We caught up with CDSFA’s very own Female Football Development Officer to discuss the growth of female football across the association.
We have some great news to share! In the last three years we have seen just over 2,000 more females register across the association.
In the 2019 season, there were just under 3,800 females playing across CDSFA, fast track that to 2021 where we have almost 5,000 registered participants!
All this and more was discussed in our Q&A with Trudy who gave us an insight into all the programs currently on offer for all the girls and women out there.
Looking at those registration numbers, just how excited are you by them?
I was very excited to see females had hit 26% of the total participant base but to be honest I wasn’t really that surprised to see the numbers. A lot of hard work has gone into the female space over the last couple of years so I think it is well deserved by the clubs that have seen growth.
We are still a long way off from where we want to be and our long term vision of reaching 50/50 but it is so exciting to see our enthusiasm and desire is shared by the clubs and the fantastic people championing female football.
What are some of the main factors behind the growth in female football in the CDSFA?
We really have to give the credit to the fantastic work clubs are doing to help grow female football. The football culture is becoming more and more female friendly and the clubs are helping to drive this. A lot of hard work has gone into this 23% growth in female teams – amazing people like Tamara from Earlwood, KT from Russell Lea, Chris and Paul from Burwood, Angelica and Alex from Strathfield and Chris from Abbotsford are what’s making the difference.
Image: Trudy in action at the CDSFA Female Football Festival. Credit @photographedwithloveevents
What programs/initiatives have you been running in the Association?
Our Kick on for Women programs have been a great success – Strathfield, Russell Lea and Marrickville have all hosted hubs with others like Hurlstone Park getting involved as well. We have seen over 200 participants come through the program already.
There are also the Free Girls Skills Sessions which are held every couple of months where we have over 100 girls participate in a number of skills and games.
Within our School Holiday programs there are Skills clinics and GK clinics for girls.
In terms of Female Coach education courses – the Association held its first female only course this season and we are looking to run more in the near future. We are also looking to pilot a Youth Girls Coaching Pathway where courses and opportunities will be held during school holiday periods.
There are currently also club visits and programs – sessions run at clubs.
We also offer the Welcome to Football Program. Earlier this year we piloted our Welcome to Football program to help engage and upskill girls who are new to the game. This program will be back up and running in the lead up to the 2022 season.
How do you think these programs have benefited girls/women?
The more opportunities we can provide for girls/women to play/coach/referee football the better. Our goal is to ensure there is a program or space that everyone of all skill levels and abilities can find a place to be involved in football and get out of it what they want – whether that’s social, fitness or any other reason.
Image: Trudy (far left) at the Strathfield Female Football Festival. Credit: MMS Sports Photography
What advice do you have for girls/women who may be tentative about playing football?
Starting with a friend is always a great idea – it’s great to have a buddy or support person that’s going through the same process as you.
Another idea is to join in on one of our come and try programs – For example Welcome to football for girls aged 10 – 15 or Kick on for women for ladies 16 years +. These programs are the perfect starting place if you are new to football – these programs are all about learning the basic skills, meeting new people and seeing if you like it before committing to a full season.
What are your plans for the future? What female football initiatives lie ahead?
With the 2023 Womens World Cup just around the corner, a big focus will be on capitalising on the hype and interest a major sporting event such as this is going to create. The Association and clubs needs to have plans in place to not only attract new players to the game but celebrate the women and girls already playing at our clubs. There’s more to come in this space!
By CDSFA Communications Officer – Samuel Greco Schwartz
