Eighteen million Aussie kids have taken part in the program which helps address the barriers to participating in sport by providing free sporting programs to students across the country.

More than 9,100 schools have received funding over the past nine years which they can use to deliver programs to students so they can try a range of different sports before, during or after school.

Funding can also be used to purchase sporting equipment, hire facilities or upskill teachers.

Boulia State School in outback Queensland knows the impact new equipment can have.

They received a Remote Sporting Schools grant last year which they used to run five different sports programs, buy equipment and upskill teachers so they can deliver sessions all year round.

“The new equipment has provided students with resources needed to work on our fine motor skills, coordination and balance and has allowed the Boulia community to experience sporting programs they normally don’t have access to,” Boulia State School teacher Natalee Norton said.

“We were even able to attend an athletics carnival in term 3 and take our own equipment. Previously we had to borrow sporting equipment from an athletics club which was so old we couldn’t tell the weight of the discuses and shot puts.”

Now, a new arrangement with sporting goods provider HART Sport will see regional and remote schools like Boulia State School supported even further.

In addition to schools receiving a discount on sporting equipment purchased for Sporting Schools programs, HART Sport will also provide the ASC with an annual rebate to purchase sports equipment like soccer balls, cricket kits, hurdles and more.

This equipment will then be distributed to selected remote and regional schools.

Sporting Schools Director Jamie Bradnam said the ASC was pleased to partner with HART Sport and support more Australian children to get active.

“This partnership is a great way to strengthen our support to regional and remote schools across Australia that find it tough and expensive purchasing new sports equipment,” he said.

“We believe that everyone has a right to participate in sport, but we know cost can be a barrier to participation. We hope this partnership in addition to our Sporting Schools program which supports more than two million students to get involved in sport and physical activity each year, will help more children access and have fun playing sport.”

HART Sport General Manager Adrian Killorn said HART was thrilled to help play a role in getting more kids moving.

“We’re proud to partner with the ASC to help make sporting equipment more accessible to schools and clubs across the country, especially those in regional and rural areas that would otherwise struggle to access high-quality gear at affordable prices,” he said.

“HART Sport has a long history of supporting organisations that help make sporting equipment accessible for all, and this partnership is a continuation of that.”

The partnership will also see HART Sport support the AIS Program Solvers Program where Australia’s top athletes visit students in Years 4 to 6.

The free program will run in Terms 3 and 4 and is available to all primary schools across Australia.

Find out more or apply to have an athlete visit your school.