ESPN BUILDS & DEDICATES MULTIFUNCTIONAL SPORTS SPACE IN SYDNEY
March 1, 2019
200 community leaders, local residents and youth celebrated the opening of a new, multifunctional ESPN Built to Play safe sports space in Mt. Druitt, Sydney on Thursday. Dedicated to the local community and its residents, this was the first in Australia for the ESPN-led project and its eighth globally.
Youth from the community kick off the first game on the new sports space
The courts and surrounding area were refurbished with the help of community residents, ESPN and Disney employees, love.fútbol and the Blacktown City Council. Going forward, sport for development organizations, Coaches Across Continents and Police Citizens Youth Clubs (PCYC) NSW will offer ongoing programming using the power of sport to educate young people on key local issues.
Hosted by ESPN sports reporter and commentator, Stephanie Brantz, the event was attended by Haydn Arndt, General Manager, ESPN ANZ and Disney Media Distribution, along with ESPN and Disney employees and community volunteers, local residents and their families.
The celebration was comprised of cultural performances, special recognition of community leaders who volunteered their time, as well as sports matches open to the community.
The Ngiyampaa Tribal Group from North West NSW, Australia
“At ESPN, we believe that sport has the ability to transform lives, and we are committed to providing resources to enable kids in Sydney to play sports,” said Haydn Arndt. “We’re pleased to bring this global project to Mt. Druitt and to collaborate with love.fútbol, PCYC NSW, and Coaches Across Continents, to create this space in a community where there is a need, as it can truly make a difference.”
love.fútbol, which is known for building community sports facilities all over the world, played a key role in selecting Mount Druitt, Sydney, for the new space based on need, population served and socio-economic status. The unemployment rate is over 13% higher than the Greater Sydney average, alongside a number of social challenges in the area including drugs and alcohol abuse, high crime levels, insufficient transportation and limited services for youth.
“We are fortunate to have such significant support from ESPN, Disney, love.fútbol and Coaches Across Continents who share our vision of empowering young people,” said Dominic Teakle, CEO, PCYC NSW. “Participation in sport is a powerful tool for change. It allows young people to feel part of a team and that sense of belonging gives them the support to face their challenges both physical and mental. PCYC sits at the heart of most NSW communities and this facility will enable us to better serve the community of Mount Druitt.”
ESPN is the International Media Sponsor of Beyond Sport and a longtime supporter of the Beyond Sport Foundation. Our sister agency, thinkBeyond, helped develop the Built to Play initiative with ESPN and now supports in the implementation of the project around the world.