& Cracker this is from last yr.
http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/quee ... 6574548012
Healthy outlook for sport as juniors sign up in droves
WHILE the world of professional sport lies under a murky cloud, Queensland's pint-sized stars are set to shine, with clubs looking forward to their biggest seasons on record.
A few weeks after registrations for winter sports such as netball, soccer, league and union officially kicked off, major codes are reporting bumper numbers, with tens of thousands of kids flocking to sign-ups.
While fees have increased in some clubs, others have actually seen the cost to parents fall, bringing welcome relief to families.
Football Queensland chief operating officer Ben Mannion said the code was "very happy" with their soccer sign up figures, returning more than 35,000.
"Last year we had 70,000 players register and we're well and truly over half of that in the first couple of weeks," he said.
Mr Mannion said clubs were hoping for their most successful year yet, with World Cup qualifiers and the lead-up to the 2015 Asian Cup expected to fuel a surge of interest in the game.
Costs remain high for parents of kids who want to bend it like Beckham, with fees around $300 or more for registration in some inner-city clubs.
Mr Mannion said while the cost may increase, club fees to Football Australia hadn't risen, and clubs were working to reduce overheads.
Netball Queensland membership services unit manager Ashley Hustwayte said the code was aiming for a record year, outstripping last year's 47,256 registrations.
AFL Queensland community competitions manager Cherie Brockwell said the Brisbane Juniors had surpassed online player registrations for the same period last year, with 7000 participants expected to sign up.
The rugby codes are also looking for growth.
Brisbane Junior Rugby Union competition manager Kim Schuck said it was too early to confirm numbers, but the code was expecting to surpass last year's 8500 registrations in the area.
"It's looking like a really good year and we're looking at our numbers growing again," she said.
She said "very, very few" clubs had raised their fees this year, with most staying the same or even dropping because of better sponsorship deals within the code.
A Queensland Rugby League spokesman said the code was gearing up to beat last year's 46,338 registered players.
"Reports from our people on the ground are that the sign-on days are going really well," he said.
Some sports are hoping that breaking through gender barriers will boost their growth, encouraging girls into traditionally male sports and vice versa.
Last year 600 males participated in netball and Netball Queensland hopes to increase that number and crack into the "untapped market" of male players.
Greater Brisbane Junior Rugby League executive officer Shane McNally said last year the region fielded a representative girls' team and this year they were trying to attract enough female players to form four teams.
"We're trying to grow the girls teams. It's an area that could take massive growth," he said.
Clayfield florist Mandy Ferguson said junior soccer was a great way for her two children Ryder, 8, and Brooklyn, 6, to make friends, get fit and be part of a positive experience.
"My son is very passionate about it. He looks forward to catching up with his friends and having a game and just loves the sport," she said.
Ms Ferguson said she didn't notice any cost rises associated with the sport, and although soccer can be more expensive than other sports it was well worth it.
"For the enjoyment that he gets out of it, I think it's well worth the money. He looks forward to it every week," she said.
This article makes an abslute mockery of the 100K + PARTICIPANTS bullshit..
Fumbleball is 5th in brissy,yet the propaganda DEPT trots out 100K plus ..
Reality & a fumblefan are not in the same POSTCODE.
Yet some read the 100K article & are convinced that AFL is taking over or already NO 1 in SEQ.
![:[]](./images/smilies/th_iwstupid.gif "With Stupid"){kind=small}
