2025 Female Football Week Award Winners

2025 Female Football Week Award Winners

Referee of the Year

Name: Deia Raxach

Club/Association: Wide Bay Region

Member Federation: Football Queensland

Nomination:

At just 17, Deia has become a standout referee in the Wide Bay region. Starting as a player at age 11, she transitioned to refereeing in 2022 and quickly progressed through the ranks thanks to her confidence, fairness, and deep understanding of the game.

Deia is respected by players and coaches alike for her calm presence, strong communication, and ability to manage games with control and flow. Her playing background gives her valuable insight into game dynamics and player behaviour under pressure.

Now a Level 3 referee and part of the Football Queensland Referee Academy, Deia regularly officiates FQPL matches and has been selected for the NPLW Magic Round and State Schoolboys Cup. She is the only female referee in Hervey Bay and regularly travels to Bundaberg for high-level appointments, including FQPL men’s and U23 games.

Beyond the whistle, Deia is a mentor to new referees, known for her encouraging but honest feedback. She’s also an active club volunteer, coach, and role model—always supporting young players and helping wherever she’s needed.

Deia’s dedication, maturity, and passion for the game make her a deserving nominee for the Referee of the Year award.

LEGO Player of the Year

Name: Emily Casella

Club/Association: The Big Issue Australia & Football Futures Foundation Australia

Member Federation: Football West

Nomination:

I'd like to nominate Emily Cassella for the FFW Player of the Year award, as her growth, leadership, and unwavering commitment to both football and the community truly set her apart.

Emily’s journey in football started at age 11 when she was playing for Northern Redbacks, then 10 years ago Emily joined the East Perth Street Soccer Program, where she started as a shy and reserved player. Despite her small size, Emily quickly became known as a fearless and dominating presence on the field. Always willing to challenge players twice her size, her bold slide tackles and commanding defensive play made her a key asset to the team. Over the years, Emily has grown from just a player into a leader who inspires others with her determination and skill.

Today, Emily volunteers at all three of The Big Issue’s Street Soccer programs in Perth—helping run the women’s as well as two mixed-gender teams. Her commitment extends far beyond just playing; she is dedicated to mentoring, and supporting participants, showing them the same passion she brings to the pitch.

Emily’s influence also extends to the international stage. She has been selected as the only female player from the WA State Intellectual Disability Football Team to represent Australia at the upcoming Genuine World Cup tournament in Houston, Texas. This event celebrates inclusion for athletes with intellectual and developmental disabilities (IDD) and autism, featuring teams from across the globe. Emily’s involvement in this tournament reflects her strong belief in the power of sport to break down barriers and build inclusive communities.

Through her work with The Big Issue and Football Futures, her roles as a volunteer coach, her representation of Australia (Special Olympics ABU Dhabi 2019 & Genuine), Emily Cassella is a true ambassador for football and inclusion. She is an exceptional candidate for the FFW Player of the Year award, embodying the values of leadership, resilience, and community.

Volunteer of the Year

Name: Lauren Gibson

Club/Association: Penrith Football Club

Member Federation: Football NSW

Nomination:

Lauren Gibson is not just a volunteer — she is the heart, soul, and driving force behind Penrith Football Club and a champion of community football in the Nepean District. Over the past five years with the club, and now serving as President for nearly two, Lauren has shown unwavering commitment to the sport, her club, and the wider football community. Her leadership is defined by selflessness, vision, and resilience — qualities that truly make her stand out as a deserving nominee for the 2024 Female Football Week (FFW) Awards.

Why She Stands Out

What makes Lauren truly exceptional is her tireless dedication, even in the face of unimaginable adversity. In March 2024, Lauren suffered a sudden cardiac arrest during a protest meeting for the upcoming season — a life-threatening event that required open-heart surgery the following month. Most would step back and focus on recovery. Not Lauren. Instead, she dedicated herself even more fiercely to ensuring that every player, parent, volunteer, and member of her football community had the best possible experience.

Her story is one of courage, service, and relentless passion for grassroots football.

Impact on Football & the Community

Lauren’s leadership has had a profound impact, not just within Penrith FC, but across the entire Nepean Football District. In a time when the introduction of the new Play Football platform created confusion and challenges for many clubs, Lauren spearheaded efforts to unify clubs, fostering a culture of collaboration over competition. She initiated shared communication channels — including WhatsApp groups — that became lifelines for club volunteers. These platforms allowed for:

• Real-time problem solving
• Shared resources and coaching advice
• Open idea sharing
• A strong sense of unity and support between clubs
• Her focus has always been clear: make football better, together.

What Others Say About Lauren

Within Penrith FC and beyond, Lauren is regarded as a game-changer. She’s often described as a “doer,” someone who doesn’t just talk about change — she makes it happen. Whether it's volunteers, coaches, or parents, everyone speaks of her compassion, innovation, and leadership. She’s known as the person who always answers the call, lifts others up, and never forgets the value of grassroots community spirit.

Silent Achievements & Unseen Impact

While Lauren’s leadership is visible, many of her greatest achievements happen quietly behind the scenes:

• Organising last-minute team availability updates to ensure no child misses out on playing
• Supporting volunteers through overwhelming administrative systems
• Offering mentorship to new club presidents and committee members across other clubs
• Personally checking in on families and players facing financial or personal hardship

She doesn’t seek recognition, but her ripple effect is felt far and wide.

Service, Milestones, and Achievements

• 6 years of service to Penrith FC
• Club President for nearly 2 years
• Led club through Play Football transition with innovative communication strategies
• Introduced elite holiday training camps in Penrith to increase local participation and skill development to highlight to talent our association has and offer more opportunities.
• Initiated inter-club collaboration for district-wide growth
• Advocated for change and unity within the Nepean Football Association (NFA)
• Her vision? To reverse the trend of player loss to other associations by creating a vibrant, inclusive, and united football environment here in Nepean.

Why She Deserves to Be a 2025 FFW Award Winner

Lauren Gibson is a beacon of hope and change. She embodies everything the FFW Awards celebrate — passion, leadership, inclusivity, and resilience. Her story is one of personal sacrifice, community service, and an unwavering belief in the power of football to unite and uplift. She doesn’t just serve her club — she champions an entire district, empowering others and leading with courage.

Through every challenge — even in the face of her own health crisis — Lauren has shown what true leadership looks like. For all she has done, continues to do, and will undoubtedly achieve in the future, she is more than deserving of the 2025 FFW Award.

Community Champion of the Year

Name: Penelope Hoath

Club/Association: Murdoch University Melville Football Club

Member Federation: Football West

Nomination:

Penny Tanner Hoath is a true champion of grassroots football in WA dedicating over 40 years to the sport as a player, coach, administrator, archivist, media advocate, and mentor. Penny is a tireless advocate for the women’s game.

Penny is a Life Member of Murdoch University Melville Football Club (MUMFC), where she has played, coached, and mentored players, coaches and volunteers since 1983. She recently rejoined the club’s executive committee as the Girls and Women’s Vice President.

Over the last 12 months at MUMFC, Penny has:

• Established a robust volunteer infrastructure to support and develop women’s football at the club. Her leadership has resulted in a 186% increase in girls playing at the club in 2025.
• Encouraged and mentored new coaches and coordinators.
• Facilitated the establishment of mentorships between senior and junior players.
• Developed Girls Goalie Training Programme, specialist training where young aspiring keepers are trained by Perth Glory and they on share their skills with primary aged keepers.
• Instigated MUMFC engagement with Club Changer program, achieving the first star.

In addition to her lifetime commitment and achievements at MUMFC, Penny:

• Has had a decorated career, representing WA in 11 consecutive national championships, including as captain.
• Represented Australia
• Hosts, produces, coordinates, owns the World Football Programme since 2005, Australia’s longest-running football radio show (since 1987)
• Extensively documented and archived the history of women’s football in WA.
• Was a member of the inaugural Women’s Standing Committee for 10 years since inception (2005), is a member of the Football West Women’s Standing Committee.
• Is the only female on Football Hall of Fame Board
• Was awarded Life Membership of Football West (2012).

Penny’s leadership, vision, and unwavering commitment have enriched the lives of players, clubs, and the broader football community in WA. Her work in transforming the girls and women’s program at MUMFC over the last 12 months has been inspirational. Penny’s a remarkable community champion.

CommBank Coach of the Year

Name: Catherine Toro

Club/Association: Victoria Park Football Club and Green Gully Soccer Club

Member Federation: Football Victoria

Nomination:

Nomination 1:

Catherine worked tirelessly during 2023 to get a Women's and Girls team at Victoria Park FC (They had no women’s or girls’ teams) and after the appointed coach (male) deserted the team at the end of the year Catherine was forced to pick up the pieces and coach both teams herself despite the club being happy to let the women’s and girls’ program fade away.  Catherine would build and coach two teams in 2024. The women were awarded the BDSA President's Award and the U12 girls won the league and cup double. Catherine's love for football has no equal and she deserves recognition for all her efforts.

Nomination 2:

Catherine was a fantastic coach; she spent a lot of time researching drills to keep the girls engaged. She was always fair with everyone on the team. She coached both women and girls’ team, twice a week and played as well. Her volunteer coaching role no doubt took her hours a week and she was always happy to support the teams

Nomination 3:

Catherine started a women’s and girls’ program at Vic Park FC, volunteering 2 times a week training the girls and women from 4:30pm to 8pm at night, she also went to every game on Sunday to support and coach the girls. For the senior women she was a player and a coach. She didn't miss any games. She helped to start a program and support this program until the end of 2024, winning league championship and The Cup with the under 12 girls. This program will continue running this season, but Catherine is coaching a metro team at Green Gully FC. She helped those girls and women to participate of soccer and had the confidence to play a season. Catherine supports players helping them to participate in competitions like Shepparton Cup, Western United Cup and gala games, she will get the girls together and dedicate her own time to train them. She did that during 2024. She will send players to SAP program where she helps with the regional players. She sent some players in 2024 that were selected at SAP. Catherine will be give up and supports players creating opportunities for them to keep going forward and playing in more competitive environments. She will be coaching green Gully u12 girls this season taking players from Ballarat to play Metro. She is also coaching SAP supporting the regional girls. She should be the winner because she supported so many female players on 2024 and she will continue supporting girls even when the club didn't support her or believe in the female program or that the girls have the same rights to play than the boys.

Nomination 4:

I've known Catherine for years now, and since she became involved in female football, she has made a tremendous impact in encouraging girls and women to embrace the game and feel confident playing. In 2024, she helped to start the Vic Park female program, bringing together players for the senior team, in addition to playing herself. Catherine coached both the U12 girls and the senior women's teams, volunteering her time to train them twice a week from 4:30 to 8:00 PM every Tuesday and Thursday. Despite the lack of support from the club's representatives, Catherine handled administrative tasks to ensure the program's success. Catherine has been instrumental in helping many first-time players get involved in football, offering guidance and support for their development. Most of these players are still active in different teams this season (2025). Even without full support from Vic Park, Catherine helped her teams achieve impressive victories, including winning the league and cup, while her senior team earned an award for dedication and the establishment of the women's team. She also took the initiative to bring girls to tournaments and friendly games, further promoting their growth in the sport. She also sent girls to SAP. Catherine is committed to being the best role model possible. Last year, she earned her Foundation and C licence, and this year, she plans to pursue her B licence. In addition, Catherine has had the opportunity to train a Metro team at Green Gully (u12 girls 2025), and she's eager to continue coaching the Regional SAP program in 2025. Her drive to empower female football players continues to grow, and her dedication deserves recognition.

Nomination 5:

Catherine coached our daughter Sally and her team to grand final victory last year. She created a new team and inspired them to win. This year she started a new girls’ team at Green Gully, again with her daughter in the team. She drives from Ballarat to Melbourne 3 times a week to coach and is a great role model for the girls.

Nomination 6:

The U12 girls whom Catherine coaches feel empowered and confident-at a crucial period of their development when females statistically tend to drop out of sports-thanks to Cathy's perseverance and personal sacrifices fighting for them to play. Despite being faced with an unsupportive and bigoted culture, Cathy never brings these politics to her coaching. Instead, she has led the creation of a team culture that significantly increases the girls' self-esteem. Catherine's natural approach quietly assumes girls have been equal in sport forever. Perhaps this belief is due to her matriarchal Latin-American background. She celebrates its femininity in her self-expression and with its strong, feminine role models like Frida Khalo and Shakira. In turn she models this not only to the girls she coaches, but also for their club, association, families and opponents to see what is possible in, what she often refers to as, 'the beautiful game’. A single parent, Catherine's time and dedication to coaching and promoting girls' soccer is astounding-and yet she also managed to be a class of '24 university graduate. Education is her other passion, and along with female football Cathy also models and promotes life-long learning and continual personal growth, striving to be the best one can be. She continues devoting much of her spare time to developing her own coaching and mentoring skills to ensure she is supporting the players to similarly reach their full potential. I have three children, and in all their sporting endeavours I have never encountered a more dedicated junior coach than Catherine. Her end-of-season presentation speech captured so many unique and individual aspects of each and every team-member one-by-one, showing how well she had got to know each of them and how important they all are. We are deeply grateful for her passion and knowledge, and very much look forward to seeing her opportunities and achievements in the coming years.

Nomination 7:

Catherine Todo Bernal has made an indelible mark on youth soccer through her exceptional dedication and leadership. As the coach of the Under-12 girls' team at Green Gully, she has pioneered a new pathway for young female athletes, fostering both their skills and love for the game. Catherine stands out due to her unwavering commitment to her players and innovative coaching approach. Her ability to connect with young athletes and inspire them to reach their full potential is truly remarkable. Her impact on football and the Green Gully community is profound. She has led her team to success on the field and created an inclusive environment where every player feels valued. Fluent in Spanish, she reaches girls from diverse backgrounds, enriching the club's community. Previously, Catherine coached at Ballarat Soccer Club, where she led the Under-12 girls' team to win both the championship and the league cup. Her outstanding contributions were recognised with the President's Award from the Ballarat District Soccer Association, honouring her for recruiting, coaching, and even playing alongside her team. Members of the football club speak highly of Catherine, praising her dedication, kindness, and ability to motivate her players. She is seen as a role model and a pillar of the community, always willing to go the extra mile for her team. Catherine's silent achievements include countless hours of volunteering, mentoring young coaches, and providing personalised support to her players. She often spends her own time and resources to ensure her team has the best possible experience, from organising extra training sessions to offering emotional support. Catherine empowers young girls to believe in themselves and their abilities. Her coaching philosophy focuses on building confidence, resilience, and teamwork, preparing her players not just for soccer, but for life. Catherine should be a 2025 Award winner because of her exceptional contributions to youth soccer, her dedication to her community, and her ability to inspire and empower the next generation of female athletes. Her impact is felt both on and off the field, making her a truly deserving candidate for this prestigious award.