Youth girls competition grows

By Isabelle O’Brien

Southern Power sees a Youth Girls U/14’s team join a club of already established senior sides, and the Pittwater Tigers U/14 girls have also joined the competition. The teams are the first Youth Girls teams to be launched in their respective regions, of southern Sydney and the northern beaches.

The Youth Girls competition is slowly but surely taking off around the city, says Female Football Program manager Libby Sadler. After starting in 2010 with just 30 girls, the competition has now grown to 2 divisions with 7 under 14’s teams and 4 under 18’s teams and is expected to grow further.

“Each year we are seeing more and more interest in the female competition, which is fantastic for the growth of the game in Sydney.” Sadler said.

“It’s also great to see the involvement of young girls from across the Harbour in grassroots youth teams and watching the game evolve as they move up the levels from Auskick all the way into senior sides, making friends, having fun and staying fit along the way.”

Southern Power president Lauren Hodgson, and Pittwater Tigers president Mike Lay are thrilled with the introduction of their new Youth Girls teams to the competition.

“The introduction of the new team is exciting for AFL and really shows that the growth of the sport – female numbers in particular – is happening in NSW” says Hodgson.

“We’ve had representatives from the Southern Power senior women’s club involved in player development in southern Sydney for the past four years, so it’s fantastic to see girls involved in that have the chance to be a part of the inaugural youth girls team in southern Sydney. We are also excited to be able to provide an opportunity for youth girls in southern Sydney to have a full pathway into senior football.”

Lay is also delighted with the launch of the Tigers new Youth Girls team.

“It’s great for the growth of the club, and for the growth of AFL on the northern beaches.” Lay said.

“The ability for girls on the northern beaches to now have a full pathway to senior AFL with the addition of the Manly-Warringah Wolves women’s division 2 team is an added benefit as well.”

The Youth Girls season is now underway, and still taking registrations. Anyone interested in playing for AFL or looking for further information should visit www.playafl.com.au