THE Tweed Coolangatta Junior Australian Football Club has broken new ground with the establishment of the first women’s team in its 50-year history.
The team, with players aged 11 to 17, played on Wednesday nights in the AFL Gold Coast Juniors under-18 girls competition making it to the semi-finals in their first season.
With a proud history of premiership success, junior development and community inclusion, club president Barry Bennett said the move to establish a team in the women’s competition was a natural extension of the club’s activities.
“We believe that Australian Rules Football is the greatest game on earth and we think that everyone should have the opportunity to play it,” Mr Bennett said.
“When we were approached by AFLQ to field a team in the women’s competition we thought it was a great opportunity.
“We think it makes a great statement about the kind of club that we are – growing, innovative and inclusive – and we are excited about what the team has achieved so far.
“As the word gets out we are still being approached by women who want to play and we are more than happy to get them involved.”
AFLQ club development officer Mark Caldow said he saw the establishment of a women’s team as an opportunity for the competition and for the region.
