Promotion Pays Off

With the beginning of the soccer season, St Mary’s EagleVale Soccer Club has begun a new era of promoting women’s soccer in the Macarthur region.

St Mary’s have joined a number of other of local clubs in the area who are working towards improving the level of women’s soccer in Macarthur.

“Where we are now says that we’re doing something right. It’s being seen on the field” claimed Mr. Carroll, (treasurer of the club) as the girl’s teams continue to improve each season.

The first girls team began five years ago, the number now almost double what it was.
They currently have eight junior girls teams, which continues to grow and representation in all of the all age ladies divisions.

Following the lead of Picton and Gunners, two other local clubs, the ‘Saints’ are now “doing what we can to foster the girls” according to Steve Carroll.

They are looking to commence their own internal development or training squad for the girls. This will be an open invitation to all female players and will be run by the coaching co-ordinator of the club and other senior coaches.

In order to promote equality between male and female soccer in the region, St Mary’s have implemented a number of strategies, including the introduction of two Women’s Liason officers onto the committee.

While they used to have only junior player of the year, the club has now introduced junior male and female player of the year. This is also the case with seniors.

“Rather than just who the best player is in the club, there’s opportunity for both male and female to get the same reward” said Mr. Carroll.

Many of the girl’s teams now have sponsorships within the local community, as the club looks to broaden the recognition of female soccer outside of the club itself.

Eschol Park Wolves are also another local club who are trying to promote female soccer in the area. Last year, they took a number of girls to Rams in order to provide them with further coaching.

They also have internal coaching clinics which is open to all females in the area and a team in the female Premier League.

According to the Women’s Liason Officer Rachel Culican, “we don’t discriminate against the girls here. If anything they get more”.

Mr. Carroll has also called for greater promotion in the schools in the hopes that more clubs will follow St Mary’s example and work towards the equality of male and female soccer in the Macarthur region.