sport
The grassroots story behind the community sport movement
Central Coast locals have built their own leagues from the ground up with numbers rising fast this winter.
How we reported this
More than 2,400 residents signed up for the Central Coast Community Sports League winter season that opened on 5 July, a jump from 1,900 last year.
The increase comes as families seek low-cost ways to stay active after global tournaments drew attention to home-grown talent pipelines. Local organisers say the movement started with small pickup games and now runs full schedules across multiple codes.
Venues and groups driving growth
Games for the under-14 netball division take place every Saturday morning at Erina Oval off The Entrance Road. The same league runs touch football sessions at the fields beside Kibble Park in Gosford on Tuesday evenings. The Central Coast Sports Foundation coordinates both sites and supplies equipment for new teams.
Coaches from the foundation also run free clinics at the old Mount Penang site near Kariong, where former players now volunteer as referees. These sessions feed directly into the weekend competitions and keep costs down for parents.
Numbers and next steps
Registration fees sit at $65 for the full season, with an extra $20 for a shared kit. The league recorded a 26 percent rise in female participants compared with the 2025 winter round. New teams can still enter the spring competition by emailing the foundation before 20 July.
Details and trial dates appear on the Central Coast Sports Foundation website or at the Gosford council customer service desk on Mann Street. Walk-up inquiries are accepted at Erina Oval on Saturday mornings.