The Grass Ceiling
Women’s football booming
GRASSROOTS female footy is taking off, with more than 1200 women already registered to play in the first ever female Victorian Amateur Football Association comp.
‘Women are hungrier to play’
HAMPTON Rovers coach Ned Fallon says he’s been “blown away” by women’s enthusiasm for playing Aussie rules.
More girls just wanna have fun
FEMALE footy players at a Brighton club need better rooms to cope with a sevenfold increase in numbers, a president says.
Growing footy club wants long-term plan
A FAST-GROWING footy club on track to have more girls than boys playing is calling for extra cash for a planned pavilion upgrade to keep up with a “massive influx” of kids.
Club levels the field for women
AN inner south footy club has spent thousands of dollars bringing its clubrooms up to scratch in the hopes of fielding their first senior women’s team — and they want to hear from anyone keen to try out.
Shooting for new court
A BOOMING inner-south community netball club that needs room to grow is backing Port Melbourne Primary’s push for a competition-grade indoor court to be built at the school.
The age when girls stop playing sport
A VICHEALTH report has highlighted that poor sporting facilities hinder girl’s participation in club sport, especially in the 15-19 age bracket.
Awards cap successful campaigns
LEADER Community News has been recognised with two Quill awards for journalistic excellence by the Melbourne Press Club.
Changerooms not welcoming to girls
AN all-girls cricket team has been forced to change in run down rooms with with three open showers, a “grotty” sink and toilets but hope a Leader Local Grant will help with upgrades.
Women’s way at junior football club
A JUNIOR football club in Melbourne’s inner south has, for the first time, appointed a woman as its president and will field an all girls team.
Players left in the dark
NETBALL is attracting large numbers of women and girls to the sport, but this inner-city council is struggling to keep up with the demand.
Start of ‘something exciting in women’s football’
THE St Kilda Sharks women’s football club have scored a place in the AFL’s new women’s league, but they’re going to need help with improving facilities.
Pitch to get home ground secured
BAYSIDE United soccer club has won a license to join the FFV’s new Women’s National Premier League but without a home base their future is uncertain.
Multi-use venues a solution
YOUNG sportspeople, particularly girls, often travel long distances just to train because of a dearth of available courts in Melbourne’s south.
New junior girls’ team gets on a roll
“GET your skates on girls” is the call from Roller Hockey Australia as it gears up for a new development drive in Melbourne’s south.
Girls forced to change in canteen area
ONE third of Glen Eira’s sports pavilions do not have female change rooms or toilets. And clubs are calling for change.
Libs pledge cash for overcrowded netball courts
THE State Liberal Opposition is playing hardball with the Labor Government, pledging to get girls’ sports on a level playing field with more funding.
Girls demand a sporting fair go
LEADER’S Editor-in-Chief John Trevorrow weighs in on why women’s sport at community level deserves better.
Girls get in on action at cricket club
A CRICKET club in Bayside is calling for better facilities to attract more girls to the game.
All girls should have a ball
CLUBS, councils and the State Government must do more for girls’ sport in Bayside.
‘Being a female player pushed me away from sport’
FORMER soccer player Therese Allaoui shares an insight into what it was like to play on a female team and why community sport needs to change for women.
Sorry state of play
INVESTMENT in women’s soccer is failing to keep up with the growing demand for the sport.
‘The facilities just aren’t keeping up’
BEAUMARIS Soccer Club isn’t waiting for hand-outs to improve facilities for women — they’re taking fundraising activities into their own hands.
Always on the bench
GIRLS just wanna have fun playing footy — but can’t due to inadequate facilities, little allocated training time and not enough competition structure.
No place for senior women on footy field
A HAMPTON football club tried to get their first senior women’s team off the ground but failed because they couldn’t meet league requirements.
‘Seeing support at grassroots level is so important’
MELBOURNE Vixens netball star Kate Moloney talks about the importance of fostering grassroots sport and why young female players deserve equal conditions.
Players court short
A LACK of quality netball courts in Melbourne’s south is exposing a desperate need for urgent action to help women play sport.
Time to break through The Grass Ceiling
WOMEN and girls in Melbourne’s south love their sport but they’re often forced to play on second-rate facilities, which is why Leader has launched this campaign.
