Regional female AFL players facing difficult pathway to pro-level

ABC NEWS (Australia)

Australian rules football has becoming increasingly popular among women and girls in recent years since the advent of the AFLW. But there's still a long way to go for equality with male footballers in some regional areas, including for young girls who dream of one day playing professionally.

Transcript

00:0012-year-old Pippa Blackwell has big goals for her football career.

00:05Hopefully I play AFLW for Geelong because I go for Geelong.

00:09Pippa will head to Geelong this weekend to compete in the School Sport Australia Championships.

00:14Have a few days of school playing footy, what more can you want?

00:18She's the only girl, or boy, from South Australia's South East to be chosen for a state under

00:2212s team.

00:23I think some of the boys are a bit jealous but it's alright.

00:28The girls are happy for her so it's good.

00:30She doesn't get special treatment, nothing like that, she's got to make her own way so

00:34it's good for her.

00:35Pippa currently plays for the Bordertown Roosters.

00:38But girls can't play in mixed teams once they turn 14.

00:41Instead, Pippa's parents will need to drive her an hour away from home to train and play

00:45with the nearest under 16s team.

00:47I think people will do everything they can for their kids to help them out and see them

00:53achieve their best.

00:54Moves are being made to improve the opportunities for women's football in the South East but

00:58local sporting authorities concede there's a long way to go.

01:01Most clubs in the region don't have all female sides and only a few have female change rooms.

01:07It's a bit like that chicken and the egg, what do we have to build a team first for

01:10people to come or have we got the numbers there already?

01:13Pippa's hoping interest will continue to grow so the Bordertown Football Club can have its

01:17own girls team and facilities sooner rather than later.

01:21Dad's president so maybe I'll get him onto doing that.

01:24A goal to get behind.

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