Perth Voice Interactive

THE GIRLS Festival of Community Soccer will be returning to Fremantle Oval next week, still buoyed by the Matildas’ success two years on from the Women’s World Cup. 

Now in its third year, the festival will play host to over 650 girls on 80 teams from 18 clubs around Perth, with age categories from 7-17. 

Supported by a committee of volunteers, the festival will comprise matches in a five-a-side format. 

Festival chief marshal and former Fremantle City coach Jarrah Smith-Taylor says the dramatic uptick in registrations is directly thanks to the ‘Matilda’ effect 

“It’s really awesome, because it allows girls to compete outside the season, and compete with players and against players that they might not always get to,” Ms Smith-Taylor said. 

“It’s a one-day festival, but the amount of work that goes into it is nothing compared to the results that we see in girls feeling like they can compete and that they can have fun in an event that’s just for them, which is so often the case. 

“It’s an opportunity that boys have had for the longest time.” 

Festival chair Lindsay Tacy says she expects the event to grow even further next year, encouraged by the “absolutely phenomenal” momentum of interest set by the Matildas. 

“The Women’s World Cup here in Australia started the Matildas effect… they set such a great example, it’s pushed all of our young girls to want to be like them,” Ms Tacy said. 

“We’ve really stretched the boundaries of Fremantle Oval and added two additional pitches. 

“Because of the growth, we will even need to grow the organising committee next year.”

Larger women’s soccer organisations have also jumped on board. 

“Perth Glory are providing jerseys for the MVP of each age group, and [Glory] and Football West are providing a door prize…former Perth Glory captain Tash Rigby is even going to hold a training session with the winning team at the Sam Kerr Centre,” Ms Tacy said. 

“Having those incentives and prizes has been amazing.” 

It’s important to hold events like the Festival to legitimise women’s football in Australia, especially in the wake of misogynistic comments like that made by Marty Sheargold which Ms Smith-Taylor says were “disappointing, but not surprising”. 

“I think that the most recent World Cup allowed for our culture to shift in a positive direction… it was one of the greatest things that could have happened for women’s sport in Australia, but I do think we still have a really long way to go.”

by KATHERINE KRAAYVANGER