Happy International Women’s Day!
On this celebratory day, we turn the spotlight on the women of Gippsland who tirelessly champion the cause of inclusion and work to dismantle barriers in community sports.
Now, Beth’s leadership journey continues as she takes a pivotal role with the Gippsland Soccer League’s Female Football subcommittee. This dedicated group of local stars is on a mission to bolster female participation in the sport of soccer. Among these changemakers is Emma Foley from GippSport, serving as the Program Officer for Bass Coast and South Gippsland.
Emma finds strength and inspiration working alongside these determined women. She shares, “It’s empowering to join forces with this group of inspiring women, all united by a shared objective. We are able to brainstorm ways to enrich community sports for women and girls, and we do it in a space that’s open and free from judgment.”
In a conversation with Beth about the subcommittee’s goals, she passionately explains, “Aims to create a space to champion the world game for women and girls by focusing on developing female lead opportunities to participate in soccer. Off the back of the monumental success of the FIFA Women’s world cup, our clubs have experienced an increase in interest in the game from females of all ages. Over the summer several GSL clubs ran programs solely for women and girls with great success, this has led the subcommittee to focus their efforts on launching an U13 girls competition this year.
“We’ve identified a trend where young girl players tend to withdraw from sports. By introducing this junior competition, we aim to offer these young girls a chance to refine their skills and boost their confidence in a nurturing environment.
“The ripple effect of the Matildas’ performance at the Women’s World Cup on our nation has been incredible. To witness and be part of the shifting landscape of women’s sports is exciting. Many of us, who’ve been in the game for years, never had the chance to play in a female-exclusive setting when we were younger. Now, we’re uniting as club members across the league to focus on securing the future of female football in Gippsland.”
In May, during Football Victoria Female Football Week, the GSL Female Football sub-committee is excited to host a pop-up event. Keep an eye out for more details and join us in championing the future of women and girls soccer in our community.
Let’s celebrate International Women’s Day not just with words, but with action and support for the women who are leading the charge in Gippsland sports. Here’s to the players, coaches, and visionaries who inspire us all to push boundaries and play forward.
