Reducing excessive alcohol consumption in community sports clubs: efficacy of a comprehensive accreditation intervention

The intervention will be provided free of charge to each club in the intervention group. Strategies focus on harm-reduction strategies such as: an appropriate liquor license; training in the responsible service of alcohol; provision of low and non-alcoholic beverage alternatives; provision of food and safe transport strategies; modification of fundraising, end-of-season events and functions; and the implementation and monitoring of alcohol and business management policies. It is expected that the intervention will affect player and non-player club membership. To facilitate adoption of the above strategies into routine business practice, each club will receive responsible service and club management training, independent program performance audits and feedback, financial incentives to support the uptake of the program each season, resources and social marketing support. Clubs will also receive an accreditation manual and resources. In addition, participating clubs will have access to project officer support each season. The project officer will operate in a capacity building manner, assisting clubs progress through the accreditation levels, provide advice, conduct/facilitate training for bar staff and officials, prepare materials, promote the program in the local area, and provide feedback regarding club practices and progress through the accreditation criteria. The intervention will be delivered over two and a half successive sports seasons. As the targeted sports (rugby league, rugby union, soccer and AFL football) are ‘winter’ sports, many of the clubs are relatively dormant during the summer months. As a consequence, delivery of the intervention will be limited to the approximate 6 month winter sport season in each of the two years and a 3 month period in the third year. Across the first two years of intervention clubs will be supported to implement practice changes and environmental modification and in the third year of intervention they will be support to maintain these changes and to implement policies.