Have flight, will travel

Skywest has increased its funding for flights to regional areas from $30,000 to $35,000, enabling sport and recreation talent beyond the Mid West to contribute their skills and experience to the local community.

Related topics: flying,funding

20 August 2008

Skywest has increased its funding for the Country Sport Development Program to $35,000 per year, enabling regional sport and recreation clubs and associations to fly people from outside their region to support local programs such as training courses, mentor programs and special initiatives.    

Younger athletes benefit greatly by learning from the experience of role models in staying both physically and emotionally healthy while developing to their maximum potential in sport and recreation.

Skywest funded the flights of seven noted sports role models and athletes to the Mid West in 2007/2008 through the Country Sport Development Program in partnership with the Department of Sport and Recreation (DSR), including former Fremantle Dockers star Troy Cook.

Cook travelled to Geraldton in January this year as ambassador to the Geraldton-Greenough Late Night Hoops program, which aims to encourage high school-aged young people with positive recreation options on Friday nights. 

The participants are required to attend sessions about topics such as health and self esteem before playing in the basketball tournament which runs until midnight, adhering to the motto ‘no workshop, no jump shot'. 

"Any program like this is of tremendous benefit to the community, in this case the young people of Geraldton-Greenough," Department of Sport and Recreation Acting Manager Mid West Adam Murszewski said.

"It was a huge boost to have Troy at the Late Nights Hoops program, generally initiatives like this are run on minimal budgets and could not afford to fly people from Perth without the generosity of Skywest.

"The sport and recreation community in the Mid West are very grateful for the support given by Skywest in the past and we're looking forward to flying in some great talent to compliment future programs."

For more information please contact DSR Acting Manager Mid West Adam Murszewski on 9956 2100.