Preventing Alcohol-Related Problems in Community Sports Clubs: The Good Sports Program

Abstract

Community-based sporting clubs in Australia are often sites of unregulated, problematic and unsafe drinking. The Good Sports program, initiated in Victoria in 2001, offers such clubs a model of incremental change designed to eliminate harmful drinking practices and establish safer norms of alcohol use. The Good Sports model was developed in situ over a period of 5 years and is currently operating in 1600 sporting clubs across Australia. It has strong face validity and is supported by sporting organizations and key stakeholders including public health, law enforcement, road safety, and local government. The article outlines the model, explains early evaluation results, and identifies challenges for the future.

Keywords:

• alcohol management
• drinking cultures
• Good Sports model
• community mobilization
• responsible service

Notes

Notes

1. The ADF is a non-government, not for profit organization based in Melbourne, Victoria, Australia. The ADF provides a range of alcohol and other drug prevention services to the community including the DrugInfo Clearinghouse, the Good Sports program, the Community Alcohol Action Network, and the Centre for Youth Drug Studies. The ADF receives funds from a number of sources, including government departments and other agencies, corporations, and philanthropic funders.