Student-athletes at Belmont Primary School are gearing up for a critical playoff run with new support from a community partnership that is addressing a persistent gap in school sports resources. A collaboration between local community figure Dr. Janal Browne and popular footwear retailer The Athlete’s Foot has delivered approximately 15 pairs of new athletic shoes to the school’s advancing netball team, with more donations planned for other local schools in the coming months. This contribution marks the second consecutive year that Dr. Browne has stepped up to support Belmont Primary’s athletic programs, after providing branded game bibs and new game balls for the netball team last year.
In comments following the handover of the new gear, Dr. Browne explained that his outreach grew from a simple observation of unmet needs in local school sports. “So many local schools have eager young athletes and opportunities to compete, but they often lack the basic equipment and gear required to participate at their full potential,” he said. “That’s why we wanted to build long-term partnerships with Belmont Primary and other campuses across the region, to make sure every student has access to the tools they need to succeed on the court.” In total, the initiative is on track to donate more than 100 pairs of new athletic shoes to student-athletes across multiple local primary schools.
For Belmont Primary, the first batch of donated shoes could not come at a better time. The school’s netball team, made up of 12 Class 3 and Class 4 student athletes, has punched its ticket to the playoff round of the National Sports Council Pedialyte Sport Primary School Netball Competition, one of the largest youth netball tournaments in the region. Shodia Cobham, Belmont Primary’s Information Technology coordinator who also serves as the team’s assistant coach, said the donation has been a huge morale boost for the young players.
Cobham shared that the team entered the tournament with quiet nerves, as many of the student athletes were competing at the state level for the first time. Those early jitters quickly faded, however, as the team put together an undefeated streak through the preliminary rounds of the competition that earned them their playoff spot. “This new gear is such a thoughtful, generous gesture from Dr. Browne and his team, and we could not be more grateful,” Cobham added. “It gives our girls one less thing to worry about as they head into the most important games of their young athletic careers.”