Girls footy takes centre stage

By James Matthey

While most people can only dream of gracing the turf of an AFL stadium, some of Sydney’s best female talent did just that when they showed off their skills on Skoda Stadium on Sunday May 12.

Members from the Queenwood Stars and Mosman Swans’ Under-16s Youth Girls Teams performed for the GIANTS’ home crowd in a curtain raiser for the day’s main clash.

Unfortunately for the GIANTS, they were unable to replicate the earlier form of the Queenwood girls, who emerged victorious against a determined Mosman outfit.

Both sides had the honour of being addressed by four-time premiership winning coach and current GIANTS mentor, Kevin Sheedy, who spoke to the girls about the great opportunities that AFL provides.

The Youth Girls competition currently has four teams, who play every weekend all around Sydney.

Queenwood coach, Dave Lawson, said he was amazed at how quickly the sport has grown since it was introduced to the school in mid 2012.

“The school’s Director of Sport and the school board have been very receptive to the idea of AFL, and we’re seeing that attitude filter down to the students and their families.

“I’ve been overwhelmed by the acceptance rate and the sign up rate, it’s great to see such enthusiasm from the girls and also their parents.”

Lawson said the opportunity for girls to be introduced to a top-class facility like Skoda Stadium is crucial in ensuring that girls’ football continues to thrive in the state.

“Making it a memorable event and being able to immerse the girls and their families in AFL is one of the biggest things.

“A majority of families are unfamiliar with the sport, so giving them the chance to immerse themselves in an AFL event, where they can run out of the players’ tunnel and run through the banner, will further promote AFL among girls.

“The day really captured their imagination, we’ve got training tonight and the girls are pumped, I’ve been getting text messages saying how excited they are and asking to do certain drills, it’s fantastic.

“They’re talking about it in the yard, they’re kicking a footy at lunch, it’s great to see how popular it’s becoming.”

Despite being exposed to AFL for less than a year, Queenwood recently had two girls selected to represent the NSW Under-18s team.

Maddy Duncan and Nicola Barr tested themselves against the best young female footballers in the country when they travelled to Shepparton to play in last week’s National Championships.

Lawson said that with the right ingredients, the potential for growth in girls’ AFL was enormous.

“Schools or clubs need a champion for girls footy, be it from the staff or parent body, someone who’s willing to impart their knowledge to help grow the game.

“With a supportive school or club, enthusiastic parents and a knowledgeable coach, and by giving girls the chance to play AFL in a fun environment, the sport will grow.