An Australian coaching icon has identified a common issue that he says is ruining Aussie weekends and making us “soft”.
A prominent Australian sprinting coach argues that the continual closure of sporting venues and postponing of events around the country due to rain are jeopardizing Australia’s lauded sporting reputation.
A search on Facebook for the keyword “training cancelled” returns a slew of recent alerts across numerous sports codes and locales.
Councils or large athletic institutions are usually responsible for closing ovals and fields.
Roger Fabri, the elite Sydney-based trainer behind some of the country’s most elite competitive sprinters and athletic stars across multiple codes, has condemned widespread field closures, which he believes are driving children indoors for no good reason.
In recent years, his clientele have included NRL players James Tedesco and Josh Addo-Carr, as well as Australian Test great David Warner.
“Do you know what? “I believe the councils have softened the children and parents,” he claimed in a social media video while standing in the rain on Saturday.
“Constantly closing the fields every single weekend has also conditioned the parents to think it’s actually not okay to play on or train in the rain.”
“I will be honest with you. I’m not sure where this world will go.
“Yes, we do close them on occasion, but every week. The parents thought, “Hey, you know what? “You should not play in the rain.”
The post went viral as rain wreaked havoc on Australia’s winter sport season, impacting codes including AFL, rugby league and union, and netball.
Fabri told news.com.au he felt that at an elite level, there’s a significant risk that Australia is “giving away our sporting advantage”.
“Most other countries would play and train (in this weather), but we’re no longer resilient,” he said.
“Was (the weather) not around when we were kids? What’s changed?”
Fabri believes that while there are legitimate concerns regarding damage to fields, there has been an excess of “red tape” lately, with ground closures becoming disproportionate.
He added that “we have the technologies” to curate sports grounds to mitigate damage. He cited the recent NRL Magic Round at Brisbane’s Suncorp Stadium, which hosts eight first-grade fixtures over three days on the one ground.
Additionally, he worried parents were being “ripped off,” with many clubs having to pay ground administrators up front and little opportunity for reimbursement.
“I pay for a full season upfront – the hit on my business is significant,” he said, adding he feels for sporting clubs and organisations more grassroots than his.
Ultimately Fabri stated: “Not since Covid have I seen so many kids forced inside – let them play, let them be kids.”
Fabri’s post elicited a fervent response from his followers.
One parent told Fabri: “We are at a 30 per cent play rate. Why am I paying rates to council when we can’t use the asset we pay for?”
Another reminisced: “Used to love playing footy and soccer sliding around in the mud with muddy boots when get home”.
Some praised their clubs and local sporting authorities for managing to avert the winter deluge experienced so far this year across much of eastern Australia.
“Fortunately, the Penrith comp have only missed one round to date,” one wrote.
“They have done an amazing job working with the council to keep our kids playing.”
Lengthy rain spells have been a staple for 2024, and reprieve appears unlikely for parts of the country.
The Bureau of Meteorology’s long-range forecast, published in late May, forecasts above-average rainfall for some southern central and western parts of Australia, while rainfall is likely to be more typical for the season elsewhere.
