These are notes taken by the Women’s Standing Committee Chair Penny Tanner and only an interpretation of the Forum’s discussion and action points.

Attendees

• Panel- Jessine Bonzas NTC, Sarah Walsh FFA, Peter Hugg CEO Footbwall West, Janette Spencer Football West Board, Penny TannerHoath WSC
• Clubs-NTC, Beckenham Angels, East Fremantle, Fremantle United, Ellenbrook, Hammersley, Leeming, Melville City, Subiaco United, Balcatta, Queens Park
• Referees body Hugh
• School Sports Wayne Basedon

Papers presented and attached

Football West Strategic Plan 2014-2016
fbw-strategic-plan-2016

Football Federation Australia Strategic Plan 2016
ffa-women_s_football_strategic_plan-2016

Discussions

Sarah Walsh (former Matilda and WSW player) explained her new role at Football Federation Australia (FFA) which is to facilitate implementing the new FFA Women’s Football strategic plan above. It was noted that womens football at FFA level is not in a commercially comparable position to mens football (Socceroos and A League for example) and therefore is not considered on the same terms. Sarah was very passionate about helping to change that.

Peter Hugg discussed the strategies in the plan and how they aligned to the new FBW strategic plan attached above. Football West has acess to a sport science department for our programmes now to assist in injury management and sports performance

Janette Spencer talked about mentoring and leadership and how Football West want to promote that to retain players in the game and upskilling is important in creating retention outside of the playing environment

Jessine Bonzas talked about the Skills Aquisition Programme SAP and how developing the younger age girls will increase their confidence and how we need to manage the programmes between all parties to help retain players in the sport. The NTC age groups are changing so that their will be one squad in the Premier state league and one in the boys junior competition with all ages capped at teen age as per National benchmarking and phiosophies. We need to concentrate on developing the younger age group so SAP will kick in for technical skills (under 10 years of age) without a regular competition requirement.

Penny TannerHoath talked about educating the young membership as part of what a club provides with registration (officiating, first aid, coaching etc) and how this will increase retention and loyalty to the club. Also the possibility of clubs sharing resources such as accredited coaches to educate other clubs young members. Members were directed to womensoccer.com.au to use as information exchange and the associated facebook page to comment after this forum.

Football has huge advantages over other activities competing for participants

• its a world game and opportunities to participate go beyond the local club
• body shape is irrelevant (unlike basketball, swimming and gymnastics for example)

Some challenges that women’s football has to dealwith that are the same across the entire sport and for females

• massive turnover in 14-18 age group
• how do we remove barriers to any girl wanting to participate
• educating coaches as they are the one constant relationship throughout a season
• increasing and growing the volunteer base, retaining volunteers by upskilling in first aid, officiating and more
• how to work with non traditional types of football to grow the game (commercial recreation centres, in house junior club programmes, accommodating mums etc)

Discussions from the floor

• negotiating with schools for use of facilities involves a risk management plan presented to the school body
• how to connect junior girls in mixed teams and junior girls teams to the senior game
• officiating is a low participation rate because of the perception and how can we change that (grass roots courses at clubs with younger players with other girls of same age)
• will mens NPL affect womens football. At this stage mens clubs will not have to adopt a womens team and noted that only 3 womens state league clubs Balcatta, Subiaco Cockburn affiliate to current mens state league clubs
• The NTC age groups are changing so the State League will only have 1 team and no reserves (this is to give the best group of girls the best quality competition).
• Retaining and recruiting players who move through development programmes was passionately discussed with the outcome that recruiting at club level is considered a constant
• the possibility of a separate cup competition for the Metro league was discussed and endorsed by various members present

Actions

• Football West already have in place a way to encourage coaching upskilling by paying one third of the coaching course cost, asking the club to pay one third and the player one third
• there are several five a side competitions organised by Football West and commercial recreation centres running through the year to encourage young players to take up football, used as an identification tool for development programmes and for varying participation. Football West are trying to connect all the centres together with a finals series that will see the winners from each centre come together at one venue for 2014.
• Everyone present including the panel agreed that a statewide registration day advertised by Football West with major media campaign for clubs to use as publicity to promote women’s football in their area would happen, organised by Football West.
• Football West has Perth Glory and NTC players and coaches available to clubs to use as role models
• Football West has a club noticeboard and facebook page for clubs to post notices and advertise activities

This Forum was considered progressive in allowing clubs to voice their concerns network and exchange information with all parts of the game. With further things to talk about, everyone agreed to reconvene in January.

Trials for ages 13-17

Queens Park are pleased to announce we have secured the services of
Development Coach’s Nassa Atekhis and Lindsay Aldrick for the 2014 season.
They will be coaching 13’s & 15’s or 17’s girls depending on the trials and turn out age of players.

The teams will be development teams to feed through to our Bankwest State League
Premier and Reserves teams.

History
Queens Park is one of the most successful teams south of the river featuring in the top four, for the past ten years, including having won the League, Cup and Night Series during this time.

Individually- winning the best player in the state 6 times (Stacey Learmont 5 times, Jess Lindquist the other) and goal keeper Maya Diederichsen winning best goal keeper in the state twice.

We have produced 3 Glory players (including Stacey Woofin/Learmont) and an Australian Futsal Player (Jess Lindquist).

Our goal is to keep developing new talent!

Trials start on January  14th  and 16th  at  5.30  pm
Venue: Coker Park, is located on Wharf Street in Cannington.

Register your interest now, to be in draw to win your fees paid for the year!

Contact Stacey Learmont at queensparksoccerclub@gmail.com or ring 0407 836 157

For information on the club visit our website at http://www.qpsc.com.au/ or like us on facebook https://www.facebook.com/qpsc1909

http://www.myfootballclub.com.au/fileadmin/user_upload/for-clubs/Volunteer_Management/Recruit_and_Retain_Volunteers.pdf

A very useful document for clubs

FFA unveils blueprint for further growth of women’s football

Click here women_s_football_strategic_plan to view the Women’s Football Strategic Plan.

The continued rapid growth of Australian women’s football has been assured with Football Federation Australia unveiling their Strategic Plan for Women’s Football.

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Women’s football has developed exponentially in recent years across all levels with unprecedented growth in grassroots participation and the successful establishment and expansion of the Westfield W-League, while the Westfield Matildas have achieved new heights on the international stage capped by becoming Asian champions in 2010.

The Women’s Football Strategic Plan seeks to further harness that massive potential over the coming few years in what is expected to be a period of sustained growth.

The key objective of the Strategic Plan is to make football the most played sport for Australian women and girls, while offering the best possible support to elite players on the domestic and international stage.

“The extraordinary growth of female participation in the modern era has changed the face of football in Australia,” said David Gallop, FFA Chief Executive Officer.

“We now have more than 100,000 female players in Australia, a ratio of one in five of all registered participants. It’s a sign of the strength of women’s football, but also a platform for future growth.

“The FFA Women’s Football Strategic Plan aims to build on the success so far. The policies in the plan will guide FFA and our stakeholders as we focus on participation, technical development and international competitiveness.”

With over 1.96 million Australians participating in various forms of the game, football is uniquely placed as a sporting outlet regardless of background or gender.

“More countries than ever before are investing in the growth of women’s football and we aim to establish football as the sport of choice in Australia,” said Emma Highwood, FFA Head of Community Football.

“The strategic plan aims to ensure that women’s football contributes to our ultimate goal of uniting all of Australia to enjoy football.”

footballwest.com.au

The AGM for Football West Ltd will be held on Wednesday, 18th December, 2013 at 7.00pm WST and will be located at the Perth Soccer Club. Any member is eligible to attend. All voting is through your Standing Committee or Zone Representative.

The Woodvale FC women’s team are on the look out for some new players, and they want you!

We currently play in division 2 in the Bankwest Women’s Metropolitan League and have finished in the top four every year since we began.

We are a family friendly club, catering for all ages with our junior boys and girls teams as well.

For more information about the club head to our website, www.woodvalefc.com.au or take a look at our moment in the spotlight on Football 360  http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=IS4OjVtZJSY at 10min 23 seconds
Registrations are held on Sunday the 24th of November 10am - 2pm at Timberlane Park Hall, Althea Way, Woodvale.

If you have any questions please email Megan, meganbilaloski@gmail.com
Megan Bilaloski

Football West and the Womens Standing Committee will be conducting a Womens Football Forum

Purpose: to inform the membership, and to exchange ideas

Date: December 1, 2013

Venue: Perth Soccer Club

Time: 8.30-11.15

Topics include: increasing numbers (recruitment and retention, participation, leadership, mentoring), improving pathways (coaching, refereeing, player development programmes), promoting the game

Panel: Football West personnel from refereeing, coaching, development programmes and Executive

Structure: information exchange plus question and answer.

WSC members plus State League club members

FFA guests TBA

There will be time for general Q and A at the end of the Forum.

RSVP to Elisa D’Ovidio Elisa.dovidio@footballwest.com.au

Football West will be promoting the Forum to Clubs very shortly.

South Perth united are looking to add a women’s metro side to the club.

South Perth are one of the oldest women’s footballing areas in our womens competition. The area supported a side that boasted the likes of Sue Heldt and Janette Spencer. South Perth amalgamated along the way into Karawara then WAIT then Curtin University.

Based on the south side of Manning Road, near Curtin Uni and Karawara shopping centre, the club is seeking a coach and players for the women’s team for the 2014 season. The club currently supports amateur mens football teams.  Preseason is expected to start in late January.

Those interested can email Leo_336@hotmail.com.

The Subiaco AFC Soccer Club is seeking motivated and suitably experienced coaches for both our women’s State Squads (Div 1 and Div 1 Reserves) and our women’s Metro Teams (Div 2) for the 2014 season.

You must be able to take training two nights a week as well as coach games on Sunday during the 2014 season.

The club, based at Rosalie Park in Subiaco, is considered one of the oldest and largest football clubs in Perth with a history that dates back over 100 years – we have numerous junior, 10 men’s and 4 women’s teams and with the recent announcement provisionally selecting Subiaco into the 2014 NPL, the club is well placed for a strong future.

The average age of the women’s State League Division One and reserves squads is 30. The squad has a great mix of highly professional career women such as doctors, physios, OTs, radiographers, engineers and town planners plus a wide multicultural aspect, with players from Canada, the US, Ireland, Scotland, England, Estonia, India.

If you are interested in applying please email a one page bio to aj_ahearn@hotmail.com or call Andrea Ahearn the Subiaco AFC Women’s VP 0408 152 826 for more information.