Happy Aussie rules campers

Calling goes out for female football players

Volume 48, No. 16, Sepetember 7, 2006

THE Australian Services Australian Football Association plan for development camps for women players has moved a step closer to reality with the establishment of points of contact with whom potential players can register their interest.

The proposal follows the national Australian football championship in Sydney from June 19 to 24, when commitments to East Timor meant that an under-strength ADF side competed with mixed results against tough competition at the titles.

Despite close contests against the ACT, NSW and South Australia, the top three sides - Western Australia, Queensland and Victoria - were too strong for the ADF.

The ADF women’s Australian football coach, WO2 Kim Beasland, said the ASAFA was considering a proposal to conduct the camps at major military bases in Melbourne, Canberra, Sydney, Brisbane, Townsville and Darwin.

“The camps will be conducted over a weekend for any full-time or part-time serving female members who have even the remotest interest in Australian football and not confined to current players,” WO2 Beasland said.

The camps would have the input from the AFL in the respective states and would focus on techniques, strategies and thought processes involved with Australian football.
“I think the ADF needs to be proud of the commitment these girls have shown both on and off the field,” WO2 Beasland said.

“We had one Navy girl who pulled alongside at Garden Island at eight o’clock in the morning to marry up with the team at noon to play the very next day. Another could play only four of the eight games as she had to go overseas halfway through the week.

“I am very proud of all those girls who came together to represent the ADF in the highest echelon of women’s football in Australia.”

The contacts for the camps are:

 Melbourne/Puckapunyal: Natasha Wilson, 0431239387 or natasha.wilson@defence.gov.au
 Canberra/Wagga Wagga: Katie Staines, 0413324964 or katie.staines@defence.gov.au
 Sydney/Singleton/Nowra: Linda Morris, 0409072889 or linda.morris@defence.gov.au
 Brisbane/Canungra: Amanda Gosling, 0422973932 or amanda.gosling@defence.gov.au
 Townsville/Cairns: Melissa Lucas, 0403428437 or melissa.lucas@defence.gov.au
 Darwin: Vicki Richardson, 0448938836 or vicki.richardson@defence.gov.au

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