Sport's return is vital for the morale of our communities

That's understandable. But you know our unofficial title as the 'outrage generation' is probably justified when people see fit to whinge about community sports trying to get back underway again.

The coronavirus pandemic means we can't do many things we took for granted for so long. We can't attend weddings or funerals in appropriate numbers, visit elderly relatives in homes or travel interstate to see loved ones.

It has prompted some to suggest that sporting bodies shouldn't be treated any differently to the rest of us as society looks to get back on its feet.

I can see the reasoning, but you suspect this viewpoint is coming from those who couldn't care less about sport.

Those of us who do fully understand how vital it is for physical and mental welfare. Kids especially who are climbing the walls are driving their parents up the wall as they deal with life without their competitive fix.

Youngsters desperately need sport to return as for many it's their major, or often only, avenue to socialise with their mates.

Everyone needs something to look forward to. To have hope. Otherwise life is pointless and for many in country regions like ours, it's getting the chance to play the game they love on a weekend and have a beer and feed afterwards.

Therefore I found it somewhat curious that some naysayers objected to a feelgood story I wrote this week on Wagga Netball hoping to start its season by mid-July.

Sport is essential for the morale and general well being of towns. Especially in the country, where it's basically the heartbeat of a community.

In a time where plenty of people are struggling in isolation and others have lost their jobs, surely being able to take the edge off a little by participating in something plenty of us love is a positive?

Parents who have been working from home while also juggling home schooling their kids could do with the break.

I'm not a father, but I suspect getting kids to focus on their school work without the reward of shooting a netball or kicking the footy around on a weekend is a tough task.

Still on women's sport, hopefully our elite females won't be forgotten by the bean counters when sport gets back into full swing.

There's been wall-to-wall coverage of the NRL and AFL's quests to recommence their seasons, as you'd expect.

But there's been scant recognition of the fact that our Super Netballers are going through the same thing, and they don't earn anywhere near as much as footballers.

The NRL Women's competition is unlikely to go ahead given two of last year's four teams have indicated they won't play this year.

Coronavirus robbed AFLW of the chance to play a finals series and no premiership will be awarded in 2020.

There's been a huge amount of hard work devoted to raising the profile of women's sport the past four years.

It would be a travesty should the powers-that-be don't give our women their just desserts when it comes to allocating funds diminished by the health crisis.

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