Diggers Rest Junior Football Club is making its first foray into girls’ football.
The Burras have previously had girls play in the boy’s juniors sides, but this season the club wants to field a girls’ side for the first time.
The club is hoping to field an under-18 youth girls’ side in the AFL Goldfields season, with significant interest already coming in.
The club had 10 registered players for the season before the start of pre-season training last week.
Burras’ secretary Belinda Spillman said they wanted to get behind the push to have girls’ football now, so that they would be in a position to start providing a pathway for female players.
The club has appointed Jess Fenech as the club’s inaugural girls’ coach.
“She has played in multiple women’s teams and done some coaching before,” Spillman said of Fenech. “She’s new to the area and wanted to get involved.”
The club has also managed to get Nickiera Johnson on board. Johnson has been part of the Calder Cannons’ squad.
Spillman said there were good signs for the club with several of the boys under-16.5 players trying to get their girlfriends on board and sponsors appeared keen to be involved.
The side will play in a Riddell District Football League competition.
As well as adding a youth girls’ side, the club is looking at having boys’ sides in every age group.
Last season the Burras didn’t have an under-14 team.
Things are looking good on the netball side as well, with the club fielding sides in every age group. The club has put in an application to have two under-11 teams as well.
Details: drjfc@outlook.com
