Kawana FC re-enter FQPL senior women’s competition

A Sunshine Coast football club have announced their return to the top flight senior women’s division which has resulted in a major influx of new, returning and junior pathway players ready to make their mark. Read more.

Kawana FC have announced their return to the FQPL3 women's competition. Pictured, Adam Shelly, India Fredericks and Frances Cayley. Photo: Patrick Woods.

The Kawana Football Club have announced their almighty 2024 return to the FQPL3 senior women’s and under 23s competition.

Next season’s competition will be a major milestone for the Football Queensland 2022 Community Club Of The Year by featuring a junior girls or senior female side in every single division for the first time in the club’s history.

Kawana last competed in the FQPL women’s competition in 2016 and after putting out an expressions of interest call they had more than 75 players trial for a spot in their senior women’s and under 23s team.

Head coach Frances Cayley and juniors vice president Adam Shelly said they were proud of the growth shown from the club.

“We’ve had a really active plan for our growing junior girls for the past seven years, knowing that eventually it would roll into a senior pathway,” they said.

“The commitment to the cause from so many different people has been massive because while we’ve had approaches to have an FQPL women’s team our focus has been on our juniors rather than trying to recruit or bring in players from other clubs and ultimately cannibalise the Sunshine Coast competition.

“After our four trials we selected a joint squad of 30 which is a mixture of Kawana players, some that are new to the Sunshine Coast, some that are from other clubs and then some that have returned to the club after previously leaving because we didn’t have a senior side.”

Kawana FC's 2023 division 1 women's side. Picture: Facebook.

Cayley and Shelly said they were upfront about their selection process.

“We made the call pretty early to have the squad decision rest on a panel rather than it just be on the coaches,” they said.

“People like Adam and I and our whole committee have committed to growing female football so we made sure we were picking talent but also mainly picking people who matched our club culture, were a good fit for our club and also just had a willingness to be coached.

“Overall everyone is really stoked, it’s exciting to be involved and it’s another huge step forward for us.”

Kawana FC player India Fredericks. Pictured: Patrick Woods.

New under 23s player India Fredericks, 15, has been playing football for seven years and was eager for the new season.

“I was nervous at the trials because there were so many players but it was fun because it wasn’t just match-play,” she said.

“I’m pretty excited for it all and I think it should be a good year.”