CDSFA went behind the scenes at Enfield Rovers as we caught up with long serving member Vivienne Keijzer-Tama who has happily spent just over two decades dedicating her time towards the club.
We thought there was no better time than Female Football Week to catch up with Vivienne, one of the Association’s leading female role models who has had an outstanding impact at Henley Park.
She has spent the last 50 years dedicated towards football. Having started playing as young girl in the Netherlands before continuing her love affair with the world game in Australia.
Most of her time is now spent at Henley Park as she coaches three teams while also managing the business side of things.
“This year I have an under 7’s, an under 8’s and an under 11 girls team and I play in my all age ladies team,” Vivienne said.
When asked how she manages all this, she quipped: “You just do. Maybe because I’m just doing so much, I manage my time really well. You know what they say, if you want something to be done, you ask somebody that is really busy.”
Photo: Vivienne with husband Charles and Member of the New South Wales Legislative Council, Scott Farlow, at the 2018 CDSFA Awards Dinner. Credit: MMS Sports Photography
What keeps the fire in Vivienne’s belly? Well, she tells us that what she enjoys most is, “When the kids have fun. When they ask me after we lost 17-0, who won? That is just epic I find.”
“All they have in mind is having fun. They don’t care if I’m screaming. Seeing the big smiles and their face and having happy parents is a big thing as well.”
In keeping with the theme of the week, we asked the Rovers’ treasurer about the state of female football at her club and what they are doing to keep girls involved.
“I think Enfield has a pretty good track record of keeping girls playing not necessarily in the club. So we’ve had girls teams which have left us for whatever reason but they’re still playing.”
Rovers are in a position where they are able to offer something quite special to their female members this season which has undoubtedly boosted the women’s game.
“This year, to get more girls into the sport. We have given free registrations for all our girls, whether they’re 5 or 55, we all play for free this year,” she said.
“It’s a big expense for the club but we think it’s worth it. We’ve got a couple of extra teams from it and we’ve definitely got a lot more younger girls and that’s where want to focus on.
Photo: Vivienne with Inner West Council Mayor, Darcy Byrne. Credit: MMS Sports Photography.
Those are the ones that we want to get through to All Age. The girls that are now 16 or 17 started out with us when they were 6 or 7.
“My WIL’s team for instance, my girls are about 18 and they keep on asking me, ‘When can you play with us?’, So, I said when you girls are allowed to play in the All Age competition, I’ll come play with you.”
From a playing perspective, there is one aspect of female football which she would like to see developed.
“I’d like to see the refereeing improve. It’s not that the referees are bad however I feel that they tend to think that girls don’t know the rules or that they are way more lenient on girls,” she said.
“I think it should be the same across the board. For example, it’s a handball whether you’re a boy or a girl. I’ve always been very competitive and played in division one, you’re meant to know the rules. If the referee doesn’t uphold that, it becomes very frustrating no matter what division you’re playing in.
Photo: Vivienne at the 2019 CDSFA Awards Dinner. Credit: MMS Sports Photography.
Keeping fit and active is clearly Vivienne’s mantra. As a former gymnastics champion, she urges her players and their parents to take up the sport which she believes has been the reason behind her longevity.
“Gymnastics is what I did when I was really young, I was a national champion in Holland. I tell parents, ‘Get your kids involved in gymnastics or ballet because it will help their abilities in not just kicking the ball but also the way they perceive things becomes a whole lot easier.”
“A good warm up and so on is so important and that’s what you learn in those two sports [gymnastics and ballet].
“That will help a lot to prevent injuries.”
Her unbridled passion for the game is something that she won’t be letting grip of anytime soon as she lets CDSFA knows that she will call it quits when ‘she is in the coffin,’ before admitting that she plans to be involved for ‘at least another 20 years or so.’
By CDSFA Communications Officer – Samuel Greco Schwartz
