| Women's Rep Football |
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ACT's attack is too much of a challenge for Defence
By Sarah Browne, The Canberra Times
The Women's ACT AFL representative side dominated the inaugural Tri-Team Challenge at Kingston Oval yesterday (Saturday).
The competition enabled the ACT's top female players to take on interstate rivals NSW and the best of the Navy, Army and Airforce.
The ACT defeated the Defence All-stars 61 - 3 and NSW 48 - 22 in an impressive display from a side which had little preparation.
Belconnen Magpies', Elise O'Dea said the effort put in by the team was a true indication of how strong ACT Women's football was.
"We didn't have a lot of time together before today but we all played great as a team and did really well," O'Dea said.
The Challenge was introduced this season to give Women a taste of representative football in the absence of a National carnival this year.
ACT Captain Emily Diprose said the Challenge was a great initiative by AFL Canberra.
"By having something in the off year, when there's no carnival, that still gives people the opportunity to represent the ACT and play at a higher level than clubs level I think is a great idea," Diprose said.
The ACT played the Defence All-stars in an easy first game. Diprose kicked two goals in the 58 point win.
The girls oly had 15 minutes to compose themselves after the siren before their second match of the day against NSW.
Eastlake Demon, Melissa Backhouse said the short turnaround had been hard but was pleased with how her side had responded.
"It was tough," she said.
"We only had 15 minutes between each game and our toughest game against NSW came second.
"But we did really well to keep running and keep making contests and came away with the win."
Karina Demant (Ainslie) and O'Dea both contributed two goals in the 26-point win for the ACT. |
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ACT Dominates Challenge Awards
Saturday's Women's Tri-Team NAB Challenge saw the best players from the ACT, NSW and the Defence All-stars battle it out for the NAB Challenge Shield.
With dominating performances in both their games the ACT had two strong wins and ensured they took out the Team of the Challenge Award.
ACT and Ainslie player Holly Cogle put in two best on ground performances to be named Player of the Carnival.
Award winners are as follows:
Coaches Choice Awards:
ACT: Genevieve Netting
NSW: Jenna Linehan
Defence All-stars: Fiona Rose
Players’ Player Awards:
ACT: Holly Cogle
NSW: Una McKay
Defence All-stars: Amy Carpenter
Player of the Carnival:
Holly Cogle (ACT)
NAB Challenge Team of the Carnival:
ACT |
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ACT Undefeated in NAB Challenge
The ACT Women's Representative Team put on an impressive diaplay against NSW and the Defence All-stars to take out the Women's Tri-Team NAB Challenge on Saturday 12th June, 2010 at Kingston Oval.
In a team that had numerous first time representative players and a limited preparation the ACT teamc ame together and put in two strong performances that are encouraging signs for Women's football in the ACT.
The ACT held the Defence All-stars goal-less in their first match of the day, allowing their Forces opponents just 3 behinds for the match.
In their second consecutive match for the day, the ACT faced their cross-state rivals in NSW and continued their strong performance holding NSW to just 3 goals for the match.
In the most exciting and final match of the day, the Defence All-stars led at three quarter time and up until 5 minutes to go in the match only to have victory snatched in the dying moments by NSW to win by 8 points.
ACT def Defence All-stars 9.7.61 to 0.3.3
ACT Goal Kickers: Elise O’Dea 2, Karina Demant 2, Courtney Horan 1, Danielle Peel 1, Hannah Dunn 1, Hannah McIntosh 1, Nicole Somi 1
Best & Fairest Votes: 3 votes: Holly Cogle (ACT), 2 votes: Elise O’Dea (ACT), 1 vote: Fiona Rose (Defence)
ACT def NSW 7.6.48 to 3.4.22
ACT Goal Kickers: Emily Diprose 2, Elise O’Dea 1, Danielle Peel 1, Kirrily Boyd 1, Karen Heath 1
Best & Fairest Votes: 3 votes: Holly Cogle (ACT), 2 votes: Karina Demant (ACT), 1 vote: Emily Diprose (ACT)
NSW def Defence All-stars 6.4.40 to 4.8.32
Best & Fairest Votes: 3 votes: Eliza Oates (Defence), 2 votes: Una McKay (NSW), 1 vote: Jenna Linehan (NSW) |
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A League of Their Own
THE vision is grand and, if realised, will change the fabric of the Australian Football League.
''I would imagine that Melbourne Women's Football Club will be running around before Melbourne play Collingwood one day. And it might even be Melbourne versus Collingwood women,'' said AFL female participation manager Jan Cooper in between cheering on the 40 women who played a curtain-raiser at the MCG before yesterday's main football event.
''I would imagine there would be maybe four teams out of Victoria in the first instance, and one out of each of the other states and territories. I'm not quite sure how we'll do the Northern Territory bit, but we've got 10 years to work that out.''
Members of the Green All Stars team from the AFL women's high performance academy in the dressing room before the game against the Brilliant Gold team.
If Cooper has her way - and the West Australian mother-of-two's energy is so infectious it makes you wonder whether 10 years is an over-estimation - it will be normal for women to literally kick off a day at the footy.
''If it is aligned with AFL clubs that would be my Rolls-Royce version,'' Cooper said. ''But if it's not we'd take the next best, which would be state versus state.''
Once a state volleyballer and cricketer, and later an assistant head trainer at Swan Districts when the football club won back-to-back premierships in the 1980s, Cooper seems to have a way of making big things happen.
Last week she oversaw the first AFL women's high performance academy camp - something she and Dean Warren, the AFL's community development manager, dreamt up only 12 months ago at the end of the women's national championships.
''I remember saying to Dean, 'it's lovely that the girls get a medal for being an All-Australian player, but it's got to be more than that, we've got to do something in between','' Cooper said yesterday.
And so it came to pass that 40 women, aged between 16 and 34, from all around Australia, found themselves lodged in a Melbourne hotel this week, devoting every waking hour to becoming better footballers.
The landmark five-day camp, which cost the AFL about $45,000, culminated in a match of two 20-minute halves between the green and gold a couple of hours before Melbourne played Collingwood.
The 15,000 or so spectators witnessing events by the time the women's match ended in a two-point victory to the gold team, were clearly engaged. A late tackle laid by Kiara Bowers - ''Turbo'' to her teammates - drew an audible gasp. Strong marks were warmly applauded and the reception continued when the teams left the field.
''Pure exhilaration,'' was how Lauren Arnell, a 23-year-old former state basketballer, now Darebin Falcons player, described the experience that her boyfriend and family watched from the stands.
Also in the team was Natalie Thomas, a former Matilda who has recently exchanged the round ball for an oval one; Nikki Harwood, who represented Australia three times in badminton, and the skilful Kirby Bentley, who has more than family ties in common with her second cousin, and Fremantle footballer, Roger Hayden.
For Leeann Gill, yesterday's victorious coach who has 15 years experience - 12 directing male teams - this was a career high point.
''I said to the girls out there, I had to get to the age of 50 to coach a game on the MCG. It has been one of the best weeks of my life,'' she said.
The camp began last week with a three-hour session with the hierarchy of the Melbourne Football Club that ran way over time. But everyone from senior coach Dean Bailey, to his assistants and football manager Chris Connolly - a huge supporter of women's footy who proved it with a welcome speech that wasn't just encouraging but empowering - wanted to share some tricks of the trade.
Former Essendon forward Scott Lucas took a session on goalkicking and the women had their techniques filmed and analysed. Many for the first time.
Retired North Melbourne player Jason McCartney spoke about leadership and inspired discussion about how the women perceive themselves, how they can be stereotyped, and the things they would most like to stand for. Then, at a function on Sunday night that had to be relocated to Carlton's San Remo Ballroom due to interest levels, Stan Alves and David Parkin presented the green and gold guernseys the women played in.
Teenage male footballers are exposed to this type of attention, expert grooming and specialist coaching as a matter of course these days. But clearly the AFL, ever-keen to expand its reach and appeal, has realised a large football population has been left largely unattended and perhaps undervalued.
No longer.
''If these girls become mothers and they've had a fabulous AFL experience, guess where they're going to take their sons and daughters? To an AFL game, to an AFL setting for them to learn,'' Cooper said, making it all sound so logical you wonder why the penny hadn't dropped earlier.
''I don't want to be critical because I just don't think the men at the decision-making levels have had the opportunity to understand the girls' passion for the game, and then how skilful they actually are. And because there's not that big critical mass yet it has kind of been that last cab off the rank. But they (the AFL) are absolutely avid about this now.''
There are clearly some significant challenges to overcome yet. Even getting suitable uniforms for yesterday's game was problematic after manufacturers would only provide shorts and jumpers cut for men's figures. But with football's most powerful force now on board like never before, one suspects such inconveniences will soon be a thing of the past.
http://www.theage.com.au/afl/afl-news/a-league-of-their-own-20100614-ya9y.html
By Samantha Lane, The Age
Photos by Jason South |
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AFL Academy Girls Set for MCG Game
Football traditionalists will be full of praise on June 14 when they witness the game between the most talented 40 female AFL players in Australia.
This will be the most significant game to date in the history of female football as the AFL Women’s High Performance Academy takes to the MCG for its first ever AFL curtain-raiser.
Family and friends are flying in from all over Australia to see their daughters, sisters and friends play in the game that precedes Melbourne v Collingwood.
All Australian from 2009, Chelsea Randall, typifies the excitement levels being felt by the players.“This is such a privilege to play on the Gee and wear the Australian colours,” she said. “Young male players dream of playing on the MCG but it hasn’t yet been a reality for female players,” Randall said. Randall is particularly keen to play well as she turns 19 years of age on the day and ended her 2009 Nationals campaign with a broken leg.
The game is the culmination of a tough week for the girls who will experience a challenging football and personal development program similar to the AIS AFL Academy for the boys.
The Academy program includes specialist coaching from the AFL’s High Performance team of coaches as well as presentations by media personality Samantha Lane, and AFL Ambassador coaches David Parkin and Stan Alves. Melbourne Football Club has been especially supportive of the Academy by providing the players access to their specialist coaching staff, players and leadership group during the week.
At the conclusion of the Academy the players will nominate their choice for the Shannon McFerran Medal, which is presented to the Academy member who scores the most votes for their football performance and personal development during the Academy program.McFerran is the current All Australian captain but is unable to participate in the program as a player due to recently having a brain tumour removed.
For further information on the Academy Camp and curtain raiser game contact Jan Cooper, AFL Manager: Female Football Development on jan.cooper@afl.com.au or (08) 9287 5523 or follow us on Facebook KicksforChicks or Twitter @KicksforChicks |
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AFL Women's High Performance Adacdemy - Day 2
Members of Melbourne’s Demons football department have provided an insight into the modern principles of defensive and forward line play, stoppages, clearances and opposition analysis at the inaugural AFL women’s high performance academy camp in Melbourne.
The Demons were invited to spend an afternoon with the squad on Thursday.
Chris Connolly, Sean Wellman, Josh Mahoney, Mark Williams, Scott West and David Dunbar all spoke at the five-day camp, along with club nutritionist Jo Shinewell, who discussed how athletes can increase their competitive edge through food intake.
The camp will conclude on Monday June 14 when the participants play in a curtain-raiser before the Queen’s Birthday clash between Melbourne and Collingwood at the MCG.
The players aged between 16 and 34 years will also receive four days of specialist coaching from the AFL’s high performance staff, AFL coaches’ ambassador David Parkin and former Demon Stan Alves. Sessions include fitness and skill testing, kicking analysis, positional play and tactics, leadership and media training.
The camp is made up of 40 of the most talented players in Australia, with selection coming from the 2009 AFL’s women national championships.
To be selected as an All-Australian or as a member of the AFL’s women’s high performance academy is the highest accolade available to the nation’s talented female players.
AFL Female Football Development Manager Jan Cooper said the camp will be a challenging football and personal development program similar to the AIS-AFL Academy program.
“The camp’s objective is to not only to develop skills, but to also help create role models for female participants,” she said.
“As youth girl’s and women’s leagues throughout Australia grow in professionalism, we want female participants to aspire to attend this camp.
“The most talented female players have been invited to attend and we hope to encourage and retain them in the game.
Many of the Academy program participants have excelled in sports a state or national level including volleyball, tennis, badminton, soccer, athletics and Gaelic football.
At the conclusion of the academy, the players will nominate a player of their choice for the Shannon McFerran Medal, which is presented to the academy member who scores the most votes for their football performance and personal development during the academy program.
There are more than 81,000 female football participants throughout Australia from NAB AFL Auskick to senior women’s leagues. |
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Melbourne FC Assist with Women's High Performance Academy
MEMBERS of Melbourne’s football department have provided an insight into the modern principles of defensive and forward line play, stoppages, clearances and opposition analysis on day one of the inaugural AFL women’s high performance academy camp in Melbourne.
The Demons were invited to spend an afternoon with the squad on Thursday.
Chris Connolly, Sean Wellman, Josh Mahoney, Mark Williams, Scott West and David Dunbar all spoke at the five-day camp, along with club nutritionist Jo Shinewell, who discussed how athletes can increase their competitive edge through food intake.
The camp will conclude on Monday June 14 when the participants play in a curtain-raiser before the Queen’s Birthday clash between Melbourne and Collingwood at the MCG.
The players aged between 16 and 34 years will also receive four days of specialist coaching from the AFL’s high performance staff, AFL coaches’ ambassador David Parkin and former Demon Stan Alves. Sessions include fitness and skill testing, kicking analysis, positional play and tactics, leadership and media training.
The camp is made up of 40 of the most talented players in Australia, with selection coming from the 2009 AFL’s women national championships.
To be selected as an All-Australian or as a member of the AFL’s women’s high performance academy is the highest accolade available to the nation’s talented female players.
AFL Female Football Development Manager Jan Cooper said the camp will be a challenging football and personal development program similar to the AIS-AFL Academy program.
“The camp’s objective is to not only to develop skills, but to also help create role models for female participants,” she said.
“As youth girl’s and women’s leagues throughout Australia grow in professionalism, we want female participants to aspire to attend this camp.
“The most talented female players have been invited to attend and we hope to encourage and retain them in the game.
Many of the Academy program participants have excelled in sports a state or national level including volleyball, tennis, badminton, soccer, athletics and Gaelic football.
At the conclusion of the academy, the players will nominate a player of their choice for the Shannon McFerran Medal, which is presented to the academy member who scores the most votes for their football performance and personal development during the academy program.
There are more than 81,000 female football participants throughout Australia from NAB AFL Auskick to senior women’s leagues. |
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