Wolves hunt next generation of female players

‘If you don’t have something for them to go onto, you lose them to other sports’: Coach hopes to create successful sporting future for female footy players.

IN ACTION: Warwick Wolves are looking to field a women's team in this year's TFL competition.

SOCCER: The Warwick Wolves are looking to field a dominant women’s team in this year’s Toowoomba Football League competition.

After successfully entering a team in last year’s league, coach Bruce Greenaway is hoping to have the team complete the full season with the addition of younger players.

“There has been some interest from some older players that have played in the past, some new player and the younger ones coming up,” he said.

“We always get the odd maybes and I’ll play if you definitely get a team – it’s always a bit backwards in Warwick.

“It’s all about starting and just trying to build on the number of players over the years.”

With approximately 10 players already committed to the team, Greenaway is hoping to get close to 20 women on the team to account for injuries and other player commitments.

Still unsure as to what league the team would be playing in, the Wolves had a push from younger players looking to continue playing beyond the under 15s competition.

“We started looking at it again because some of the girls have been playing over the years are getting to the 16/17 age,” Greenaway said.

“If you don’t have something there for them to go onto, you just lose them to other sports, or they just give it all up.

“We’re just looking to get that women’s connection this year, because it’s easy for those junior boys to move into the senior men’s competition, but for the women it’s a bit more intimidating.”

Now with a number of sports on offer for women to play, the social aspect of the competition was one Greenaway hoped would draw more players.

“It’s a good social club to be in, and it may be a bit easier on the body in some respects,” he said.

“It gives them another sport to play in the football side over rugby union or league – netball is a different game though.

“I think just making it fun is where we have to start, and then we can work on building the team into a more competitive side.”

Training starts at 6.30pm on Tuesdays at the Queens Park oval.

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