Females in footy celebrated before International Women’s Day

Some of football’s female trailblazers converged on Hobart to celebrate the growth of the women’s game on Sunday. And AFL Tasmania has high ambitions to reach gender equality.

AFLW North Melbourne footballer Nicole Bresnehan with juniors Peyton Webster, 14, and Ella Jones 12, at Sunday’s International Women’s Day football event at Blundstone Arena. Picture: Chris Kidd

AFL Tasmania has set the lofty goal of achieving equal female and male participation by 2030 as some of the sport’s trailblazers gathered to celebrate International Women’s Day in Hobart on Sunday.

The event was billed as ‘a celebration of women in football’, with guest speakers including AFLW legend Daisy Pearce, Gold Coast Suns AFLW coach Cameron Joyce, North Melbourne CEO Jen Watt, Kangaroos player Nicole Bresnehan, Tasmania Football Club chair Grant O’Brien, Tasmania Football Club board member Alicia Leis and leadership facilitator Melinda Maddock.

AFL Tasmania’s Women and Girls Community Football Lead, Amy Bailey, said the growth of female football in the state is encouraging.

“By 2030 our ambition is to have equal participation of women and girls (compared to males),” Bailey said.

AFLW legend Daisy Pearce at Blundstone Arena. Picture: Chris Kidd

“That’s the high level goal, it’s very ambitious to be honest and we’re coming from a male dominated sport. But we’re tracking positively and seeing more girls participate from Auskick all the way through.

“Last year we saw a 17 per cent increase in the number of women's and girls teams. We’re also seeing more women getting involved in coaching, umpiring, and being on boards.

“We’re still a ways off a balance, but the signs are looking really positive.”

She expects the growth of female football to accelerate further when the new Tasmania AFLW team gets underway.

“What that creates is so many more opportunities for women and girls to stay in Tasmania,” she said.

“It also makes those pathways a bit more tangible, and removes some of the barriers girls face. “There’ll also be administrative positions opening up where people can get involved if they’re not playing.

“We’ve got an opportunity not other club has had and that’s starting a men’s and women’s team at the same time.”

AFLW North Melbourne footballer Nicole Bresnehan at Blundstone Arena. Picture: Chris Kidd

Kangaroos stalwart and Hobart product Bresnehan works in the Devils’ female pathways, and is somewhat envious of the resources and opportunities current aspiring players enjoy.

“All the people in the room today have helped pave the way for women in sport. Especially in Tasmania, where the growth for women and girls has been enormous the past couple of years,” Bresnehan said.

“There was definitely support when I first started playing, but it definitely isn’t what it is now. “It’s really exciting to see the resources brought into young girls playing footy, and female comps across the state.

“That’s one of the key reasons we’ve had so much growth, we’re seeing a lot more girls playing footy and competitions doubling in numbers.”