‘If you can’t see it, you can’t be it’: The most influential women in the Tassie footy community
From mums taking on club duties to umpires, board members and star players, meet 19 influential Tassie women making footy possible for the next generation of girls across the state >>
Tasmania
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Women’s football in Tasmania has come a long way over the past few years, from ladies not being allowed to play the game just some years ago to the development of premiership winning teams and professional AFLW players.
A long list of influential women with a passion for the game have got behind the great sport, doing everything they can to make it accessible and enjoyable for girls who dream of kicking a ball on the field.
From umpires to club presidents and local board members campaigning for the state’s own AFL team, here are the women making footy possible for Tasmania’s next generation of sport stars.
Jodie Clifford
Former TSL player and current Tasmania Devils assistant coach
Jodie Clifford first found a love for footy as a little girl, growing up alongside her brother and cousin who were heavily involved in the game.
The local woman hit the field, representing the George Town team in 2018 before playing in the TSL for North Launceston in 2020. Although retiring from the game last year, Clifford is still a major figure on the sidelines, coaching girls in the U17 to U19 age group for the Tasmania Devils teams part time, inspiring young footy-loving women.
“We’ve had lots of conversations about how young girls need female role models in sport — especially when there’s a significant drop of participation at the age of 17 to 20,” Clifford told the Mercury.
“I enjoy the coaching pathway — it’s where I can give back to the younger girls and give them opportunities that I didn’t have.”
When Clifford isn’t on the field, she’s the Assistant Principal at Scottsdale High School.
Brie Barwick
Glenorchy TSLW captain
Brieanna Barwick is the captain for the Glenorchy Women’s Football Club that recently took out the premiership for 2021.
The 21-year-old started playing footy when she was a teen and played her first game for Claremont Juniors.
“I just love the excitement it brings. I’ve always loved watching football and to know that girls can know be a part of that I think it’s so exciting,” Barwick told the Mercury.
The star player is also the director of Female Pathways for Glenorchy Juniors where she overlooks programs for young girls in the club, helping increase their skills, knowledge of the game and participation rates.
Emma Humphries
Coach for AFLW, VFLW
Emma Humphries is a star AFL export from Tasmania and has been drafted by Melbourne in the AFL women’s competition.
The Aussie Rules footballer made her debut in 2016 before she was traded to North Melbourne in 2018 as a midfielder.
A shoulder problem restricted Humphries from playing in the last season but has since been appointed as Tasmania’s NAB League girls’ coach and as a development co-ordinator for AFL Tasmania where she runs footy programs in primary and secondary schools.. Humphries also joined the Female Football Advisory Group recently — a cohort in AFL Tasmania that looks for ways to improve the development of women in the sport.
Sandy Eaton
Ex-Glenorchy player, current Claremont coach
Sandy Eaton is a pioneer in women’s footy for the state and has been involved in the game for over 17 years both in Darwin and Tasmania.
She started her playing career in the Top End and moved down to Tassie in 2010 where she was appointed as the first captain of the inaugural Tasmanian state team a year later.
“The thing I love the most about footy is the teamwork, mateship and culture that is created when you are all working towards a common goal,” she told the Mercury.
“I’ve been a part of some very special teams and the feeling you get when you’re a part of a team with great culture is amazing and something that is hard to create outside of the sporting environment.”
More recently Eaton became a life member at Glenorchy FC and is now the head coach for the Claremont SFLW team where the girls took out the premiership in 2020.
“Women have helped take football to another level,” she said.
“Sometimes women tend to second guess their abilities and it is so important that we have more of us there to continue to support and build each other up.”
Julie Kay
Lauderdale FC President
Football has always been in Julie Kay’s life, but her passion for the game spiked when her family moved from the North West to Hobart and her son joined the Lauderdale FC.
Since then, she has become the club’s president, been named Tasmanian Football Woman of the Year and was a leading grassroots member to kick start the government’s campaign for a Tasmanian AFL team.
“A lot of people on the board were from business backgrounds including Virgin Australia’s CEO Brett Godfrey — it was interesting being in discussions with all those people and the report was really deemed a success,” Kay told the Mercury.
“I’m really passionate about the game and I’m looking forward to the future of football in Tasmania.”
Julie Doran
Kingborough Tigers FC Director of Community Engagement
Julie Doran’s love for footy stems back to around 14 years ago when her eldest son joined the North Hobart Juniors.
While working full time she took on the role as Vice President at the club for around nine years before moving to the Kingborough Tigers to become Director of Community Engagement.
“We do a lot of charity work where we use footy as a vehicle to teach people about being better people,” she told the Mercury.
Doran has facilitated cultural trips to Far North Queensland where young players took part in the Chris Johnson Cup at Cape York.
“Footy clubs are a place where you learn about teamwork and commitment and I think it’s really important to have people from diverse backgrounds in the community,” she said.
“You can’t have boards or clubs where everyone thinks the same because that would be boring and you wouldn’t grow.
“I think there’s a place for everybody in all elements of sport for women as we bring a different perspective and way of operating.”
Julie Doran was also named Tasmanian Football Woman of the Year alongside Julie Kay in 2016.
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Ashtyn Dennison
Boundary umpire and coach, North West Umpires Association
Ashytn Dennison is a boundary umpire and coach who has been a member of the North West Umpires Association for the past eight years — an association that holds an Australian record for the most amount of female umpires to officiate throughout a finals series.
“To be a part of that statistic is one of my proudest achievements,” she told the Mercury.
Her role in the local footy community is integral; with the number of umpires decreasing across the state she makes games possible while coaching 40 other aspiring umpires.
She’s a firm believer in the saying ‘no umpires, no game’ and hopes to see more women take up the position in footy.
“In a country that values sport as one of its main points of identity, female representation and visibility, on and off the field, is crucial for our cultural progression,” Dennison said.
“Girls can do anything they put their mind to.”
Ali Pearce
Secretary for the North Western Football Association (NWFA)
Ali Pearce has been involved in the North West football community for the past 16 years and has recently been awarded Life Membership at the Spreyton Football Club — one of only four women to achieve the honour.
Pearce found a passion for footy after volunteering at game days and in the canteen, eventually becoming team manager of Spreyton’s girls team for three years before taking up the role as club secretary.
Eight years on she was approached by the league and asked to become secretary for the North Western Football Association where she now runs the show, organising games and final series.
“For me there is nothing better than putting in the hard work and on game day having the sun shining and glistening off the dew on the playing arena, players and supporters turning up ready to have a stellar day and everyone is buzzing with excitement,” Pearce said.
“Football is a sport, but it’s so much more than that. It’s people that become family”
Kate Perry
Latrobe FC Secretary
Kate Perry credits her son to her involvement in the football community.
Perry and her son Mitchell progressed through the sport together which has seen her take up roles in AusKick, junior and senior football before becoming secretary of the Latrobe FC.
“I love it. I teach so it’s quite different to that,” she told the Mercury.
“It keeps us very busy and we have such a fantastic board, we work together really well.”
Daria Bannister
North Melbourne AFLW player
Daria Bannister is a gun on the field who is becoming a talented role model for youngsters in the junior league.
The 22-year-old was drafted by the Western Bulldogs, making her AFLW debut in 2017 before signing with North Melbourne in 2019.
Bannister hails from Launceston and is known as a powerful and instinctive player with enormous potential.
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Michele Visser
President of the Claremont Junior Football Club
Footy is a family affair for Michele Visser. Her daughters and sons both play the game and after joining the committee in a bid to kickstart a girls’ team she became president of Claremont’s junior club.
“For women being able to play footy definitely excels their confidence in a male-dominated sport,” she told the Mercury.
After securing the position, Visser went on to coach, play in the club’s new women’s team and develop a pathway for ladies looking at pursuing the sport at a recreational level.
“We didn’t expect to win any games but the girls have now just as many premierships as the boys,” Visser said.
“It’s really important we keep encouraging young woman to play.
“Being president and having that voice to advocate the junior girls is something I’m really passionate about.”
Christine Carr
Former Claremont Football Club senior president
Christine Carr is known as a driving force for women in the local footy community.
She was the first woman to become Claremont Football Club’s president and launched the club’s first women’s side in 2017.
“It was an opportunity for them to play football; I never had that opportunity,” Carr told the Mercury.
“Since it’s just grown in the SFL immensely and Claremont has fielded two women's sides.”
Carr was named Tasmanian Football Woman of the Year in 2017 for her efforts in the league and retired from the role last year.
The Claremont FC life member said she will always be involved in the game and is excited to follow the future of women’s football across the state.
Mia King
North Melbourne AFLW player
Mia King made her AFLW debut for North Melbourne in the 2020 season and is known for being strong in the contest and great at breaking through packs. The former U18 All-Australian won best on ground in the 2020 TSLW Grand Final and was recently named the Kangaroo’s Best Young Player.
The 20-year-old Launceston FC product plays a key-role in the team’s star-studded midfield group.
Nicole Bresnehan
North Melbourne AFLW player
Nicole Bresnehan made waves in professional footy when she made her debut alongside the state on the AFLW stage for the first time in 2019.
After a long swimming career as a youngster, Bresnehan switched to football as a teen and was picked in 2018’s national AFLW draft.
Since then, the star player has made a name for herself as an effective tackler who never gives up on play, with strong second and third efforts defining her style.
Sarah Shepherd
President of the Northern Tasmanian Football Umpires Association
Sarah Shepherd is a woman breaking boundaries as the first female president of an umpiring association or club in Australia.
After joining the local committee and helping out at social nights such as trivia Shepherd became Vice President of the NTFUA in 2019 before taking over the presidential role last year.
“Providing avenues for women to get into any sport especially football now is continuing to grow from strength to strength,” she told the Mercury.
“AFLW are really providing our local players some great opportunities compared to the men’s comp.”
The local umpire star recently ran the boundary alongside new female recruits at an exhibition match for the indigenous round at Rocherlea.
“It was so well received and a proud moment for NTFUA.”
Louise Millwood
NTFA’s Director of Women’s Football
Being director of women’s football at the Northern Tasmania Football Association, Louise Millwood oversees 12 teams across the north of the state and is in charge of facilitating relationships between community football and the talent program across the region.
Watching her own sons grow up playing country footy, Millwood volunteered at all capacities as a mum from team manager to vice president before being asked to join the NTFA board.
“Some time ago I had the opportunity to meet Kevin Sheedy who talked about brave, busy mums being the ones to open the path for the girls to play, and so it started,” Millwood said.
“At this point, doubting I was ready, I simply emailed Susan Alberti of the Western Bulldogs and asked for advice, not really expecting a response, she actually rang me back.”
“After a long conversation with her, I was convinced that what I do now forces open a door for those females that follow in the next generation. So, now I take every opportunity I see to promote our ladies.”
The trailblazer for women is looking forward to seeing all sporting clubs become gender diverse organisations in the not too distant future.
Sarah Gilman
Southern Tasmanian Junior Football board member
Sarah Gillman is an influential member on the Southern Tasmanian Junior Football board who kickstarted the introduction of girls teams in the competition back in 2016.
The Sandy Bay mum got into the sport after her sons joined the footy club and she saw a gap to pave a pathway for young girls looking at getting into the game.
“My real passion is women’s sport and I’ve been in that area for about 30 years,” she said.
“I’ve been on the board in STJFL really to help push girls into football as a pathway. Not just for those that have potential for the AFLW but so that girls can have an equal opportunity.
“I’ve really noticed a difference in the number of women involved at all levels, from coaching to umpiring to being on the board, we’ve got more female presidents than ever before.”
Luci-Anne Ottaway
Vice President of Southern Tasmania Football League (SFL)
Luci-Anne Ottaway is a pioneer in women’s footy across the state, directly responsible for the SFLW competition, acting as the Vice President of the Southern Tasmania Football League (SFL).
“My passion was instantaneous when in 2001 a colleague dragged me along to a training session for the Canberra-based Tuggeranong Hawks,” she said.
“I played with the Hawks for three years and then relocated to Hobart for work.”
“Sadly, in 2005, AFLW did not exist in Tasmania, so I and two other similarly timed interstate arrivals took on the challenge of making it happen. I have been involved in a variety of ways ever since.”
Since the beginning of her career in football, Ottaway has proudly made positive contributions to the females’ league and believes the role of women in the sport is as important as the shape of the ball.
Deb Reynolds
Long time coach in Northern Tasmania, Devils program
Deb Reynolds is an icon in the local footy scene in Northern Tasmania who made history when she was appointed by the TSL as the league’s first ever female coach for Launceston Football Club.
Having never had the chance to play football herself as a young girl she has since made waves in the community, ensuring women have the chance to play the great game.
“It’s important for people like me to be role models to show the younger generation that the game is accepting and you’re able to create your own pathway no matter your gender,” she told the Mercury.
“I have a daughter and I want her to understand that anything is possible if you want it enough.”
Reynolds holds a list of outstanding achievements on her resume, including professional coaching for TSL and NAB’s Tassie Devils, leading East Launceston’s women's team to two premierships and claiming the title of 2016’s state coach of the year.
chelsea.cosgrave@themercury.com.au
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Originally published as ‘If you can’t see it, you can’t be it’: The most influential women in the Tassie footy community
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