FEMALE footy in the region has gone from strength to strength in recent years.

Now the AFL North Coast is preparing to add another junior girl’s competition, with the Youth Girls under 14s set to launch in 2022.

The new competition will be in addition to the existing Youth Girls and women’s competitions.

All eight clubs between Grafton and Port Macquarie have committed to fielding a Youth Girls under 14 team in the 2022 season.

The AFL North Coast’s women’s competition now has six teams after making its debut with three in 2019, while the Youth Girls competition now has five teams after being introduced in 2017, with the new Youth Girls under 14s set to be a welcome addition to cater for the growing female participation.

The new Youth Girls competition comes on the back of clubs holding successful come and try days which had an overwhelming response with a great blend of experienced players and girls who grew up in the sport.

Northern NSW Game Development Lead Matt Crawley was excited about the young girls showcasing their skills in the new Youth Girls competition.

“All of the girls who have been to a come and try session are loving footy, you can tell by the huge smiles on their faces,” he said.

“The new girls are finding that the skills they already have from other sports are making the transition to footy easy.

“Whether those skills are catching, kicking, running, jumping, tackling, or agility, these are all attributes that are valued highly in AFL.

“It’s definitely helping to have the AFLW competition on TV at the present time.

“There’s no doubt that girls love watching the matches on TV, but then they want to be able to try the skills themselves.”

To find your local club and be part of the fastest growing sport for girls on the North Coast, go to play.afl.

 

By Aiden BURGESS