Ballarat City senior head coach Tessa Curtain welcomed news her team would stay in the Football Victoria state league one north-west competition, saying it could pave the way for a women's National Premier League team down the track.
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City FC finished last on the competition table in 2019, but avoided relegation following the creation of a new division positioned between the current state league one competition and the NPLW.
Curtain said by staying put, the club could better develop a pathway to elite competition.
"To provide that opportunity for Ballarat girls, so they don't have to travel down the highway to Melbourne to play at an elite level is the goal," she said.
"We want to provide that extra step."
City FC received a surprise elevation to state league one this year after a vacancy arose a week out from the start of the season.
The side won only two games from 16 outings in the top-tier, but showed growth toward the end of the year with a triumphant victory over league winners Melbourne University.
Curtain said the team was looking forward to taking up the challenge again in 2020.
She said as the top teams move up to the new division, Ballarat could vie for a mid-table finish.
"It was always going to be hard after finding out we had got promoted a week and a half before the season started," she said.
"But we improved a lot, and gave young girls opportunities to experience the senior environment.
"We didn't get the results in the end, but luckily enough we have another opportunity."
Curtain said the team had lost some players in the off-season, but would be boosted by a slew of young talent coming through.
"In terms of recruitment, it's more enticing to play for a state league one team rather than in state league two, she said.
"It will give us the opportunity to have more quality players which is good."
