You kick like a girl … good for you!
Australian Football is growing in momentum each year with participation rates soaring – particularly among females.
With the best up and coming AFL talent from NSW and the ACT selected in the 25-player team to travel to Melbourne for the inaugural Youth Girls National Championships next month, there is now a pathway available in the ACT, Sydney and the Illawarra from Auskick through to senior and representative football.
The success of Wollongong’s Youth Girls AFL league, which now has 110 participants from 14 to 18 years, has resulted in ten girls being selected in the NSW and ACT combined team.
Rick Joyce, coach of the Wollongong Saints, said the future is bright for women choosing to play AFL.
“The Illawarra has provided a pathway for a girls competition for 14 to 18 year olds since the rule for playing with boys was changed,” Joyce said.
“If the right infrastructure is in place I would predict a growth in the Riverina, Central Coast and Sydney Metropolitan.
“Many of the girls in the Wollongong Saints team are university students who are from the Riverina and South Coast area.
“They all have brothers that play the code so they are continually exposed to the code and have very good skills.”
Coaching the team at the championships is Rebecca Goddard who knows firsthand what lies ahead having represented NSW/ACT in multiple Women’s National Championships as both a player and an umpire.
“The National Championships is the highest level of football girls currently get to play. This is a great opportunity for the girls to have and it is a great way to begin a long career in football,” Goddard said.
The National Championships will include six teams from five states around the country, Victoria has two teams while one side will be represented by Western Australia, Queensland, South Australian and the NSW/ACT. The event will be held from September 7 and conclude on September 12.
“There’s no doubt Victoria will be a tough task, as all Victorian teams are at any level of Australian Football,” Goddard said.
“The important test for us is to see where we are at compared to the other developing states such as Queensland and in Youth Girls football South Australia are relatively new also.
“Although [the games] may be tough and challenging the players gain a lot from the experience and the local competition also benefits.”
The NSW/ACT team will face a tough test in their opening match when they come up against hosts, Victoria, on September 7 at Sandringham.
|
First Name |
Surname |
State |
Club |
|
Kahli |
ABBOTT |
ACT |
Riverina Lions Women’s AFC |
|
Heather |
ANDERSON |
ACT |
Belconnen Magpies FC |
|
Rhiannon |
BARTLEY |
NSW |
Figtree FC |
|
Talarah |
BELL |
NSW |
Shellharbour FC |
|
Sophie |
BOUFFLER |
ACT |
Eastlake FC |
|
Casey |
BYRNE |
ACT |
Riverina Lions Women’s AFC |
|
Emma |
CARBERRY |
NSW |
Shellharbour FC |
|
Rachel |
FRIEND |
ACT |
Ainslie FC |
|
Madison |
GIFFIN |
NSW |
Figtree FC |
|
Jessica |
GILMOUR |
ACT |
Belconnen Magpies FC |
|
Melanie |
HAMPTON |
NSW |
Shellharbour FC |
|
Karina |
KOECK |
ACT |
Ainslie FC |
|
Jessica |
KOECK |
ACT |
Ainslie FC |
|
Natalie |
LARMOUR |
ACT |
Weston Creek WILDCATS JAFC |
|
Sophie |
LAVENDAR |
NSW |
Figtree FC |
|
April |
MACIEJOWSKI |
NSW |
Figtree FC |
|
Rebecca |
MITCHELL |
ACT |
Tuggeranong Hawks FC |
|
Jessie |
MULHOLLAND |
NSW |
Figtree FC |
|
Sophie |
O’DEA |
ACT |
Belconnen Magpies FC |
|
Amy |
PERRY |
ACT |
Weston Creek WILDCATS JAFC |
|
Stephanie |
POWER |
NSW |
Figtree FC |
|
Jesscia |
PURCELL |
NSW |
Figtree FC |
|
Kyra |
REDSTON |
ACT |
Tuggeranong Hawks FC |
|
Tayla |
REYNOLDS |
ACT |
Gungahlin Jets AFC |
|
Alanna |
WREN |
ACT |
Tuggeranong Hawks FC |
