By: Tash Gunawardana
THE inaugural Ferntree Gully women’s team are four games clear in third on the Deakin Uni Eastern Region Women’s South Division ladder heading into the final round.
Leading into this season, Ferntree Gully’s expectations were minimal with 19 new recruits and only one had previous experience in playing competitive football.
“We knew there would be very steep learning curves ahead of us and like anything, learning is always more effective when people are enjoying themselves, so we have tried to keep things simple and achieve small goals along the way,” Ferntree Gully senior women’s coach Peter Weston said.
“We produced a video a couple of weeks back asking the ladies what they enjoyed about their footy and their enthusiasm for the game and the season was highly obvious and quite rewarding.”
Weston is delighted to be playing finals in the team’s first season.
“Although the team has been ravaged by injury over the past few weeks, the players continue to give it their all,” he said.
“I could not be prouder of them.”
The Ferntree Gully community has welcomed the women’s team with open arms.
“I know all the girls have been amazed at how welcoming and encouraging the whole place has been,” Weston said.
“After 20 odd years of coaching at all levels, I retired after season 2017 due to a sick grandson.
“Late last year I was asked to consider the senior women’s team.
“From quite a selfish point of view, I thought it would be pretty cool to coach the club’s first-ever senior women’s team.
“To say coaching these ladies has been a fantastic experience would be a gross understatement.
“It has been my most enjoyable year of football by far.”
It has been a team effort with all players playing well throughout different matches according to captain Janelle Hillebrand.
“We’ve got a number of other players across the whole field (playing well including) Bec Liah (and) Chloe Leopold.”
Meanwhile, Nicole Guy was a standout until she injured her ACL playing against Rowville a few weeks ago.
Outside of football, Hillebrand is a PE teacher.
“I’m really passionate about coaching a team in that captain sense.
“I love encouraging women in sport, especially in heavily male-dominated sport.
“As an individual I am quite encouraging and am motherly, but I do keep people more accountable in that sense.”
Hillebrand was thrilled to be named the inaugural captain.
“I was extremely appreciative, as a PE teacher leading a bunch of women was an exciting journey that I was willing to take on.
“My leadership skills have grown and have had opportunities to speak at the club, which I would not have had before.
“The team have developed so much, and I am really proud of how we have all come together in that sense.”
None of the players on the leadership team including Hildebrand had played football before this season.
The leadership team also includes Erin Naylor and Carly Filbin as vice-captains.
“Erin and I have been friends since we were six years old and it was exciting to develop that together and we have spent so much time together,” Hillebrand said.
“To have Carly come on as well as such a positive person and always has great ideas.
“Although that’s the core leadership team, we also have many other women in the team that have amazing leadership team skills and help in other parts of the club such as with fundraising, helping out with the juniors every week.
“It’s not just about us three in the leadership team, but all the girls get up when they need which is great for me to see because it means everyone is just as much invested as each other.”