The federal government and Australian Sports Commission have pledged $100 million annually in a concerted bid to get children off the couch and back onto playing fields.
With obesity among Australian children approaching crisis levels, the Minister for Health and Sport Sussan Ley said she hoped the Sport Schools program would lead to more youngsters enjoying a healthier lifestyle.
"We know it's vitally important that we help children right across Australia develop healthy and active lifestyles early in life," Ley said on Wednesday.
"This is particularly important considering one in four children are now overweight or obese."
The $100 million initiative will fund sporting activities in more than 5,700 schools across Australia.
To achieve this, Sporting Schools have partnered with 32 national sporting organisations to offer sporting programs to children before, during or after school.
In an era dominated by smart phones and computer games, Ley hopes the massive investment will encourage more than 850,000 Australian children to take up sport.
Sporting Schools officially begins on July 1, with any Australian school able to join the program online.
Teachers can also register individually to access a range of resources to help them run activities outside of Sporting Schools sessions.
Coaches will also be kept informed through email updates and will have access to details of schools within their local community.
The ASC's general manager of participation and sustainable sport Michael Thomson said there was undoubtedly a link between Australia's Olympic medal tally steadily declining since its peak haul of 58 - including 16 gold - at the 2000 Sydney Games and less children playing sport.
"There's always a correlation because the bigger the base of the pyramid, the more you are going to have the elite come through," he said.
"That said, there is benefit in sport for the participants as well and that's one of the messages that we're trying to get through; that not only are there health benefits, there's social benefits, there's also educational benefits as well."
Share
