Female competitions in NSFA Summer 6-a-side have kicked off for another season, with registrations growing once again as the community seizes the chance to play sport following the abandoned winter season.
Monday night’s Women’s Over 30s competition at North Turramurra Recreation Area was the first to hit its registration cap across all venues.
Local club North Turramurra FC has leveraged the popularity of summer football competition to drive registrations across the entire club, but in particular women’s teams.
“For the past few years we’ve targeted summer 6-a-side as a way to get women into organised football,” explained Tina Phillips, Female Football Coordinator at North Turramurra.
“We provide the the teams with club kits and encourage players from each previous season to bring in friends to grow numbers.
“The players have really enjoyed the summer football experience and that has led to them signing up for the winter season as well, we have created two new Women’s Over 35s teams over the past two years!”
Similar results have been achieved at Turramurra United.
“Summer football is a great way to both re-engage with players who played when they were younger and stopped and encourage new players to give football a go,” said Turramurra United Female Football Coordinator Jacinta Martin.
“One night a week is an easier commitment than a winter season with training and games, but once they start playing summer football a lot of players want to continue into the winter season.
“Since 2018 we’ve doubled our player numbers in Women’s All Age and Over 35s.”
This year there are 106 female-only teams in summer football (27% of total numbers) and currently 1043 female players registered across all competitions. Summer female player representation sits at 33%, higher than the winter season figure of 27% and setting the course for our 2023 goal of 32% overall.
Female football in NSFA is proudly supported by Harvey Norman.