Brisbane Valley Darts Club is celebrating after being approved funding through the Queensland Government’s Active Women and Girls Program.
Club secretary Tami Leck said she received the letter on Friday 19 April.
“I was quite excited, I ‘yahood’ very loudly,” Leck said.
“It’s great to see darts being recognised so much now.”
The $15 million Active Women and Girls Program aimed to boost sport and active recreation opportunities for women and girls in Queensland.
The program is dedicated to encouraging greater participation across all facets of sport and active recreation, from playing to coaching and volunteering to umpiring and team management.
Leck said the club planned to use the $7,500 to host management, RSA, first aid and coaching courses for the club and wider community.
“The funding can go towards having a first aid station, which is really, really important in any sport,” she said.
“We’re hoping to do training for first aid for the ladies and girls, and we’re hoping to invite other associations in our area to also come in and do some training.
“We want to do some management committee training, because that’s your future, to have people educated to go forward and run your associations.
“If they’ve done the correct courses they may be more confident to step-up and take on those positions.”
Leck said the funding could also be used to set up a sanitary hygiene station in the bathrooms with free sanitary items for the ladies.
In March 2023, and after several years of campaigning, darts was officially recognised as a sport in Queensland.
Since then Brisbane Valley Darts Club has been able to apply for numerous grants.
Leck has applied for numerous other grants to support the club’s growth.
“I applied for their $2,500 Active Clubs grant, and we will be using that to upgrade our dart boards and to build better oches, ones we can fold and move out of the way for the convenience of people in wheelchairs when they’re not being used,” she said.
“I applied through the Gambling Community Benefit Fund for $17,000, and we need to raise funds to go on top of this, because it’s going to cost us $20,000 to fix our roof.
“Every time it rains outside it rains inside.”
She hopes the AWGP funding and training would bring more players to the club and the sport.
“For those who want to play the sport and can’t afford the affiliations and the match fees, we want to set aside an amount so it pays for them, so they can participate and interact in the sport without dealing with the financial side of it,” Leck said.
“A lot of people forget how easy it is to play darts and how socialised it is.
“You’re not knocking each other out in the field, and it’s not something you play by yourself.
“We’ve had players in wheelchairs, deaf players, one member had 11 per cent vision and he played darts.
“It’s something families can actually play together, as a team, which is pretty rare in sport.”
The club is waiting to receive the funding before organising training courses, but the invitation will remain open to other community and sport groups..
“If you’re interested, contact the Darts Club to put your name down on the list,” Leck said.
