Armson championing women’s football in Gladesville

Helen Armson loves football and after decades in the game, she is in a position to help implement meaningful change.

Armson has been a champion for women’s football and the game in general since taking up the sport as a player, having played for her local club North Epping Rangers.

And while she continues to play six-a-side, it is as an administrator that Armson is hopeful of accomplishing big things.

Armson was named chairperson of Gladesville Hornsby Football Association, one of New South Wales’ biggest football associations, three months ago.

“My responsibilities are to implement the requests or the objectives of our management committee,” she said.

“We have 32 clubs, each with a delegate who attend monthly meetings and I along with my fellow 7 board members are responsible for the overall administration of the Association.”

Armson got into administration after watching her sons play at the Rangers and she eventually became club president.

“I guess for me it was about wanting to contribute to the direction and improvement of football in our local area,” Armson said.

“I think our association is not different to others in terms of challenges. One of things I’d like to achieve is to bring better facilities to the area.

“We have no synthetic pitches. Council has approved the development of one at Epping YMCA and at our association pitch we’re working with Ryde council to bring one there.”

Having started her football administration journey with co-ordination the Rangers’ mini-soccer program, Armson said she loved seeing the smiles on kids’ faces when they got on the park and hoped that her association could ensure that players retained that joy whenever they stepped out onto the park.

Armson is the GHFA’s first female chairperson and said she hoped to see more women get into football administration.

“I think women’s football is a huge growing sport and traditionally for mums, Football is the preferred sport for their children so maybe they are having a go too,” she said.

“I think we’re seeing more women getting involved but also more people with a wider range of skills … which is important when it comes to dealing with councils and managing people.”