Grass-roots sporting teams and individuals nationwide have the opportunity to win much needed funding of up to $1,500 from a total share of $10,000, by entering the annual Thermoskin Community Sports Fund (TCSF) and will be judged by an all-star panel of judges including Australian Olympic Gold Medalist and World Record Holder in Swimming, Melanie Wright, Retied Australian Netballer Sharelle McMahon, and ex-Socceroo Brett Emerton.
Established in 2013 to support grass-roots sport across Australia and to increase sport participation, Thermoskin Community Sports Fund is a community led initiative designed to reach Australia’s diverse range of sporting organisations and give them a chance to win funds they can allocate towards the betterment of their sporting experience including equipment, club uniforms, training facilities and more.
“Initiatives like Thermoskin Community Sports Fund are such a positive, fundamental part of sport in Australia. Funding is absolutely essential, especially at a grass-roots level, as community sport groups and individuals are what make this great nation universally recognised for its thriving sporting culture,” said Australian professional footballer, Brett Emerton.
In 2015, more than 320 nominations were received from metropolitan and regional areas from around the country including Mackay, Woollongong, Kalgoorlie, Murray Bridge, Launceston, Ballarat, Newcastle and Alice Springs, and were hugely diverse in terms of sporting range including pole vaulting, dragon boat racing, diving and football.
Applicants are encouraged to nominate themselves in one of three categories, including Teams Under 50 Years of Age, Teams Over 50 Years of Age or Individual, and are judged by a panel of four judges, including Melanie Wright, Sharelle McMahon, Brett Emerton and Matthew Symington. The Thermoskin Community Sports Fund also has a range of Australian sporting heroes who are ambassadors for the campaign, including Athletes, Melissa Breen and Tay Clark, and Paralympian Richard Colman.
With sport being a huge part of the Australian way of life, Thermoskin Community Sports Fund is on a mission to encourage participants of all ages and skill levels to stay active and also embrace the social benefits of being a part of a community sport group, while simultaneously supporting growth and development in sport around the country.
Matthew Symington, a 2016 Thermoskin Community Sports Fund judge and CEO of United Pacific Industries (UPI), the parent company to Thermoskin, is passionate about growing Thermoskin Community Sports Fund as a vessel to encourage a diverse range of applicants across the sporting, cultural and geographic spectrum to show commitment and love to their sport, saying “Thermoskin Community Sports Fund is in it’s fourth successful year, and there is no sign of it slowing down, in fact, we have no doubt 2016 will attract a huge array of worthy applicants from across the nation and will be our biggest year yet.
“Thermoskin Community Sports Fund is also a personal passion of mine as I’m still quite involved in my community through Surf Life Saving and see the value and importance of giving back and supporting local sport groups and individuals,” continued Symington.
Nominations are shortlisted based on consideration of the application, the value to the community and the number of votes they receive from the public. The judges then determine the winning teams by following the strict judging criteria, which includes the quality of the application, why the funds are needed for the team or individual, the value the sport brings to the community/personal value and a breakdown of how the recipient intends to spend the money is also required.
Applications opened 1st March 2016, with entries open until 1st May 2016, and voting available to the public from 4th May 2016. Winners will be announced via the Thermoskin Facebook page as well as the Thermoskin Community Sports Fund website – www.thermoskin.com/communitysportsfund, and winners will also receive Plantar FXT Socks from Thermoskin’s new ‘Walk-On’ foot care range.
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