SOUTH Australia’s best country footballers will descend on the Riverland this weekend for the 2018 SA Country Championships hosted by the Renmark Football Club.
And this year’s event will make history, as it debuts the first ever women’s competition, which will be held alongside the men’s event on the host club’s second oval.
Following the rapid growth of women’s football across South Australia, five of the six zones will participate across both days of the carnival.
As many as nine new female competitions have been created within six different SA community football leagues this year alone, providing a wide pool of talent to participate in the Country Championships.
The South East zone team will be well represented, with the best players from the eight-team SEWFL selected to compete over the two days in a playing squad of 24.
Millicent’s Reece Duncan has taken on the role of head coach and was honoured to receive the position.
He said the team is rearing to go and can not wait to go up against the other zones.
“It is an exciting thing to be happening for the girl’s footy,” Duncan said.
“The girls are keen as, at training I have to sort of tell them to take a step back just so we can settle down a little bit.
“But it is awesome they are that keen.”
Even more excitement is added to the inaugural event, as it is unknown what level of talent to expect from each zone.
“With the men, generally you go up and know where good players are and what teams are going to be like, but this one is an unknown for everyone,” Duncan said.
“The girls who play in Adelaide might think they are handy, but they have never seen us play and we have never seen them play.
“It will be a big unknown, but hopefully we fair pretty well.”
With the South East Women’s Football League season finishing in late March this year, Duncan said each of the players selected for the squad have taken it upon themselves to do extra training in their own time, in order to maintain fitness for the carnival.
“I think that’s probably the only thing, all the other zones from my understanding are halfway through a season, whereas we finished a few months ago now,” he said.
“But the girls have been keeping themselves right so I think we will be fine in the fitness regard.”
Duncan said this carnival is a great step for the progression of women’s football and he is privileged to be involved in the journey.
“It’s rewarding being able to be in contact with so many different players from three separate leagues in a sense,” he said.
“There’s players from KNTFL, Western Border and Mid South East, it is just great to have so many faces.
“And the biggest thing for me is how keen they all are.
“They are like sponges, they listen to what we say, take it all in and try and do the best they can.”
