This girl can

SPORTING groups, clubs, local councils and gyms around Victoria will host a range of activities as part of VicHealth’s This Girl Can Week.

Running from November 10 to 17, the week inspires women of all abilities, ages and cultural backgrounds to get active with free and low-cost events.

VicHealth’s This Girl Can head Rebecca Ahern said they’ve been seeing girls dropping out of physical activity earlier than boys and one of the reasons was because of barriers.

“One big one was the fear of judgement and the pressure that society puts, particularly on women, to look a certain way if they’re going to exercise,” Ms Ahern said.

“This Girl Can is a celebration of the fact women of all shapes and sizes, from different backgrounds, various ages, getting active on their own terms and just loving how being active makes them feel.”

The week of events is also about highlighting that there’s activities for everyone and encouraging people to find something they feel safe and welcome to do.

Geelong is among the many places in Victoria participating in the program, offering people a number of activities including women’s cricket, pickleball, exercise classes and more.

Sindi Renea is one of the Geelong ambassadors for This Girl Can and has been part of the program since its beginning seven years ago.

The message the VicHealth campaign was sending people, to encourage them on a journey, is what made her get involved and she encourages others to give it a go.

“Being able to go in and try something, know that other people are trying new things as well, that you’re not the only one that’s maybe coming along as an older adult,” she said.

“It’s good to have a bit of a variety, to have a little tester to see, you might find the love that you’re missing.”

Ms Renea always wanted to dance and as an adult the appeal of a class meant there were rules and she didn’t have to worry about the socialisation of it. From there, she’s gone into different styles of dance.

Through the VicHealth program she met someone who did pole dancing, sparking her interest in the activity and encouraging her to give it a try at PhysiPole Studios in Grovedale.

“I came here for a trial and the only one I could fit into my schedule at the time was aerials,” she said.

“I walked in and thought ‘I won’t be any good at this, I can’t lift myself off the ground’ and even though I couldn’t do everything, I found quite a lot of stuff that I really enjoyed.”

Since then, she has been an active member of the studio, which will also host a come and try day to kick off This Girl Can Week on November 10.

For more information on This Girl Can and the activities taking place in the region, head to thisgirlcan.com.au