Footy club says future is now for First Nations female players

VFLW star midfielder Courtney Ugle is on the hunt for teen talent to join Essendon Football Club’s First Nations Women’s Pathway Program – and it’s about more than boot and ball.

Tiwi Islands teen talent has a chance to kick big league goals, thanks to Essendon Football Club’s First Nations Women’s Pathway Program. With a fresh recruitment round underway, and star VFLW midfielder Courtney Ugle leading the search and supervision, young Indigenous women from Tiwi and Victoria’s metropolitan North West have a clear shot at the chance of a lifetime.

Now entering its third year, lowering the target age group is the most significant change unveiled by the club for 2022.

Bombers midfielder and vice-captain Courtney Ugle is a proud Noongar woman and plays a pivotal role in Essendon FC’s First Nations Women’s Pathway Program. She is seen here at Dreamtime at the G. with Richmond’s Natasha Bamblett. Picture: Michael Klein

“Re-establishing the program we’re catering to the 14 to 16-year-old cohort,” said Ugle, who does double duty as Essendon’s women’s football development co-ordinator.

“We want to be working with these young female athletes over a duration of two to three years … so that if an opportunity comes up where they are playing in our VFLW or AFLW program, they are actually ready and can thrive in this environment.”

The program is set to run in three phases, beginning with two fortnightly stays in Melbourne in what is hoped to be 2022 school holiday periods – Covid disruptions notwithstanding.

Beyond ball and boot, the holistic program covers areas like later career opportunities and lifelong nutrition. Each phase aligns with an individual participant’s on- and off-field personal development, taking into account additional considerations for First Nations players.

Previous participants in Essendon’s First Nations Women's Pathway Program are pictured on the road with Courtney Ugle, who said she regards the players as her “little sisters”. Picture: supplied

“The biggest one is these young girls living off Country and being away from their home, being away from their culture, their family, what they know,” Ugle said. “A lot of these girls really still live quite traditionally and … they are essentially walking in two worlds.”

Adapting to city life while balancing cultural and family obligations back home were the main challenges, she said.

“I know myself how hard it is being away from home and missing out on significant celebrations, not being able to get home for sorry business – this stuff is really, really important and the family and cultural connection that these girls share is really a priority.”

Previous participants in Essendon’s First Nations Women's Pathway Program visited Melbourne for a football clinic in May/June 2021. They spent two weeks in Melbourne before returning home due to the lockdown. Pictured L-R: Aggie Singh, 20, Molly Althouse, 19, Freda Puruntatameri, 22, Kaitlyn Ashmore from North Melbourne AFLW, Courtney Ugle, Iesha Rondberg, 18, and Alana Combes, 22. Picture: supplied

The passionate Bombers vice-captain, a proud Noongar woman with her own deeply poignant past, said meeting the program’s pastoral care obligations was the club’s top priority.

“These girls are considered family, my little sisters,” Ugle said. “For me, football gave me an opportunity to save my life and I took it. I can’t help but see that hunger and eagerness in these young ones and I want to be able to help provide, support and be that person for them along the way.”

Essendon Chief Commercial Officer Nick Ryan said the club’s partnership with Coles would deliver opportunities “to help support the next generation of First Nations female footballers to thrive and grow into role models within their local communities.”

“Alongside Coles, we remain proudly committed to providing leadership, wellbeing and employment opportunities through our First Nations Women’s Pathway Program,” he said.

Coles is a key partner in the program, which looks at much more than just the ball and boot, covering areas including career opportunities and nutrition. Coles ambassador and celebrity chef Curtis Stone was put through his paces by previous program participants. Picture: supplied

Providing young women with enduring life skills was the driving force behind Coles’ commitment, said Coles head of events and sponsorship Carmel Horvath.

“It’s been eye-opening to understand Indigenous women and their culture and experience with food,” Ms Horvath said. “It’s been wonderful to see the impact the program has made on their lives and we are so grateful for the experience. I look forward to one day visiting their communities and for them to teach me about their culture and traditions too.”

Towards a Better Future, in conjunction with Coles’ Better Together strategy, shares stories on farming, local communities, health & wellbeing, and sustainability/food waste to shine a light on the people, charities and organisations that are helping make our country a better place.

Originally published as Footy club says future is now for First Nations female players