Adelaide Crows AFLW captain Chelsea Randall coaching Airport team at Sapsasa Metro Football Carnival

The Sapsasa Metro Football Carnivals will be live streamed here this week with one side boasting an AFLW star on the sidelines. See how to watch exclusively here.

Patrick Keam

@patkeam

2 min read

May 25, 2022 - 5:59PM

Crows captain Chelsea Randall with Henley Beach Primary students Sophia, Bella, Sarah, Marley, Lulu and Hayden who are part of the Airport district team she will be coaching at the Sapsasa metro football carnival. Picture: Tricia Watkinson

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Chelsea Randall says she feels a hint of jealously and a heap of excitement overseeing the next generation of South Australian girls take to the footy field.

The three-time Adelaide Crows premiership captain will coach the Airport district girls side at this week’s Sapsasa Metro Football Carnival, which begins on Wednesday.

And The Advertiser will exclusively live stream 60 matches across three days from the School Sport SA competition from May 25 to 27.

Randall, lending a hand while on university placement at Henley Beach Primary School, said she was already impressed with the talent on show in training.

“I haven’t coached a junior girls footy team for a long time,” Randall said.

“So to see these girls come out and they can already kick a ball, take overhead marks – some of these skills that generally take a little while to progress and they’ve already got them.

“It just shows how the female footy pathway has already grown in the last six years since the inception of AFLW.”

Airport will be one of 20 districts taking part in the girls and boys Sapsasa carnivals, which will be held at Barrett Reserve, West Beach.

Featuring shortened clashes in a lightning carnival-style fixture, the girls event was held for the first time last year and will now be played simultaneously alongside the boys in 2022.

Randall said she enjoyed coaching the team, who had a “fair but ferocious” attitude, but admitted to a slight bit of envy as well.

Chelsea Randall coaching Airport district players at Henley Beach Primary School ahead of this week’s Sapsasa Metro Football Carnival. Picture: Tricia Watkinson

“I remember in primary school playing after-school footy and the only option was with the boys,” the 38-game AFLW defender.

“I loved it but it was just a different environment.

“It’s just awesome that girls can now choose to do it in a fun, safe environment with their friends.

“And to be going away for a three-day carnival – I’m just jealous that I never got that chance.

“I don’t know who is more excited, me or the girls.”

The Year 5 and 6 Sapsasa Metro Football Carnival will begin at 9am on Wednesday with 20 games live streamed across two ovals here on advertiser.com.au.

The metro tournament – broadcast by The Advertiser for the second time – will be followed by the country meeting next week from Monday, May 30 to Wednesday, June 1.

Full schedules of live streamed matches can be found below.