State League 4 & 5 teams both secure promotion.
In March 2022 we decided to back our passion to grow female football and for the first time register 3 senior women’s teams for the 2022 season. Our State League 5 team would consist of U19’s made up of players from our own U17’s and a group of players who wanted to join from Bentleigh Greens, along with their coach and team manager Frank & Michelle Vitiritti. Our two other teams were set to play in State Leagues 2 and 4.
Our female Director of Football, Kiwi international Rebecca Stott, joined to develop our youth program and we were set to kick off our season. With Frank coaching the U19 State League 5 team, ‘Stotty’ took the reign of the State League 4 squad and senior coach Danielle Tracey led the State League 2 team, we targeted a playing group of 50 to ensure the younger girls had a clear pathway to senior football.
Fast forward to Sunday 28 August, the final game of the season for each team, and we have 53 senior women players registered, all making a significant contribution to the 3 teams success with 181 goals scored. We welcomed 23 new female players to Beauy, our youngest player is 15, our oldest 57 and 27 players are 19years or younger.
The final competitive games saw our State League 4 & 5 teams both secure outright promotion with the State League 4 team crowned champions with a 4-1 Victory over Macedon Blues United and the State League 5 team only missing top spot due to goal difference.
Our Committee is dedicated to providing gender parity in playing numbers to the Club by 2025, not by reducing the number of boys and men playing, but by increasing our playing group to 700 with ages from 7 to 63. The growing stature of our women’s teams is integral to achieving this success, as role models for young women and attracting the best players in Bayside.
This fantastic achievement is a tribute to a wonderful group of girls, their coaches & all their support crew for their commitment, belief and their on-field performances. We also acknowledge the huge commitment of committee members Peter Allison and George Johnson whose passion and energy to making female football at Beaumaris a joy to be part of and establishing our reputation for leadership and excellence in coaching and management of our female playing group.
With the FIFA Women’s World Cup being hosted in Melbourne next July we can’t wait for the 23 seasons to begin.
Anyone can be a Matilda
GO BEAUY