By KRISTEN ALEBAKIS
GIRLS footy will be front and centre in the Western Region Football League next season and over the next few weeks we will be profiling all the clubs who will be fielding teams in our standalone competition.
Today, we get to learn more about the Altona Juniors Football Club…
The Altona Juniors Football Club is looking to establish an inclusive club over the next few years that encourages both young boys and girls to play footy.
The Vikings are one of several clubs in the west that look set to feature in next year’s WRFL standalone girls competition, with club hopeful of fielding Under-12 and Under-15 teams.
Administrator Naomi Redpath said she was excited to reinstate the girl’s teams after not having the momentum needed to successfully maintain the teams two years ago.
“It was a very hard decision to wrap up all the hard work that Kerry Murphy Burke and others had put in to get the teams up and going,” she said.
“With the imminent upgrades to facilities at Grant Reserve, we are enthusiastic to push the growth of women's football in 2017 in a facility that will allow us to manage simultaneous multi-gender games and hopefully showcase Women's football in 2018.
“It's a very exciting time for the League too, standing alone is such an achievement and reward for the hard work put in so far.”
Redpath said the Altona Juniors committee said not harnessing the AFL’s promotion of females in football would be irresponsible.
“Girls deserve to play football with their gender peers, in a format of the game that allows them to be a part of football history, taking the bumps and speckies.
“We can't wait to see what they bring to the field each week.”
Redpath said she feels lucky to play a role within the club during what looks set to be an historic few years.
She said it was exciting time for women both on and off the field.
“I really feel that come 2018, which is Altona FC’s centenary year, that our facilities will finally reflect the club that we are and will give us the opportunity to utilise the reserve in ways that will promote not just women in football but footy as a whole,” Redpath said.
Currently, the Vikings have had two training sessions with their new girls teams with a third planned next month.
The club’s Registration Day will be held on December 2 between 6.30pm and 8pm.
If anyone would like any further information regarding how to get involved with the Altona Juniors Football Club contact Naomi Redpath on 0431 527 362 or via ajfcadmin@gmail.com
Last Modified on 07/11/2016 14:07