speaker 3: of an affiliated sport everybody has to pay. So people 54 00:03:00,667 --> 00:03:03,187 Speaker 3: will know that there is a national membership fee which 55 00:03:03,267 --> 00:03:06,067 Speaker 3: goes to the national body. People will then know that 56 00:03:06,107 --> 00:03:09,387 Speaker 3: they're a regional fee which then goes to the regional body. 57 00:03:09,707 --> 00:03:13,587 Speaker 3: And then there's also other mandatory fees such as recory costs, 58 00:03:13,867 --> 00:03:18,067 Speaker 3: building insurance, liability insurance, the cost of running club etc. 59 00:03:18,467 --> 00:03:21,827 Speaker 3: So that there are some general fixed costs which do 60 00:03:21,947 --> 00:03:24,587 Speaker 3: need to be incurred and I think are just part 61 00:03:24,707 --> 00:03:27,667 Speaker 3: of what it means to be part of affiliated sport. 62 00:03:28,307 --> 00:03:31,187 Speaker 3: There are some other additional costs which are sometimes put 63 00:03:31,267 --> 00:03:35,067 Speaker 3: on top, and I've mentioned things such as things like photography. 64 00:03:35,667 --> 00:03:38,707 Speaker 3: Branded new equipment could be photographers. I mean, there could 65 00:03:38,707 --> 00:03:41,707 Speaker 3: be a whole range of additional extras. But from what 66 00:03:41,747 --> 00:03:44,307 Speaker 3: I've observed and what I've seen firsthand, is that in 67 00:03:44,347 --> 00:03:47,947 Speaker 3: most cases clubs are putting on a minimal amount of 68 00:03:47,947 --> 00:03:50,707 Speaker 3: margin and are only really passing on a lot of 69 00:03:50,707 --> 00:03:52,947 Speaker 3: the costs which are incurred and as I say, are 70 00:03:52,987 --> 00:03:56,467 Speaker 3: part of just becoming an affiliated member of the sporting system. 71 00:03:56,707 --> 00:04:00,147 Speaker 2: You've also written about the value of volunteers. How critical 72 00:04:00,267 --> 00:04:04,707 Speaker 2: are they to keeping sport affordable, the. 73 00:04:05,027 --> 00:04:07,427 Speaker 3: Sport that would have not exist without them. I mean, 74 00:04:07,467 --> 00:04:10,707 Speaker 3: particularly in New Zealand, the amount of volunteer hours that 75 00:04:10,747 --> 00:04:14,587 Speaker 3: are given up each year by people from the committees 76 00:04:14,627 --> 00:04:17,187 Speaker 3: to coaches, to parents, etc. I mean, we'd be in 77 00:04:17,227 --> 00:04:20,227 Speaker 3: the millions of dollars in terms of social worth in 78 00:04:20,547 --> 00:04:24,187 Speaker 3: the sports system. So that's really really crucial. And likewise, 79 00:04:24,227 --> 00:04:25,747 Speaker 3: even when it comes to running the club on a 80 00:04:25,787 --> 00:04:29,987 Speaker 3: daily basis, most of the committees, or in fact all 81 00:04:29,987 --> 00:04:33,227 Speaker 3: of the committees would be volunteer committees and they are 82 00:04:33,267 --> 00:04:35,667 Speaker 3: the people that are charged with looking after the club, 83 00:04:35,747 --> 00:04:38,667 Speaker 3: running the club on a daily basis and doing things 84 00:04:38,747 --> 00:04:40,787 Speaker 3: such as trying to figure out how to keep the 85 00:04:40,827 --> 00:04:44,107 Speaker 3: club afloat, how to manage the costs that are going out, 86 00:04:44,227 --> 00:04:46,947 Speaker 3: but also making sure that it is affordable to all 87 00:04:46,987 --> 00:04:49,667 Speaker 3: of those families. So, yes, there are some clubs that 88 00:04:49,707 --> 00:04:53,387 Speaker 3: are more resourced and are able to employ your contract 89 00:04:53,427 --> 00:04:56,667 Speaker 3: at least administrators and coaches. But I'd say the large 90 00:04:56,707 --> 00:04:59,107 Speaker 3: majority of clubs up and down the country are reliant 91 00:04:59,267 --> 00:05:02,547 Speaker 3: on those volunteers. So even with those costs that are 92 00:05:02,547 --> 00:05:05,747 Speaker 3: currently incurred for people to come into the clubs, again, 93 00:05:05,787 --> 00:05:08,627 Speaker 3: they don't really factory or consider the amount of volunteer 94 00:05:08,707 --> 00:05:12,947 Speaker 3: hours and therefore associated costs with volunteerism. So yeah, replenishing 95 00:05:13,147 --> 00:05:17,507 Speaker 3: and nourishing your volunteer workforces would be one of the 96 00:05:17,507 --> 00:05:19,987 Speaker 3: most important things for sports clubs across the region to 97 00:05:19,987 --> 00:05:20,907 Speaker 3: be able to look after. 98 00:05:20,947 --> 00:05:23,227 Speaker 2: All, Right, Stephen, If costs the problem, and it is, 99 00:05:23,827 --> 00:05:28,227 Speaker 2: where do the most realistic solutions lie? 100 00:05:29,667 --> 00:05:32,267 Speaker 3: Again, it would differ from club to club, and every 101 00:05:32,267 --> 00:05:35,747 Speaker 3: other club would know their different revenues and where they're 102 00:05:35,787 --> 00:05:38,867 Speaker 3: spending their money. I think the good governance of any 103 00:05:38,867 --> 00:05:42,107 Speaker 3: club comes from a board deciding on where that money 104 00:05:42,147 --> 00:05:44,627 Speaker 3: is spent and which ones are priority. At this stage, 105 00:05:45,027 --> 00:05:47,387 Speaker 3: I mean I look on the surface and I see 106 00:05:47,507 --> 00:05:50,667 Speaker 3: minor things such as uniforms. For example, I mean, in 107 00:05:51,027 --> 00:05:53,427 Speaker 3: most medium sized clubs, you would spend tens of thousand 108 00:05:53,467 --> 00:05:56,387 Speaker 3: dollars on uniforms, either through the club or for the parents. 109 00:05:56,427 --> 00:05:59,547 Speaker 3: So one solution could be that, for example, you don't 110 00:05:59,587 --> 00:06:03,467 Speaker 3: mandate uniforms at a junior junior age group, or you 111 00:06:03,467 --> 00:06:06,427 Speaker 3: don't mandate training kits at a junior junior age group. 112 00:06:06,507 --> 00:06:10,107 Speaker 3: So there are ways in which most clubs can cut 113 00:06:10,107 --> 00:06:12,347 Speaker 3: the costs. I mean, whether it's a material amount of 114 00:06:12,347 --> 00:06:15,347 Speaker 3: difference it's going to save you tens and tens of thousands, 115 00:06:15,467 --> 00:06:18,307 Speaker 3: as obviously dependent on each club, but that there could 116 00:06:18,347 --> 00:06:21,147 Speaker 3: be some minor solutions which think, okay, do we as 117 00:06:21,147 --> 00:06:24,587 Speaker 3: an amateur sports club need to provide this service? And 118 00:06:24,827 --> 00:06:26,787 Speaker 3: if the answer is yes, we need to, then of 119 00:06:26,787 --> 00:06:30,027 Speaker 3: course you continue. But if they're what I've called nice 120 00:06:30,027 --> 00:06:34,347 Speaker 3: to have or additionals or traditions that have just become assumptions, 121 00:06:34,747 --> 00:06:36,787 Speaker 3: then I think they're the ones which boards can look 122 00:06:36,787 --> 00:06:38,787 Speaker 3: at and committees can look at and say, okay, do 123 00:06:38,867 --> 00:06:41,747 Speaker 3: we really need this, because either the club are paying 124 00:06:41,747 --> 00:06:44,187 Speaker 3: for that themselves and therefore factor that into a membership 125 00:06:44,187 --> 00:06:47,187 Speaker 3: fee or that cost is passed on directly to parents. 126 00:06:47,267 --> 00:06:50,347 Speaker 3: And again also being a parent in sport, I'm doing 127 00:06:50,387 --> 00:06:52,387 Speaker 3: this with the sports that my children are involed in. 128 00:06:52,707 --> 00:06:55,307 Speaker 3: So I'm thinking, Okay, what do I actually need to 129 00:06:55,307 --> 00:06:58,547 Speaker 3: get in order for my young children to get involved 130 00:06:58,547 --> 00:07:00,587 Speaker 3: in their local swimming club, or their local football club 131 00:07:00,667 --> 00:07:03,027 Speaker 3: or their local hockey club. So yeah, I think that 132 00:07:03,227 --> 00:07:05,507 Speaker 3: that activity of going through each of the lines and 133 00:07:05,547 --> 00:07:08,187 Speaker 3: going do we really need this? Is this a necessity 134 00:07:08,227 --> 00:07:11,747 Speaker 3: for amateur classroots community sport? I think that will be 135 00:07:11,787 --> 00:07:14,947 Speaker 3: the first step in helping clubs identify what's actually required 136 00:07:14,987 --> 00:07:16,427 Speaker 3: and what are those nice to have. 137 00:07:17,027 --> 00:07:20,147 Speaker 2: What about the balance between the first team and everybody 138 00:07:20,187 --> 00:07:23,107 Speaker 2: else at the club? Every club, you know, I guess 139 00:07:23,587 --> 00:07:26,707 Speaker 2: that is ambitious and aspirational loves to have a first 140 00:07:26,747 --> 00:07:29,747 Speaker 2: team that's doing well in whichever competition they're playing. And 141 00:07:29,787 --> 00:07:33,387 Speaker 2: how do you balance the funding required for a high 142 00:07:33,467 --> 00:07:35,627 Speaker 2: performance program if we can call it that at amateur 143 00:07:35,747 --> 00:07:40,627 Speaker 2: level and participation across a wider membership base. 144 00:07:42,147 --> 00:07:44,667 Speaker 3: Absolutely, probably the questions I get asked for the most pint. 145 00:07:45,387 --> 00:07:48,787 Speaker 3: In most cases, you know, most clubs that are aspirational, 146 00:07:48,827 --> 00:07:51,947 Speaker 3: they have the scenario and they have junior base and 147 00:07:51,947 --> 00:07:54,267 Speaker 3: a junior club almost and then they have the senior base. 148 00:07:54,307 --> 00:07:56,387 Speaker 3: And I think a lot of it has to come 149 00:07:56,427 --> 00:07:58,467 Speaker 3: from how do we look at the system more broadly. 150 00:07:58,547 --> 00:08:01,027 Speaker 3: I mean, we have an amateur sports system here in 151 00:08:01,427 --> 00:08:05,587 Speaker 3: football particularly, we have a bottom up funded model whereby 152 00:08:05,787 --> 00:08:09,867 Speaker 3: clubs are essentially paying affiliation fees and we don't have 153 00:08:09,907 --> 00:08:15,147 Speaker 3: the luxury of having top down trickled finance or distributions 154 00:08:15,147 --> 00:08:18,827 Speaker 3: that go into those leagues and therefore would justify an 155 00:08:18,947 --> 00:08:22,067 Speaker 3: investment into those teams. So it is very difficult, and 156 00:08:22,827 --> 00:08:25,427 Speaker 3: having been involved in this first hand, you do have 157 00:08:25,467 --> 00:08:28,147 Speaker 3: to look at the overall club budget more broadly and 158 00:08:28,267 --> 00:08:32,667 Speaker 3: determine where you do prioritize your investment. For me, do 159 00:08:32,707 --> 00:08:36,147 Speaker 3: you put that into reducing junior fees, which I know 160 00:08:36,187 --> 00:08:38,627 Speaker 3: a lot of clubs continue to do. But of course 161 00:08:38,667 --> 00:08:41,027 Speaker 3: if you reduce fees in one place, then it might 162 00:08:41,067 --> 00:08:43,107 Speaker 3: mean that you've got to increase fees in another, or 163 00:08:43,147 --> 00:08:46,187 Speaker 3: you have to take away certain divisions from the senior team. 164 00:08:46,307 --> 00:08:49,427 Speaker 3: So it's a very very difficult balance for people to 165 00:08:49,547 --> 00:08:51,987 Speaker 3: get right. And I'm by no means suggesting I have 166 00:08:52,027 --> 00:08:55,267 Speaker 3: an answer here, but it's one which does need to 167 00:08:55,307 --> 00:08:57,627 Speaker 3: be looked at, I guess globally across the club and 168 00:08:57,667 --> 00:09:00,067 Speaker 3: how they do balance off the juniors and the seniors 169 00:09:01,147 --> 00:09:03,707 Speaker 3: rather than expecting all the fees to go down and 170 00:09:03,827 --> 00:09:06,307 Speaker 3: the juniors and then the seniors to have all the 171 00:09:06,387 --> 00:09:09,947 Speaker 3: best equipment for best s andc coaches, the best provisions 172 00:09:10,147 --> 00:09:12,307 Speaker 3: and everything else that goes along with trying to perform 173 00:09:12,427 --> 00:09:16,427 Speaker 3: at what is the highest domestic level here. So yeah, 174 00:09:15,667 --> 00:09:18,347 Speaker 3: that's it's a very difficult challenge when you've got clubs 175 00:09:18,387 --> 00:09:21,347 Speaker 3: that do are in that situation where they do have 176 00:09:21,347 --> 00:09:24,267 Speaker 3: to cater for not only the grassroots community, but this 177 00:09:24,467 --> 00:09:28,627 Speaker 3: aspirational pathway looking after male and female players that are 178 00:09:28,667 --> 00:09:30,747 Speaker 3: wanting to strive to get into the all whites and 179 00:09:30,787 --> 00:09:34,067 Speaker 3: the football ferns and overseas. So very very challenging for 180 00:09:34,387 --> 00:09:36,027 Speaker 3: club directors and board members. 181 00:09:36,307 --> 00:09:40,747 Speaker 2: A lot of our listeners will be tuning in today 182 00:09:40,827 --> 00:09:43,507 Speaker 2: having been at junior Sport this morning and maybe hitting 183 00:09:43,547 --> 00:09:46,147 Speaker 2: off to senior Sport this afternoon. They're involved in running 184 00:09:46,187 --> 00:09:48,867 Speaker 2: their club and whichever way, shape or format might be. 185 00:09:49,227 --> 00:09:51,587 Speaker 2: You know, for those who are listening Steven and are 186 00:09:52,147 --> 00:09:55,587 Speaker 2: familiar with the challenges that we're chatting about today, what's 187 00:09:55,587 --> 00:09:58,307 Speaker 2: your best piece of advice in terms of, you know, 188 00:09:59,107 --> 00:10:01,507 Speaker 2: of addressing these these challenges. 189 00:10:03,107 --> 00:10:05,707 Speaker 3: I think the first part would just be some transparency 190 00:10:05,827 --> 00:10:08,147 Speaker 3: from the club to their members. I mean a lot 191 00:10:08,147 --> 00:10:10,907 Speaker 3: of the commentary that I see around this particular issue 192 00:10:11,027 --> 00:10:14,947 Speaker 3: are that parents, particularly, they see a fee and they 193 00:10:14,987 --> 00:10:16,987 Speaker 3: don't really know how that fee is made up, and 194 00:10:17,187 --> 00:10:19,787 Speaker 3: they don't understand that in running a club there are 195 00:10:19,907 --> 00:10:23,427 Speaker 3: a lot of fixed costs which are mandatory as part 196 00:10:23,427 --> 00:10:25,907 Speaker 3: of their affiliation. I think in a lot of cases 197 00:10:26,907 --> 00:10:29,787 Speaker 3: parents would be understanding if they understood that there are 198 00:10:30,267 --> 00:10:32,227 Speaker 3: various things that they do have to pay for. So 199 00:10:33,027 --> 00:10:35,827 Speaker 3: I think first of all, addressing the fact that this 200 00:10:35,947 --> 00:10:39,267 Speaker 3: is how the fee structure is loosely made up, and 201 00:10:39,667 --> 00:10:43,627 Speaker 3: I think that openness and honesty would help parents to 202 00:10:43,707 --> 00:10:45,867 Speaker 3: understand that that is the case. So I think that 203 00:10:45,947 --> 00:10:49,267 Speaker 3: transparency would be my first step. The second one would 204 00:10:49,307 --> 00:10:51,227 Speaker 3: be just to go through, as I say, all the 205 00:10:51,267 --> 00:10:53,387 Speaker 3: line items of what it is to run a football 206 00:10:53,387 --> 00:10:55,587 Speaker 3: club and again having met a number of the club 207 00:10:56,347 --> 00:11:00,147 Speaker 3: chairpersons around the country, lots of people are doing this already. 208 00:11:00,987 --> 00:11:03,747 Speaker 3: But lastly it would just be determining again where you 209 00:11:03,787 --> 00:11:05,987 Speaker 3: want to be as an amateur sports club. Do you 210 00:11:06,027 --> 00:11:10,147 Speaker 3: want to provide everything and have new equipment every year 211 00:11:10,227 --> 00:11:12,747 Speaker 3: and have paid coaches at every age group, or do 212 00:11:12,787 --> 00:11:15,227 Speaker 3: you want to bring back that sense of volunteerism and 213 00:11:15,267 --> 00:11:19,347 Speaker 3: community which I guess holds up community glass sport in 214 00:11:19,387 --> 00:11:22,547 Speaker 3: the country. So yeah, a lot of it's relational, a 215 00:11:22,587 --> 00:11:25,107 Speaker 3: lot of it is communication and transparency around what is 216 00:11:25,147 --> 00:11:27,427 Speaker 3: being done. And whilst that doesn't fix the issue of 217 00:11:27,427 --> 00:11:29,147 Speaker 3: the fees, of course plenty, what it does do is 218 00:11:29,147 --> 00:11:31,707 Speaker 3: it just opens a conversation a little bit more and 219 00:11:31,787 --> 00:11:34,347 Speaker 3: people can be a bit more open around what some 220 00:11:34,387 --> 00:11:36,827 Speaker 3: of the challenges are and then from there you may 221 00:11:37,027 --> 00:11:39,827 Speaker 3: then come up with some ideas and some solutions yourself. 222 00:11:40,187 --> 00:11:43,267 Speaker 3: And I've highlighted a number of clubs around the country. 223 00:11:43,667 --> 00:11:47,067 Speaker 3: Whitemata for example, up here in Auckland, with Dan Johnson, 224 00:11:47,467 --> 00:11:50,907 Speaker 3: they established a sporting fund where essentially they're able to 225 00:11:51,067 --> 00:11:54,427 Speaker 3: levy or ask for donations from people who could pay, 226 00:11:54,907 --> 00:11:57,027 Speaker 3: and with some of those fees they were then able 227 00:11:57,027 --> 00:12:00,507 Speaker 3: to offset that to pay for families that were not 228 00:12:00,547 --> 00:12:02,907 Speaker 3: in a position to pay this year as well. But 229 00:12:02,947 --> 00:12:06,947 Speaker 3: that solution came from reviewing and looking into where their 230 00:12:06,987 --> 00:12:09,627 Speaker 3: costs were and some of the challenges that their members faced. 231 00:12:09,787 --> 00:12:12,987 Speaker 3: So there's certainly, and say, a number of solutions. I 232 00:12:12,987 --> 00:12:15,067 Speaker 3: don't have them all, but I'm sure that a number 233 00:12:15,067 --> 00:12:17,627 Speaker 3: of the clubs and in line with their parents, will 234 00:12:17,627 --> 00:12:20,347 Speaker 3: be able to figure out how best to address this issue. 235 00:12:21,107 --> 00:12:23,387 Speaker 3: Otherwise we'll be in a situation where you're calling me 236 00:12:23,387 --> 00:12:25,587 Speaker 3: at the same time. Next year, Fine, we'll be talking 237 00:12:25,627 --> 00:12:29,667 Speaker 3: again about fees for twenty twenty seven and how we 238 00:12:29,707 --> 00:12:32,187 Speaker 3: want to bring those down. So certainly not easy, but 239 00:12:32,387 --> 00:12:36,027 Speaker 3: I'm hoping that the articles and the conversations around this 240 00:12:36,107 --> 00:12:38,467 Speaker 3: will at least open up this conversation a little more. 241 00:12:38,547 --> 00:12:40,787 Speaker 2: Andy, Well, you've given us plenty of overthought. Just to 242 00:12:40,787 --> 00:12:44,827 Speaker 2: Finnish Steven, do you feel optimistic about the future of 243 00:12:45,027 --> 00:12:47,707 Speaker 2: amateur grassroots sport in New Zealand? 244 00:12:48,987 --> 00:12:52,227 Speaker 3: Absolutely do. I love it first of all, and seeing 245 00:12:52,627 --> 00:12:54,987 Speaker 3: people that I meet every single week, whether their parents 246 00:12:55,107 --> 00:12:58,907 Speaker 3: or coaches or administrators. You know, this is an incredible, 247 00:12:59,067 --> 00:13:01,467 Speaker 3: incredible place to be. So in a lot of cases, 248 00:13:01,467 --> 00:13:04,347 Speaker 3: people just need some help, they need some support. No 249 00:13:04,427 --> 00:13:07,187 Speaker 3: one's trying to make the system any harder than needs 250 00:13:07,227 --> 00:13:10,147 Speaker 3: to be. Sometimes we just don't quite know where to 251 00:13:10,187 --> 00:13:14,307 Speaker 3: go next. So yeah, absolutely, amateur sport will five in 252 00:13:14,307 --> 00:13:16,387 Speaker 3: New Zealand for sure. We just need a bit of 253 00:13:16,387 --> 00:13:19,107 Speaker 3: help and guidance to help these clubs, particularly that hold 254 00:13:19,107 --> 00:13:21,867 Speaker 3: most of these members a little bit more along the way. 255 00:13:21,947 --> 00:13:25,547 Speaker 3: So yeah, absolutely optimistic about the future of amateur sport 256 00:13:25,587 --> 00:13:26,227 Speaker 3: here in New Zealand. 257 00:13:26,347 --> 00:13:28,867 Speaker 2: Good to hear. Thanks so much for joining us this afternoon, Steven, 258 00:13:28,907 --> 00:13:30,827 Speaker 2: and for learning us your time and your expertise. Really 259 00:13:30,867 --> 00:13:31,507 Speaker 2: appreciate it. 260 00:13:32,147 --> 00:13:33,467 Speaker 3: You're very welcome. Thank you very much. 261 00:13:33,507 --> 00:13:36,427 Speaker 2: No, thank you for coming on, Steven. Steven Dylan Coaching 262 00:13:36,507 --> 00:13:40,547 Speaker 2: in Sports Management Professional. I'm sure a lot of what 263 00:13:40,587 --> 00:13:42,907 Speaker 2: you heard there resonates. 264 00:13:43,147 --> 00:13:46,347 Speaker 1: For more from Weekend Sport with Jason Fine. Listen live 265 00:13:46,427 --> 00:13:49,707 Speaker 1: to news talks it'd be weekends from midday, or follow 266 00:13:49,747 --> 00:13:51,347 Speaker 1: the podcast on iHeartRadio