Endeavour Hills will take to the field for the first time this weekend in the VWFL, fielding two sides in the competition in 2015.
They will join the likes of Bayswater (Round 1), Seaford, Kew and Deer Park in Division 3 in the opening round of the season, as well as fielding a team in the new East division where they will face fellow new clubs Gippsland League (Round 1), AJAX, Rosebud and Bulleen Templestowe.
Endeavour Hills are one of nine new clubs to join the VWFL this year.
The idea to form a team has been less than 12 months in the making, with 2015 senior coach Mark Haughton highlighted as the key figure in quickly bringing the idea to life.
“The idea to organise a women's team started mid 2014 when Mark Haughton, now senior coach of the women’s team, approached us with the idea to make the Endeavour Hills Football Club a more inclusive club and to incorporate a more diverse group,” club treasurer Calvin Muscat said.
“The club has worked hard from the start to incorporate the women's teams into the club as much as possible and giving them an equal standing with the men.”
With a number of women footballers already involved with the club via family members or partners of players in the men’s side, the club only needed to look from within to start forming a side for the 2015 season.
“We had established a core group of girls who were already linked to our club in some way.
“Mark has done an extraordinary job tapping into local resources recruiting new players to the club who haven't played football before or are making the step from youth girls to open age,” Muscat said.
“The club has been very fortunate to have someone like Mark come into the club, someone with his level of passion and commitment is a real breath of fresh air and it has resinated in the numbers he has got to training and the spirit of the girls.
“We have a lot of returning players who no longer had a home and have revisited their passion to compete in AFL football.”
With a mix of established and new players to the side, Muscat believes New Zealand import Keeli Ferris is one to watch this season.
“Keeli has recently moved from New Zealand and has decided to give AFL football and go and has absolutely loved it so far.
“There are obviously so many girls who have come down and have given AFL a go for the first time, however Keeli is definitely a stand out at this stage.”
The club is ready to make history in Round 1.
“The club as a whole is looking forward to the historic moment these women represent our club.
“We are proud to have each and every one of them there and they are loving the support all the coaching staff and men's team are giving them.
“The girls were out in good numbers and voice for the Round 1 clash for the men's, team, and the men's side will be more than happy to show the same level of support for the women this season.
“For Endeavour Hills to be going into their fifth season and to be able to field three senior male teams and two senior women's teams is a huge step in the development of the club.”
CLICK HERE for the Division 3 fixture
CLICK HERE for the East division fixture
Last Modified on 17/04/2015 15:38