Local WA Womens Competition - General Discussion Thread

Jul 2, 2010
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Garlic muncher

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That seems about right. All of Perth has 9 u18 youth girls teams.



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The junior club i am involved in according to the email i received recently will have some year 4-6 girls teams, wont be for several weeks before we see how many teams we will get though, they are asking for coaching nominations.

Pretty sure this is the first year they have done that, although i am pretty sure plenty of girls have over the years played auskick.

When my daughter played with one the Womens WAFL teams several years ago, she only got interested via footy for mums

clinic http://www.falconsfc.com.au/news/4937/footy-4-mums--free-footy-clinic-for-mums

She went down with my wife and it was being run by the West Perth girls who recruited her.

Totally different as it stands ATM.
 

jatz14

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The junior club i am involved in according to the email i received recently will have some year 4-6 girls teams, wont be for several weeks before we see how many teams we will get though, they are asking for coaching nominations.

Pretty sure this is the first year they have done that, although i am pretty sure plenty of girls have over the years played auskick.

When my daughter played with one the Womens WAFL teams several years ago, she only got interested via footy for mums

clinic http://www.falconsfc.com.au/news/4937/footy-4-mums--free-footy-clinic-for-mums

She went down with my wife and it was being run by the West Perth girls who recruited her.

Totally different as it stands ATM.
Its improved, but it's 5 years behind Vic, maybe 8 behind Qld.

50% Inc in community club footy nationwide. In Perth?

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BringBackTorps

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Its improved, but it's 5 years behind Vic, maybe 8 behind Qld.

50% Inc in community club footy nationwide. In Perth?

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Would you like to share your view why Qld (a RL state!) is the leader (in raw numbers -& possibly % terms) in growing regd. female numbers over the last 5 years?
 

jatz14

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Would you like to share your view why Qld (a RL state!) is the leader (in raw numbers -& possibly % terms) in growing regd. female numbers over the last 5 years?
Hard to sum up, but looking at schools first. I try to keep up with whats going on by following twitter accounts etc. AFLQ runs a schools footy comp, they have a twitter account for this with 6500 posts. They ran a high profile marketing campaign aimed at girls called #girlsplaytoo

Tweets below show 3000 female participants in the schools footy comp this year. Thats more than WA.
WA does run school footy programs for girls to, they seem to be, lower profile, less organised and smaller. Just my perception. Queensland seems a push system, we will actively recruit schools, you give us a reason not to be involved, WA seems a pull system, we will put it on, if you want to take part, let us know.


Freo Dockers Cup (Year 10/11/12 Female)


m2gczsdqb14m.jpg
Each year over 1,250 schoolgirls particpate in the Freo Dockers Cup. 2017 marks the 22nd year of the competition which is coordinated by the West Australian Football Commission and the Schoolgirls Advisory Committee.

Participation in the Freo Dockers Cup has become an important step for girls to become involved in community youth or senior women's competitions.

COMPETITION DETAILS

  • Played during Term 2
  • Games are played after school on Tuesdays over 2 x 20 minute halves. (Please refer to timeline)
  • 2 metropolitan divisions (Moore & White)
  • The Schoolgirls Advisory Committee reviews all nominations and reserves the right to change a schools nominated division to achieve a balanced competition
  • Country Schools – All competitions are coordinated by your Regional Development Manager. Schools will be advised of all carnival days/s by the end of Term 1
REGISTRATION:

All schools that nominate receive a match ball and set of goal flags to use during the competition.

Register through the online registration form. Simply select the "Freo Dockers Cup (Year 10/11/12 Girls)" option under Competitions.

MOORE DIVISION (A Grade): Strong football schools seeking quality competition with home & away games played across the metropolitan area. After the home & away games the top teams progress to the finals.

WHITE DIVISION (B Grade): Where the majority of schools compete. Teams are split into regional pools to play against other schools in their ‘local’ area. After the home and away games the top teams will progress to the finals.

VANDERWEIDE DIVISION: Only for schools who participate at Senior High School Country Week.

2016 SHS Handbook & 2016 Freo Dockers Schoolgirls Cup timeline

Freo Dockers Cup Lightning Carnival (Year 7/8/9 Female)
m2gczsdqb14m.jpg
WAFC Football Development Officers will organise one day lightning carnivals to provide opportunities for schoolgirls to either try football in a safe and fun environment, and/or enhance their football skills developed through their PE program.

All schools that nominate will receive:

  • 2 synthetic footballs per team
  • Participation certificates & posters
Schools can register their interest via the online registration form. Simply select the "Freo Dockers Cup Carnival" option under Competitions.
 
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jatz14

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Would you like to share your view why Qld (a RL state!) is the leader (in raw numbers -& possibly % terms) in growing regd. female numbers over the last 5 years?
Girls club comps

Queensland has a state championship in 3 age groups covering the whole state. Well organised, run by AFLQ, overseen here be Craig Starcevich who was/is the state female development officer. The equivalent position in WA has only just been created.
So, Queensland, regional girls comps, select a regional representative team that trains as a development squad, and plays in a state champs. From there pick talent academy players, stream into senior footy etc. Organised, comprehensive and slick (and relatively high profile).

As I said, I follow twitter, facebook accounts of the major womens footy organisations, and if a similar program exists in WA, I do not know about it, which would raise the question of, why don`t I know about it?

 

jatz14

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Would you like to share your view why Qld (a RL state!) is the leader (in raw numbers -& possibly % terms) in growing regd. female numbers over the last 5 years?
Seniors.
WA has tied seniors to the WAFL. This means there are just 9 clubs, and not all of them have a senior and a reserves team. This makes a max of 18 teams, and its usually more like 15. This becomes a disincentive to other potential womens teams. Country is excluded apart from Mandurah, because the WAFL is not in the country. Country teams to play footy do not have to just start a team, they have to start a whole comp, with it seems little help from the WAWFL which has its own comp to focus on. Also, how do you add a 10th metro team, if you are limited to a 9 team club model?

It has been like this basically the entire time I have watched the growth of womens footy, since 2012.

Queensland has a senior (serious) comp, the QWAFL, and a separate, more social QWAFA. Last year the QWAFL had 6 teams, but the QWAFA had 13.
So Qld had the same number of serious teams as WA, and I think 4 more in total.
Its easy to add teams, just start a new club, and joing the less tough QWAFA, if you become good, you can get promoted to the QWAFL (which a team is doing this year).

As has been asked, if junior girls footy is exploding, but the WAWFL has basically not changed much in 5 years, where are they going? It seems to be that the lopsided and serious WAWFL is killing the enjoyment for a lot, and they just leave.
 

BringBackTorps

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Seniors.
WA has tied seniors to the WAFL. This means there are just 9 clubs, and not all of them have a senior and a reserves team. This makes a max of 18 teams, and its usually more like 15. This becomes a disincentive to other potential womens teams. Country is excluded apart from Mandurah, because the WAFL is not in the country. Country teams to play footy do not have to just start a team, they have to start a whole comp, with it seems little help from the WAWFL which has its own comp to focus on. Also, how do you add a 10th metro team, if you are limited to a 9 team club model?

It has been like this basically the entire time I have watched the growth of womens footy, since 2012.

Queensland has a senior (serious) comp, the QWAFL, and a separate, more social QWAFA. Last year the QWAFL had 6 teams, but the QWAFA had 13.
So Qld had the same number of serious teams as WA, and I think 4 more in total.
Its easy to add teams, just start a new club, and joing the less tough QWAFA, if you become good, you can get promoted to the QWAFL (which a team is doing this year).

As has been asked, if junior girls footy is exploding, but the WAWFL has basically not changed much in 5 years, where are they going? It seems to be that the lopsided and serious WAWFL is killing the enjoyment for a lot, and they just leave.
Thanks for such a detailed response.

The obvious questions. Have WA (&SA) studied the details & modus operandi of Qld?

And why have they not implemented it ( inc.the "easy"bit, the Qld.digital & promotional programs, which are readily transferable)?

Queensland's success has been outstanding.
 
Jul 2, 2010
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Thanks for such a detailed response.

The obvious questions. Have WA (&SA) studied the details & modus operandi of Qld?

And why have they not implemented it ( inc.the "easy"bit, the Qld.digital & promotional programs, which are readily transferable)?

Queensland's success has been outstanding.

No strong ultra traditional mens league to suck all the money and resources.
 

BringBackTorps

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No strong ultra traditional mens league to suck all the money and resources.
Interesting reply. Your view is not applicable to NSW (no strong, ultra traditional men's league in NSW). AF in NSW & Tas. (like Qld.) is also fully controlled & funded by the AFL, but they, apparently, have not implemented the "Qld. philosophy"-why not?

Also, are there performance bonuses/KPI's, for State & National Game Dev. Mngrs for increased participation? Thus a pecuniary interest to fully promote female AF there -but they didn't:why?
The AFL's charter is to promote the code & grassroots'football.
Their executives are paid about $5,000,000+ pa collectively. Has there been a gross dereliction of duty ( & no proper scrutiny of their performance)?

If correct, WA, SA, & Tas. have been WILFULLY neglectful about promoting grassroots female football, with all the longterm & strategic implications this entails. Giving an easy freekick to other codes, to grab 50% of the population! Are/were these State authorities & AFL so irresponsible & shortsighted?

Were local/grassroots community AF organisations there trying to hold them to account for not properly promoting female grassroots AF? It is well known amongst community clubs that having jnr. and/or adult female players provides an ENORMOUS boost to community AF clubs ie improved club culture, finances, sponsors,networking, the "intangible"of more goodwill; increased volunteer numbers for the c'tee, more "skilled" volunteers.

I thought, though, it does not cost much to establish junior, school, & adult female competitions -they basically run themselves (volunteers at community level, player regn. fees & schools covering all the costs). Main costs appointing 1 or 2 fulltime female football State Dev. Managers?
 
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Wow, a female talent manager. After WA has a team in the national league. Finger on the pulse WAFC.

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To be fair the AFL jumped the gun pretty quick having a national comp before having even close to reasonably strong state leagues first.
People like Nicole Graves at Swan Districts have been doing a terrific job finding and promoting woman in WA woman footy without the credit she deserves.
 

TWLS

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Talking about WA Womens participation growth - Found these figures recently.
WA Girls Auskick- 2015 -9656
" 2016 -10702
WA Total Womens -2015 -49087
" 2016 -70065
Thats a big jump in the Total Figure.
 

BringBackTorps

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Talking about WA Womens participation growth - Found these figures recently.
WA Girls Auskick- 2015 -9656
" 2016 -10702
WA Total Womens -2015 -49087
" 2016 -70065
Thats a big jump in the Total Figure.
WA did not have 49087 women in 2015, nor did it have 70,065 women in 2016.
I suspect in 2016 WA had less than 800 women players in contact football. No idea how many played non-contact AFL9's -300?

Are you quoting "women"to include all females, inc. school comp players? Even then, 70,065 seems too high. ( One-off carnival days can have huge numbers, all codes quote these -but these figures are generally meaningless)
 

TWLS

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WA did not have 49087 women in 2015, nor did it have 70,065 women in 2016.
I suspect in 2016 WA had less than 800 women players in contact football. No idea how many played non-contact AFL9's -300?

Are you quoting "women"to include all females, inc. school comp players? Even then, 70,065 seems too high. ( One-off carnival days can have huge numbers, all codes quote these -but these figures are generally meaningless)

Well someone is fudging the figures in WA to the West Australian Newspaper reporter last week. No doubt they will include total numbers such as schools etc. Lets see what the 2016 AFL Annual report says next month. That usually breaks down all levels of participation.
Personally I thought they were high, but dont forget we are locked in a Code War with other sports- Its all perception.
 
Jul 2, 2010
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From the WAFL Annual Report

Key WA growth outcomes:
  • Female club football teams in the State almost doubled from 84 to 157
  • Female Football continued to grow with 70,065 participants in 2016, a 42.7% increase on 2015. This was largely attributed to targeted school
    programs for girls and a specific pathway for club football, from Auskick through to Senior League.
 

jatz14

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Looks like all teams in the WAWFL will be fielding 1sts, 2nds and Youth girls.

Fixture also bands teams into top, bottom and middle 3, with each band playing other teams in that band more often., so the teams new to the first division (in the bottom band) only play the top established teams once. A good move in my opinion, lets them get a chance to get established without facing weekly floggings.

http://www.wawfl.com.au/news/11910/2017-set-to-be-highlight-season
 

Garlic muncher

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Looks like all teams in the WAWFL will be fielding 1sts, 2nds and Youth girls.

Fixture also bands teams into top, bottom and middle 3, with each band playing other teams in that band more often., so the teams new to the first division (in the bottom band) only play the top established teams once. A good move in my opinion, lets them get a chance to get established without facing weekly floggings.

http://www.wawfl.com.au/news/11910/2017-set-to-be-highlight-season

I know a lot of girls left clubs to join the Coastal Titans years ago, when i knew a little bit more about it than what i do now, one of the reasons why West Perth just fielded one side last year and in the reserves, good to see all the clubs fielding 3 teams, there was a huge disparity between the top and bottom clubs.
 

jatz14

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I know a lot of girls left clubs to join the Coastal Titans years ago, when i knew a little bit more about it than what i do now, one of the reasons why West Perth just fielded one side last year and in the reserves, good to see all the clubs fielding 3 teams, there was a huge disparity between the top and bottom clubs.
This will continue what is one of the strengths of WA women's footy, despite its flaws.

Most, and this year, all, of the Perth talent played in the one, two division league. This means the better players regardless of where they are from, or which club they go to will end up in the top league, and can be directly compared to the best players in WA.

Vic, and to a lesser extent Qld, with multiple comps, and numerous clubs without a team in the top comp 'hide' players away.

How do you assess a good player in a weak comp relative to the states best. How do they develop?

There are a few Vic players doing ok in the AFLW who never played state or exhibition matches, because they were club and or league b&f in weaker comps.

Anyone now walking into any WAWFL club who turns out to be a good player will end up playing against the states best players.

Its a much more efficient way of identifying new good talent.

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