By Ben Triandafillou
IT’S been a year since the Mornington Peninsula Junior Football League announced their smoke-free initiative and now local football clubs along the Mornington Peninsula will be following in their footsteps.
Football clubs along the Peninsula will stand together to remove smoking at both junior and senior levels ahead of the ‘World No Tobacco Day’ on 31 May.
Working towards becoming smoke free, AFL South East and its leagues, Frankston District Junior Football League (FDJFL) and Mornington Peninsula Football Netball League (MPNFL), have teamed up with Peninsula Health, St Kilda Football Club, Good Sports, Frankston City Council and Mornington Peninsula Shire.
All senior clubs including Seaford, Pines, Frankston YCW, Mornington, Red Hill, Edithvale-Aspendale, Pearcedale, Dromana and Crib Point will be stamping out smoking everywhere at their clubs, except for one designated area for the Quit Challenge Round on 3 June.
“Going smoke-free and banning smoking in all areas except one is a significant achievement for these senior clubs,” said Andie Murphy, health promotion practitioner at Peninsula Health.
“I congratulate all of the clubs for signing the Frankston Mornington Peninsula Smoke Free Charter and working to create a healthier environment for their players, supporters and the community.”
In some pockets of the Mornington Peninsula and Frankston region, smoking rates range from 21%-30% compared to the Victorian average of 13%.
The Seaford Football Club will be hosting the Quit Challenge Round on Saturday 3 June at their senior oval and on Sunday 4 June at their junior oval.
Seaford Football Club President Dale O’Neil said the club is committed to making the footy a fun and safe day out for families and the local community.
“Footy and smoking isn’t a good mix – it’s not good for players or supporters to be around which is why we signed onto the smoke-free charter and implemented a designated smoking area,” said Mr O’Neil.
The efforts of all these clubs and the importance of creating smoke-free environments will be celebrated at the Quit Challenge Round with gates open to the public.