Football West’s commitment to the growth of female football in the build-up to the 2023 Women’s World Cup and beyond continues with the creation of a new position.
Sarah Du Plessis has been appointed Manager, Female Football and Advocacy and will work across all areas to increase the capacity of Football West and our clubs to deliver female football.
Sarah, who was previously Community Participation Lead, said: “It's an exciting time for football in Western Australia and in particular Women’s football, and we want to see it continue to grow, develop and become even stronger.
“The FIFA Women’s World Cup heading to Perth in two years’ time is an incredible opportunity for us to showcase our sport to the wider community and attract new players, in terms of participation and corporate investment.
“We want to leave a legacy for future generations after the World Cup and to do that we have to be committed and work together as a football community to deliver.”
One of Sarah’s focuses will be to target key development needs and priority areas for female football.
“I am looking forward to getting around to as many clubs as possible to see first-hand the great work that they are doing for football. I will also identify key barriers and challenges for females in football and look to develop solutions with clubs to become more inclusive and equitable.”
Sarah will be looking to ensure greater numbers in all areas, including players, coaches, referees and volunteers. This is in keeping with the Football West Female Football Plan, developed in 2018. Currently there are 8,500 females registered in WA, an increase of 11% from 2018. The number of registered coaches has jumped 166% in that time.
“We know we are on an upward curve across the board,” she said.
“We see the popularity of the NPLWA – Women’s competition, which is in its second year. Last year Football West had over five million views on our NPL live streams, with the women’s match between Redbacks and Fremantle City the most watched of all.
“But it is not just the elite side of the game where we can see growth – it is about working closely with our grassroot clubs, players and community across all geographics, cultures and abilities.”
Football West Chief Football Officer Jamie Harnwell welcomed Sarah’s appointment to the new role.
“Sarah has been at Football West for more than two years and is an experienced, hard-working and talented operator who will thrive in this position.
“Football West is committed to ensuring the 2023 Women’s World Cup is both a fantastic experience but also leaves behind something deeper and long-lasting and Sarah will be key to this.
“Our investment in female football over the past three years has shown how serious we are. The NPLWA – Women’s competition is thriving, there are more opportunities than ever for our Gold Fields Women’s and Girls State teams, we have more female referees than before. But we also know there is more work still to be done and we are confident Sarah will help us deliver.”
Filed Under: Community News