PLANS for three Ballarat teams to join the Victorian Women’s Football League open-age category next year are in full flight, with last night’s information session at Saxon House drawing much interest from potential players and volunteers.
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Representatives from the three competing clubs – Lake Wendouree, Redan and Golden Point – attended, as did Victorian Women’s Football League operations co-ordinator Jess Smith and Ballarat Football Netball League operations manager Aaron Nunn.
With the North Ballarat Eagles withdrawing from next year’s season, Nunn labelled the inclusion of the three new teams an “ambitious step”, but one that would yield great long-term benefits for women’s football in the Ballarat district.
“There’s a very similar level of interest right now that we saw for the first year of girls footy in 2011,” Nunn said.
“We comfortably fielded four teams back then – so hopefully we can replicate a similar set of circumstances this time around.”
During the meeting the proposed structure for the VWFL was released, as well as the probable start date – with round one looking likely to kick off on May 4.
The club representatives targeted a need to compete in the open-age women’s football league after 37 players have graduated from Ballarat’s blossoming youth girls competition and have since been ineligible to play.
The VWFL has merged with AFL Victoria in a bid to make a more successful, well-rounded competition, and will field divisions ranging from premier through to division five
across country Victoria.
Nunn expects the depth of players in the Ballarat district will allow the clubs to field sides in several of the stronger divisions, but much has yet to be decided, with clubs still looking at recruiting players, and the VWFL still in the process of creating appropriate fixtures across all five divisions.
michael.pollock@fairfaxmedia.com.au
