AS women’s football continues to gather momentum around the country, East Gambier is taking a new approach to the code.
The Bulldogs are all about inclusion, looking to make their Limestone Coast Football League team more a part of the club culture.
In reality it has been a long-term project for the club as its looks to promote inclusion at McDonald Park.
Given the developmental nature of the sport at the moment, junior football president Nathan Stratford has been given the job to oversee the sport, with Damian Delaney on board this coming season as coach.
Integration is of huge importance for the club as it moves forward, which Stratford said is the only way ahead.
“What we have been trying to do is find a way to integrate the season into the club so the female players actually feel like they are a part of the club, rather than just a team that plays at the start of the year,” he said.
“We started pre-season before Christmas.
“We have set up three nights – Monday, Wednesday and Friday so they can come to whatever session suits at the time.
“On a couple of those nights some of the senior players – males and females – are at training at the same time so they are not there on their own.
“That has been instigated by Damian, who is really about trying to get as many involved as possible.”
The women also have access to all facilities at the club, including the gymnasium, along with the full support the men receive.
“If you look at an overall culture of what a football club should look like, we should be inclusive, whether it is disability or gender basis,” Stratford said.
“I think for us as a club, we have to take ownership of that.
“We began a few years ago when we started the South East Football Academy when Keith Allen was our coach.
“We had six or seven players go out of that and play state football over a number of years.
“His girls were able to progress through that and it gave them a bit of a base.”
Now with Delaney as coach the inclusive culture continues to grow.
A former junior coach at East Gambier, Delaney is mindful of the task he has ahead of him.
“The coaching role of the East Gambier women’s football team became available, which I saw as a great opportunity,” he said.
“Our main training focus is skill development and having some fun in the process.
“Our club has ensured we have created a good environment for our female footballers to develop and feel comfortable in the process.
“East Gambier is a great club and I encourage any females to come and give football a try.
“The sport is growing in participation numbers and there are clear pathways to development squads leading all the way to the AFLW.”
Females can begin playing football at a young age, competing with the boys.
From there Stratford said there is somewhat of a gap, which is the next step on the road to ensuring a strong future at the development level.
“The majority of the state now has some kind of women’s competition running,” he said.
“The challenge now is to integrate that gap between the 14-15 year old to a senior level to make sure it is a safe competition to play in.
“We have some good numbers coming through in the younger brackets and the older bracket, but need to fill the bracket in the Under 18.”
Any females interested in playing for East Gambier in the Limestone Coast Women’s Football League can attend training sessions Monday, Wednesday and Friday from 5pm.
