Take cricket for instance, which has been struggling not just on a junior front but on a senior level as well, but without a good junior system cricket clubs have been struggling to reach 11 players on the field.

Aradale Cricket Club’s Clint Rodger has expressed his concern especially regarding the age group where the juniors do drop off.

“We formally didn’t have an under-16 side last year, but we were lucky enough to field a team (under-16s) this year,” he said.

“There have also been other junior clubs that have had under-16s in the past and hadn’t been able to get a side on the park.”

READ MORE: Cricket struggling for numbers

Research by VicHealth has identified while junior sport participation is at a high between the ages of 10-14 year olds with 70 per cent, it drops off significantly to 33 per cent when they reach the ages of 15-19 years old and more specifically when they reach their 20s.

Great Western Football Netball Club is one club looking to build a solid foundation for its junior system, such as putting in place Auskick and NetSetGo for young children.

Great Western president Tracey McCartney said she wouldn’t know what the club would do if they did not have a solid junior foundation.

“If we didn’t have junior numbers, I just don’t know where we would get our players from,” she said.

“Quite a few of our young players coming through have come right through the junior system at the club.

“I don’t believe how these clubs can keep functioning that don’t have a junior feed up program.”

The Lions played against the same opposition up five times in the under-16 football competition last season, with many clubs lacking numbers to field teams.

“(The league) is not doing enough,” she said.

“Last year we played Glenthompson-Dunkeld five times and Ararat Eagles four times.

“We have got juniors that have said they are leaving us next season because they are sick of playing teams four or five times in the season.”

“We may not have a (junior) team next year because players are leaving and not liking how the league’s running it.”

READ MORE: Juniors the focus for AFL Wimmera-Mallee

Mininera and District Football League chairperson John Box said they are working towards a solution but insists it is hard with limited teams having a junior set up.

“We have to do a lot more than what we are doing,” he said.

“We’ve only got seven sides (who have junior teams) so we’ve had a chat to Hamilton juniors for next year and will try and work out it with them to increase the number of teams in the league.

“It’s a population thing and we can’t do anything about it. I had about four or five meetings about junior football and trying to improve it.”

In 2018, AFL Wimmera-Mallee conducted a future directions review for football in the region, with junior participation one of the key issues addressed.

Mr Box said that in order to increase junior numbers the league is helping clubs to get their own junior programs running.

“Caramut is trying hard, SMW Rovers are trying to get junior players out from Ballarat that are missing out on games,” he said.

“We’ve been to Hamilton and discussed it with Hamilton juniors to try and get sides in for next year and if they come on board you are looking at 11 sides in the Mininera league, but there is a lot of work to do.”

Mr Box insists that the problem in football regarding juniors is not just a Mininera problem but a state-wide problem.

He also said there may be other factors as to why juniors are dropping off.

“I think there are other options,” he said.

“You have indoor basketball, netball, soccer – the kids are an hour away from playing any sport they want.

“I love kids playing sport, but the kids aren’t there.They are going away to Ballarat to college and the farms in the Mininera, Streatham and around Bolac are getting bigger, they are not employing anyone anymore.

“All you need to do is drive around and see the empty tennis courts and cricket grounds.

The Mininera league does have a strong under-12 competition, but Mr Box said they will hopefully resolve the issue of the under 16 competition.

“We are going to have a meeting with the juniors and try and work it out so it is easier,” he said.

“But there are only seven clubs so you are going to play them.”

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