By Arian Odza
The Knox Netball Football Club, through ambition and determination from head of Football Operations Daina Mactier, have been successful in the creation of an Under 12s Girls Team in 2021.
The introduction of the new Under 12s side has been met with a level of excitement within the club as the players that would have been missing out on the opportunity to play within a team are now able to enjoy what Aussie Rules has to offer.
Daina Mactier says that the creation was due to so many of the girls being left out of the other teams and ultimately being at risk of not playing footy this season.
“It is so good, it needed to happen for so many of the girls just to get them playing footy, there were so many of them that dropped out from the fourteens, that weren’t able to them play in the fourteens.”
“So to be able to get a side for them all is beautiful, it’s so good.”
Mactier experience within football has ensured the creation of the side within Round Three of the Division was never too late.
“I have been apart of women’s footy since when it first started, since six years we’ve have had the teams here.”
Mactier further explains that she will continue working to making sure women’s footy is propelled to ensure the girls are given a substantial opportunity to play footy.
“We need to keep fighting for the girls to keep playing.”
Daine Mactier states that the motivating factor that was instrumental for the creation of the new side was because of her daughter missing out on the chance to play for a team.
“The main thing is my daughter wanted a side to play in and she wasn’t comfortable playing in the Under 10 boys side, she wasn’t comfortable with the tackling and stuff, so we sort of fought for her.”
“She’s my third daughter and we used to have issues with playing in the boys teams and then when girls footy first came in she started, so we’ve always been fighting to have girls sides for her.”
Daina explains that the introduction of the new side ensures that girls that would have remained without a side now have the chance to be in a team and enjoy footy.
“There were seven girls that weren’t going to play so we had to do something, so we kept nagging and finally got the girls together, which is nice.”