Women make their mark
AJAX Football Club will venture into unknown territory next season, with the club gearing up to launch its inaugural senior women’s football team.
AJAX Football Club will venture into unknown territory next season, with the club gearing up to launch its inaugural senior women’s football team.
Aimed at women 16-years and older, AJAX FC director of football Andrew Shenker says he was made aware of a “core group of women” interested in forming a team, and along with AJAX president Ronnie Lewis, immediately decided to support the initiative.
“According to the AFL, women’s football is the fastest growing sport in Australia according to participation numbers,” Shenker told the <I>AJN<P>.
“To be able to offer young Jewish women the opportunity to represent their community, as we do our young men, at the highest level possible in any sport is all that we are about at the AJAX FC.
“It seems a natural progression for our great club to want to grow to the next level.”
Shenker was initially approached by Chelsea Fisher, a hard-running, hard-tackling midfielder, who says she is “hugely excited” about the prospect of a senior women’s team.
“Footy has been ingrained with a longstanding stigma of being a man’s sport,” Fisher said.
“To know that I and other girls are soon going to be able to display our passion and love for this sport is not only a challenge we embrace with enthusiasm, but also a huge privilege.”
The new AJAX initiative fulfils Fisher’s longtime dream to take to the footy field in a legitimate competition, and she is calling on other women to join her in the hallowed club colours for season 2015.
“My message to other girls who are debating whether or not to be a part of this exciting journey is to jump on board,” she said.
“By playing footy you are not only going to be challenging yourself physically, but you will avail yourself to the euphoric feeling of singing the AJAX team song while celebrating a victory over our opponents.”
Shenker says, “reaction has been terrific”, and that the women’s team will be offered the same backing as the well-established men’s team.
“Our committee is fully supportive, as is our new senior coach [Marty Pask] and the club’s leadership group,” Shenker said.
“We have just introduced a wonderful mentoring/life coaching program to our club and this resource will be available to our entire women’s squad too.”
AJAX FC senior women’s team information evening on Tuesday November 25th, 6.30pm at David Mandi Pavilion, Albert Park. Contact Andrew Shenker on 0418311162 for details.
ADAM BLAU
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