Youth Girls interstate challenge

The best young female talent will be travelling to Figtree Oval, Illawarra this Saturday to take part in the annual New South Wales and Australian Capital Territory interstate challenge.

Eighty-eight girls aged 13 to 18 years will play off for the coveted title and will also vie for selection in the NSW/ACT under-18 team to compete at the National Championships on the Gold Coast in September.

The girls will compete in two divisions, the under-15s and under-18s, with all of the action kicking off from 1pm.

AFL NSW/ACT Female Football Manager Libby Sadler said the interstate challenge will be an event the whole community can enjoy.

“We’ll have the best young female talent on display in the Illawarra on Saturday which presents a fantastic opportunity for locals to come along and watch great football in their own backyard,” Sadler said.

“Female football has never been in a better position in NSW and the ACT with new leagues established and the number of players rising each year.

“With state talent academies, national competitions and a clear pathway from Auckick through to Youth Girls and Seniors, there are a number of opportunities for females to get involved in AFL now and this is only going to improve in the future.”

AFL chief executive Andrew Demetriou wants to see one million participants and one million AFL members in five years time.

It is hoped a large proportion of this number will be made up of females as well as myriad opportunities for women to hold high positions as club CEO’s, umpires, coaches and administrators.

The stepping stones are being put in place for this vision to come to fruition with Youth Girls leagues and girls-only Auskick centres being established all over the state and territory.

The under-15s game commences at 1pm and will be followed by the under-18s game at 2.30pm. There will be plenty happening on the day including BBQ’s, raffles and fundraisers. The community day is free to the public.