Skye’s the limit: Bombers form a new women’s team

The Southern league has joined the move towards running male and female sides, and has appointed an experienced coach to get the ball rolling.

A new women's team is getting off the ground at Skye.

President Micky Kane proudly points out Skye is no longer a “boys’ club’’.

The Bombers are forming a women’s team to compete in one of the two divisions of female football in the Southern league, and Kane is chuffed about it.

“We can say we’re a club for everyone, a community club, a family club,’’ he said.

“We offer football, male and female now, and netball. We’re inclusive and giving people in the area a place to play sport and be part of something good.

“We’ve got some great facilities and upgraded amenities to cater for men and women.’’

Kane, a stalwart Skye player who is in his first year as president, said the club had seen the growth of women’s football and wanted to be part of it.

“We had to get with the program, otherwise some of the clubs surrounding us, the Seafords and the Cranbournes, would have continued to facilitate more sides,’’ he said.

“We’re really excited to get it going.’’

Coaches Nick Constance and George Lattreille.

Nick Constance will coach the team, having been sounded out by the club.

Kane said Constance, an experienced under-age coach at a number of clubs, was “the perfect fit’’.

“He’s a leader, he relates well to people, the players will feel comfortable around him and he’s someone who will get in and take the bull by the horns,’’ he said.

Constance said he was pleased to accept the position. He quipped that he had coached for 30 years “and I’ve retired about 38 times’’.

Constance, who coached interleague teams in the Frankston junior league and is a long-time volunteer at Hawthorn Football Club, said his experience helping develop under-age players would hold him in good stead.

“Don’t get me wrong here. It won’t be easy to get it off the ground,’’ he said.

“But we’ve got to band together. We’ve got good strategies in place and the club is very committed to it.’’

He added: “The ladies always go to watch the husbands or their partners or their children play. Now it might change to the husbands and partners watching the ladies have a game of footy.’’

George Lattreille is assistant coach and Julie Torpey will also help.

Southern league CEO Lee Hartman said he was pleased Skye was establishing a women’s team, broadening its community base.

He said he would like to see all SFNL clubs eventually have female sides.

MORE SOUTHERN LEAGUE

MARLEY WILLIAMS JOINS PORT COLTS

STEPHEN MILNE A VAMPIRE

EX-VFL SKIPPER COMMITS TO ST KILDA CITY