By JULIA MONTESANO
STEP aside Dane Swan, because Westmeadows’ inaugural EDFL Women’s team is set to make huge waves in the new-look competition this year.
The side started training before Christmas, where they had nine to 10 girls show up at sessions.
With EDFL Women’s edging closer and closer, there are now 25 Tigers out training on the track.
Secretary, Deb William explains who the players to watch are.
“Danielle Linton is known for her basketball skills but has been performing well on the track,” William said.
“Liana Keenan is very, very fit and will go great going through the centre.”
There are also a couple of sister combinations suiting up for the Tigers in 2018.
Kloe Jordan-Wilson hails from a basketball background and looks set to play alongside her sister, Mariah.
But basketball is not the only sport that the players have come across from, with William admitting that there are many cricketers in the side as well.
“Most of the girls played in the first Westmeadows side in the cricket,” she said.
“They made the grand final in their first cricket season as well, which has been really nice.
“There's a core group of about 10 there that have all played cricket.”
One thing Westmeadows is renowned for is its junior program and it is just as strong for the females of the suburb.
Two years ago, the club only had one Under 15 Youth Girls side, but now it has multiple female sides running around in the EDFL.
“We'll now have all sides up, so we've got Under 11s, open women's and single female teams,” William said.
“We made a decision with the Under 9s to keep it mixed so that's possibly easier for the families to try and get kids around to different venues.”
But that is not all to be excited about at Willowbrook Reserve, with the Hume Council approving the club’s request to have lights installed at the ground.
This means that the EDFL Women’s side could make a few appearances under lights towards the latter part of the season.
The Westmeadows EDFL Women’s side will be coached by Matthew Walker in 2018, and William is excited by the prospect.
“He's played all his juniors with us and he's very involved in the cricket club,” she said.
“(Walker has) always been involved in the footy club and hasn't played himself for the last couple of seasons, but he's a local lad and he's got a really great rapport and relationship with the girls.”
If you would like to play at Willowbrook Reserve this season, please contact secretary, Deb William on 0434 013 702.
