Victorian Masters Sport Resource Kit - Australian Sports Commission

6. Masters Sport Participation Opportunities
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Reducing a golf game to 5 holes for an
informal group of 70 year olds to cater for
their relative lack of stamina, or timetabling
competitions mid week for over 35 year olds
to suit their availability are examples of
diversifying the “product” of a sport.
Sport organisations may have to modify the
rules of the sport to allow for less physical
contact, or offer a different team structure like
mixed gender teams to appeal to some people.
CASE STUDY 8:
Lake Colac Rowing Club
◗ The club is one of the oldest clubs in
Victoria having formed in 1877, and has
over 50 members, 90 per cent of which
happen to be veterans (over 27 years of
age), but most compete in open age
competition.
◗ The club hosts regattas most weekends
during the season October to March and
some of them are specifically for Masters
participants.
What are the keys to its success?
◗ The club provides a social, non
threatening and supportive environment.
Potential barriers such as participants
having poor self esteem about their
rowing ability or people wishing to take
up rowing in later age are overcome by
not having to compete with people
considerably younger, or compete at all.
Sport organisations need to think creatively to
develop a product that suits the Masters Sport
market – perhaps the best source of
information on what Masters Age participants
want are current participants or people in the
Masters age group. Reflecting on successful
Masters games where modifications were
made for Masters participants would be a
good starting point for developing a creative
Masters Sport participation opportunity.
Photo: National Sport Information Centre of the Australian Sports Commission
◗ The club publicises its activities in the
local community, places advertisements in
local papers, makes sure it gets on radio
regularly, and conducts free clinics and try
out days on Sunday mornings.
◗ The emphasis is on participation – people
still have the chance to compete at the
high level but no one is expected to.
Many members use the club as a fitness
facility rather than training for regular
competition.
◗ Average cost per member is $95 per
annum plus $5 to race in a regatta. To
encourage participation, the club created
a social membership for those people
wishing to row but not compete of $35
per year. All equipment costs are covered
through separate fundraising events
which involve every club member.
Source: Dale Goodacre, Member, Lake Colac
Rowing Club.