Female Football’s the word as Eastern Suburbs Football Association prepare for 2020 season

The Eastern Suburbs Football Association is striving for greatness in women’s football in 2020.

A new 10-team women’s Premier League competition will be introduced in the new season, following the growing interest in a stronger senior women’s competition from players and clubs within the association.

ESFA competitions co-ordinator Caroline Oakes-Ash said the new competition was the result of a strong consensus from clubs, players and the association to create a stronger focus on the senior women’s competition.

Learn more about the new competition on the ESFA website.

“The clubs got together and there was an agreement from the clubs to cooperate with each other and really push for a 10-team competition and ensure everyone gets a fair competition,” she said.

“The move to a 10-team competition will provide more games and more opportunities for aspiring female players looking to play senior football in our area.

“We believe this move will give junior girls greater reason to be excited for their progression within the association and something to aspire to as they get into the older grades.”

EFSA General Manager Bill Kostandas said that the association’s commitment to women’s football went beyond the senior competition as well.

“We will resource anything if there’s the demand for it. It’s not just playing, we want to see more females taking up coaching and we have a number of coaching courses they are more than welcome to join in with,” he said.

“There are opening for youngers players in our mixed skill acquisition programs as well.”

Another big focus for the ESFA will be Walking Football, which Kostandas was another major outcome of the association’s four club workshops it held in 2019.

The club workshops were designed for club representatives to attend and share their ideas for things they would like to see within the ESFA.

Walking Football is a new offering which provides a social, small-sided and sustainable version of football specifically modified for older Australians, in metropolitan, regional and remote locations.

“There was a lot of interest in Walking Football and Maroubra United was particularly keen so we will be looking to kick it off there and hopefully it branches out from there.”