No more pay-to-play: River Murray netball reps earn equal treatment

For years, the River Murray’s representative footballers have played in best-on-best tournaments free of charge, while netballers have had to pay up to $200 in fees.

As of next year, that will no longer be the case.

Both boys and girls will play representative sport for free from 2026, thanks to an influx of sponsorship dollars for netball from three local businesses.

The River Murray Netball Association announced the deal – worth tens of thousands of dollars over three years – on Monday night.

Families of representative netballers will no longer have to pay for uniforms, carnival registrations or equipment.

RMNA president Emma Swan hoped removing the cost barrier would make higher levels of competition accessible to more young players.

“In recent decades we’ve seen major investment into sports such as football and soccer, but netball has been left behind, even though it’s Australia’s number-one sport for female participation,” she said.

“This investment starts to change that.

“We’re grateful to Commshake Media and Engagement, Murray Computers and the Murray Bridge Community Club for making this happen.”

Gender parity was important, Commshake owner Courtney Blacker said.

“It’s been a lifelong frustration of mine that netball, the most played sport of women and girls in Australia, is so remarkably underfunded and undervalued,” she said.

“Now, through my business ... we’re putting our money where my mouth is and making sure these kids can play at a higher level without the financial stress on their families.”

Investing in women’s sport made business sense, too, she said – after all, there were more than 1000 netballers across the region.

River Murray representative teams have traditionally participated in three carnivals each year: at Strathalbyn and Woodside, then the SA Country Netball Championships in Adelaide.

• More information: www.rmna.com.au/rep-team.