Frizzy hair! – we don’t care

By Bridget Brady
FORGET the hair straighteners and fake nails – these girls mean business.
The coach of Hampton Park’s first girls football team said the enthusiasm of the girls, with their “fierce” tackles and keenness to train in the rain, rivalled the gusto of the boys.
The girls played their first match at Casey Fields on the weekend since they joined the Dandenong District Junior Football League (DDJFL) this year and, despite not getting off to a flying start on the scoreboard, the early signs were good said coach Shane Keen.
“I was so proud of them on the weekend and their commitment and endeavours. They improved from the practice match we had the week before,” Mr Keen said.
Only a handful of the girls have played football before and took it upon themselves to get the team up and running after a recruitment drive by the Hampton Park Junior Football Club.
Secretary of the club Jodie Dennis said a few girls approached the club and expressed their interest in starting a team. She said most of the girls were students at Hampton Park Secondary College.
“We had a little stall set up for new registrations and a few of the girls walked up and said they’d like to play footy,” Ms Dennis said.
“Within two days we had a full list.”
Ms Dennis said she was delighted to see a girls football team and hoped it would not be a once off.
“We plan on continuing it. We’re going to get behind the girls and them support.”
She said it was wonderful to see girls involved in footy.
“We can have girls in our other teams with the boys until Under 13s and then they have nowhere to go.
“Women are getting into AFL footy now, behind the scenes and playing footy so it’s really good for the club.”
Despite their eagerness to get their hand and knees dirty, there were still a few “girly girls” in the team, Ms Dennis said.
River Gum Ward councillor Lynette Keleher said she was amazed at the standard of the girls’ skills.
“It’s great to see a group of girls and wonderful to promote women in sport.
“We don’t have enough of this,” Cr Keleher said.