Local clubs to host February Come and Try Days for girls

AUSTRALIAN Rules Football for all ages is picking up steam for 2022 and so will the participation of the region’s junior female players.

Several clubs across the region have jumped aboard AFL Barwon’s Footy 4 Fun program to produce their own Junior Girl Come and Try Days throughout the month of February.

Clubs that have joined the initiative include Bell Park, Drysdale, Inverleigh, Newtown & Chilwell, North Geelong, St Albans and St Joseph’s.

The Footy 4 Fun initiative has been popular in recent months, with November and December holding seven combined programs across Geelong, Bellarine, Surf Coast and Colac with over 350 kids taking part.

The upcoming series of Come and Try Days, catering only to girls, creates for a fun and exciting modified version of the game and a great way to create new friendships through the game of football.

Luke McNamara, a committee member of the Armstrong Creek Football Club, is a big advocate of the Footy 4 Fun program having held a similar event in 2021 involving both the Armstrong Creek and Surf Coast Suns Football Clubs.

“It’s the perfect way to give kids, particularly girls, their first taste and first interaction of footy,” McNamara said.

“We had a number of kids who were unsure of trying footy at the start of our “gala day” last year, but by the end of it those kids went from being apprehensive and possibly giving other sports a go, to their parents saying their kids loved it.

“There were almost 200 kids participating over three ovals by the end of the event, giving these kids a real run of footy, something that these girls come and try days will also look to do.”

Several role models of Geelong women’s football will be on hand to provide hands-on training and teaching points to participants.

AFLW Cats players Georgie Rankin, Becky Webster, Darcy Moloney, Georgia Clarke and Sophie Van De Heuvel will attend the event.

Darcy Maloney and her teammates’ primary role at the Come and Try sessions will be to engage the participants and provide a fun environment.

“For girls at their age, the main thing is enjoying the fun part of the game and giving it a go,” Maloney said.

“Having fun is definitely the first priority and it is great to see so many clubs jumping on board across the region, the fact that the clubs have asked us to be involved is really exciting.”

Footy 4 Fun is for kids aged 6 -12 years old and no experience playing AFL is necessary, if you are interested in registering for the program, visit www.aflvic.com.au/footy-4-fun.

To conclude the program, AFL Barwon will hold a Yeah the Girls AFLW Pre game event before Geelong’s Round 7 clash against Fremantle at GMHBA Stadium on February 20.