Positive, hopeful speculation about Pearce - confirmed by Geelong Cats chief executive Stephen Hocking and backed by star Cat Patrick Dangerfield - is a major step forward, whether she chooses to accept this challenge or not.

There is no doubt Pearce has been one of the key leaders in helping women kick stereotypes as a highly-respected, footballer, captain, mother and commentator in the game.

In many ways, it is remarkable we are still talking about Pearce's opportunity like it is ground-breaking. It is not exactly new. Just rare.

Should Pearce take up the AFL-promoted post, she will become the second female assistant coach in an AFL club, following Peta Searle.

Searle earned her role as St Kilda's development coach in 2014 based on her coaching credentials, including with Port Melbourne in the Victorian Football League. She was a force to watch in her time with the 'Borough.

Brooke Brown became the first female coach of boys in the Ballarat Junior Football League in 2016. Brown is now AFL Victoria talent manager for Greater Western Victoria Rebels.

Since then, Redan has made clear its door was open at the Den for a female to take up a senior coaching post.

There still needs to be stronger pathways for women in the game.

Female football has boomed in Ballarat with clubs, council and Ballarat Football League increasing resources for improved facilities and opportunities.

Even so, a new report from Victoria and Federation universities has shown many community sports clubs were still failing to make women and girls feel welcome in traditional male sporting fields - not just football.

Taunting and critiques on skill and physical appearance remained major issues.

Separate to this, a Gender Equity Victoria report released this week found 41 per cent of females are too embarrassed to exercise in public. This was only one small part in a complex women's health crisis.

While Pearce is a great ambassador, you can also feel the drive for change coming from younger generations in Ballarat for whom many women playing or coaching sports such as football has not been such an anomaly.

Loreto College football captain Charlee Hill said even the change the past couple of years has been notable.

Hill will lead her school into battle against Geelong's Sacred Heart for the second annual Respect Cup at Mars Stadium on Wednesday. St Patrick's College and Geelong's St Joseph's College will play the curtain raiser.

Hill told The Courier such a double-header and the support of St Pat's firsts was a big deal. But she said it was about more than gender equality, it was about championing respect for everyone, as human beings.

This comes a week after Ballarat Clarendon College's Sara Kennedy became the first female to play in Ballarat Associated Schools' senior boys cricket based on her ability. Kennedy claimed the scalp of the St Pat's captain.

Change is coming - just look to the Respect Cup - but this does not mean we must be content to wait for it.

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