By: Daniel Cencic
Twitter: @DC_EFL
History will be made this weekend with the opening round of the inaugural Deakin University Eastern Region Women’s Competition.
Among the nine teams competing is the Heathmont Football Club, whose turnout for women’s footy has thrilled president Rob Parker.
The Jets are joined by Waverley Blues, Chirnside Park, Knox, Upper Ferntree Gully, Yarra Junction, Mount Evelyn, Bayswater and Norwood in the maiden competition.
The Jets not only field a senior women’s side, but also two junior teams in the Eastern Region Girls’ Competition.
Women’s footy has proven its popularity at HE Parker Reserve through the drive of many passionate about the game.
“There were a few girls around the club that said ‘why can’t we have a senior women’s side’?,” president Rob Parker said.
“We said okay, and we pursued it.
“It’s been driven by some of the girls and they’ve worked towards having the numbers to form a side.”
Despite its popularity, the women’s football program at the Jets has not been an overnight success.
Planning and hard work has been behind the success of the program, which has proven a rewarding process, according to Parker.
“There’s a fair bit of planning,” he said.
“You can’t jump in too quick or it all falls over.
“It’s managing little targets and working out what nights you can train, the demands on the ground and when we’re going to play.
“It’s been taxing but the girls are really keen on playing – their enthusiasm really rubs off on everyone.”
With Heathmont heavily involved across all facets of competition sport in the Eastern Football League – senior and junior male and female footy, along with netball, Parker believes it has changed the face of the club.
“I said this to a few people, we’re Heathmont Football Club but with the netball taking off and (women’s footy), you’ve got to rethink, are we Heathmont Sporting Club?,” Parker said.
“It just changes the whole outlook of your club – you embrace more people, more families, and it’s a plus for the whole club.”
The interest from the wider community has spread and the numbers continue to grow stronger for the Jets’ women’s and girls’ footy programs.
“The girls have been training for quite a few weeks and you still bump into people who know someone who wants to play,” Parker said.
“Even in the last week there’s probably been another four or five girls join.
“Women’s footy has been one of those things for everyone – it’s grown so quickly and so fast, but it’s also caught a lot by surprise of the popularity of it.”
Like Heathmont, the Waverley Blues’ women’s footy program has also continued to grow from strength to strength.
Senior women’s coach Chris Goldstraw has been delighted with the growing numbers and continued support at the Blues.
“We started pre-season in late January after the club deciding we wanted to go down that road after seeing how popular the women’s footy had become,” Goldstraw said.
“We’ve grown from probably six in the first training session into a roster of about 27 women.
“We’re extremely excited, there’s a really good positive vibe around the club with the team, and the senior men’s have been really getting behind us.
“We’re really excited about developing it and having it as a permanent fixture at the club.”
Goldstraw joined the Waverley Blues as a player in the club’s inaugural year in 1999.
Since, he has coached for over 10 years, including roles at Caulfield Grammar School, Camp Australia and International Sports Training.
In over 17 years at the club, Goldstraw believes the launch of women’s footy is his most rewarding experience.
“We’re ranging from ages from about 18 to 29 at Waverley (and) we’ve got shift workers, uni students, and we’re always making sure we’ve got enough on the field on a Saturday,” he said.
“It’s a lot of work but it is very rewarding – it’s probably the most rewarding thing I’ve done in footy since starting in 1999.
“I’ve spent a bit of time overseas and a fair bit of coaching and it’s fairly different.
“It’s a good challenge.”
Goldstraw has been thrilled to share in the excitement that an outlet many women have been longing for will become a reality this weekend.
“Probably the most impressive thing is some of the older women that have really got enthusiastic about it,” he said.
“They’ve probably been searching for this outlet for so many years seeing their brothers, grandfathers, dads being able to play footy for so long, and they’ve never had the opportunity.
“There’s all these people coming who’ve wanted to play footy for years.
“With the younger growth at the club, we’ve got under-12s and under-16s that have got really strong numbers as well.
“I can only see it going up and up.”
