Elite Girls Ultimate All-Rounders
The youngsters came from all over the region: from as far south west as Hay, to Canberra, Wagga Wagga, Sydney, the central coast, and everywhere in between.
Over an intensive 36 hours, the girls – who began their day at dawn, and worked through until 10pm – took part in a raft of sessions; including social media education, personal development, sports psychology, leadership, and the importance of inclusiveness.
Football skill refinement and fitness testing were other important facets of the camp, with the girls training under the watchful eye of former Carlton and GWS star Setanta O’Hailpin (Head Coach), with support from Mel Hyland (Wagga), Paul Lyons (ACT), and Krissie Steen (Sydney).
Recently-retired 88-game AFL veteran O’Hailpin was impressed with what he saw, and admitted he’ll have a difficult job picking a side to travel to the National Youth Girl’s Championships in Canberra in May.
“The girls were very skilful, enthusiastic, and great at taking on instruction,” O’Hailpin said.
“This is the only opportunity a lot of them get to play in an all-girls environment amongst their peers, and I think it’s such a fantastic initiative.
“It will be tough to narrow down the squad for the National Championships, but I suppose that’s a good problem to have!”
The group – while talented athletes – were not selected purely for their football prowess, with an emphasis on rounded individuals with the capacity to be strong advocates of female football within their communities.
“The girls are the cream of the crop in a lot of respects, young people we think are the whole package: great leaders, great ambassadors for the game, with the right attitude,” said AFL NSW/ACT Female Programs Manager Libby Sadler.
“The camp assists the girls hone their skills, and gives them extra education and insight about a lot of different aspects of football, society, and life.
“A big part of what we are doing with our Youth Girls Development Programs is empowering our future stars to be leaders at home, in their schools, and clubs.”
AFL NSW/ACT General Manager Craig Bolton addressed the girls- predominantly aged between 15 and 16 – and their parents at the camp’s conclusion, and stressed the importance of promoting female football to girls everywhere.
“The group of girls were obviously very passionate and very committed, and really excited they were in the mix to make the NSW/ACT side for the National Championships,” Bolton said.
“Growing female football is an important priority for AFL NSW/ACT, and it’s fantastic to have the opportunity to showcase the nation’s best young female talent in our region in May.”
The NSW/ACT representative side to travel to the National Championships will be announced in the coming days.
