"It's all about promoting greater inclusivity in sports for children living with disabilities," said Variety QLD's Head of Kids Support, Angela Haines, on tomorrow's Variety Active Kids Sports Day.
More than 80 Mount Isa school kids that are living with a disability, from four local schools, will be given the opportunity to trial a range of sports at Mount Isa Basketball Association on Thursday, August 3.
From rugby, swimming, netball and more, they will learn a variety of sports alongside the support of specialised coaches and athletes from major sporting organisations, including Netball Queensland, Swimming Queensland and Queensland Rugby League.
All of the kids participating live with a physical, sensory, cognitive, or intellectual disability.
The event is a free program for kids aged between five and 17-years-old, that aims to achieve greater inclusivity and participation in sports.
Ms Haines said the day is all about the kids giving the different sports a go and then hopefully helping them join a local club, team or sport.
"We are hoping to expose them to a sport that they can play and that they enjoy," she said.
"So, they can participate ongoing and reap the mental, physical, social benefits that doing a physical activity can give them.
"We're all about just trying to close the gap in the participation rates ... getting more kids with disabilities into playing sports."
Since 2019, Variety Queensland has held more than 17 Variety Active Kids Sports Days to over 1798 kids across multiple Queensland towns, including Rockhampton, Townsville, Mackay, Cairns, and Toowoomba.
Variety brings these sports directly to the doorstep of kids who would otherwise miss out on the opportunity to participate in sports.
Mount Isa is the program's most regional destination to date, with the aim of fostering a lifelong love of physical activity among regional kids with disabilities and promoting the important message of inclusion within their communities.
Ms Haines said the spread of the program regionally was a goal of Variety Queensland.
"Mount Isa is definitely the most remote we've been and we'd love to be able to get into more regional centres to do this program," she said.
"It's just incredible to get out to the regional areas and meet the kids, and see the smiles on their faces."
Each child who participates in the Variety Active Kids Sports Day will bring home a $200 voucher to help them join a local sporting club.
Variety also provides access to ongoing support for families to find sporting classes that match their child's interests and ability, so they can continue playing the sports they enjoyed trialling long-term.
Finn Coleman
Having grown-up in the Hawkesbury, I understand the importance of the Hawkesbury Gazette in highlighting stories that members of the local community care about - including events, businesses, sports and the people that make our town unique.
Having grown-up in the Hawkesbury, I understand the importance of the Hawkesbury Gazette in highlighting stories that members of the local community care about - including events, businesses, sports and the people that make our town unique.
