This month's CommBank Emerging Matildas Championships showcased not only the brightest young footballers in the country, but also the coaches, officials, and support staff who help bring the tournament to life.
Northern NSW Football took that commitment one step further, arriving with an all-female coaching and support team - including coaching staff, team managers, a physiotherapist and a communications officer.
Their all-women line-up reflects a strong commitment to championing female representation across every level of the game, on and off the pitch.
Women are more likely to step up into coaching and off-pitch roles if they can see others doing so, and this initiative is sure to inspire others to step up in the future.
Helen Moseley took the role of Head Coach of the Under 15s team during the tournament.
Awarded ‘U15s Coach of the Tournament’ by the end of the week, Moseley guided her team to the Final of the Championships, going down to NSW Sky (4-1) in their last hit-out of the tournament.
The Under 16s were coached by former CommBank Matilda, and Interim CommBank ParaMatildas Coach, Alicia Ferguson.
She said that being a part of an all-female coaching group was an uplifting experience.
“It’s a really empowering experience to be part of a majority all-female coaching group,” Ferguson said.
“We all bring a different perspective to the game and there’s a real sense of unity amongst the group.
“It’s great to be a part of something that shows the girls that there’s a place for women in the game, on and off the field.”
Ryan Doidge, the Technical Director for Northern NSW Football, explained that investing in staff is just as important as investing in the players of the future.
“It’s a commitment that we absolutely want to make to provide an incredible environment for our female athletes, and I’m really pleased with the coaches that we’ve got,” Doidge said.
“It’s a huge investment in our coaching pathways in Northern NSW Football, which I hope we can continue to build on.
“I’m really pleased that we were able to do that this year, and I’m looking forward to continuing this initiative.”
Northern NSW Football’s Female Emerging Matildas Staff
Under-15s:
Head coach: Helen Moseley
Assistant coach: Claudia Thomson
Manager: Jess Kellaway
Under-16s:
Head coach: Alicia Ferguson
Assistant coach: Becky Wilson
Manager: Allana Neeve
All Teams:
Physiotherapist: Sophie Tedds
Communications Officer: Hannah Guest