Sutherland Shire FA committed to growing female football further this year
The Sutherland Shire Football Association (SSFA) is committed to growing female football in the community.
Long serving SSFA Treasurer Giulio Di Stefano highlighted that the Association already has a strong track record when it comes to female participation.
Di Stefano also noted the remarkable growth in player numbers overall over the past five years, which now stands at 19,000 players with 6,000 of those being female.
“We are proud of our track record in engaging female players within our Association, and already we have almost one-third of our playing population being female,” he said.
“We run girls-only comps from as young as under 6 and I think that’s helped us a lot because we’re offering a girls-only experience for the younger girls much earlier than what is maybe available elsewhere.
“The girls coming in at this level like playing with their friends from school, and so this has been a big success for us.”
He stressed, however that the focus is not just on player growth but also on creating opportunities for women in all areas such as coaching and refereeing.
“For us, our focus on female participation isn’t just about players. We really want to see more female coaches and referees,” he said.
“To try and make that happen, we will be offering female-only coaching clinics, and whilst the Sutherland Shire Soccer Referees Association is a different body to us, we know they are looking to run female-only referees courses as well.”
The Association has a long-running commitment and dedication to providing a safe and supportive environment for all players, male or female. This commitment has been further strengthened as the Association continues to work with local clubs and organisations to build upon its success in developing female football
The SSFA is also looking forward to welcoming more girls into the sport as the FIFA Women’s World Cup takes centre stage in Australia. The association hopes that this event will help promote women’s football at all levels, including grassroots, and ensure that everyone has access to play regardless of gender or background.
