Latest News

Back to Latest News back

 

AFL to invest $5 million to back grassroots participation for girls and women

AFL to invest $5 million to back grassroots participation for girls and women
June 14, 2022

The AFL Commission has approved an investment of more than $5 million to fund phase one of the game’s 2022 Women and Girls Action Plan, designed to drive participation and representation for women and girls across all aspects of community football from playing to coaching, umpiring and administering.

The action plan has been developed to help achieve the aspirations in participation outlined in the Women’s Football Vision, which was released late in 2021 and has a stated objective that the game will strive for equal participation and representation by the end of this decade.

The $5 million upfront commitment for the next three years comes in addition to the AFL’s $8 million extra investment into community football announced in December last year, to help rebuild the grassroots game after two years of COVID disruptions.

The first phase of the Women and Girls Action Plan is focused on grassroots, community football, and includes adding (or expanding) programs to attract and retain girls and women in Auskick, as well as participation in school, community clubs, leadership, coaching and umpiring.

Currently, around 600,000 girls and women participate in community AFL across the country.

Stating that the action plan represents a “big step forward” in the development of the women’s game, AFL General Manager Women’s Football, Nicole Livingstone advised “the Women’s Football Vision set out to make our elite level players the best paid female athletes in domestic sport by end of the decade and as part of that we have increased pay by 94% for the upcoming AFLW Season Seven, which starts in August and will involve all 18 AFL clubs for the first time

“From a community football perspective, we now have 600,000 women and girls participating in our game and it is important we continue to strengthen participation from NAB AFL Auskick to junior and senior community football in environments that are equally safe and inclusive at all levels.

“This is why we have committed to these actions, to ensure that what we are aspiring to will become reality. We want to drive the growth of female football across the board with players, coaches, umpires and administrators.”

In late 2021, the AFL launched its Women’s Football Vision for 2021-2030, outlining its commitment to the game for women and girls across all levels.

Targets in the plan include:

  • Deliver girls-only offerings at every Auskick centre
  • Deliver all-girls competitions from Under-9’s upwards in every region
  • A 50/50 gender split of all AFL-run school programs
  • Develop 20 talent-identified community coaches through the ‘She Can Coach’ program
  • Upskill 600 community coaches
  • Target 3000 new female coaches
  • Develop 40 emerging talented umpires annually
  • Target nearly 1800 new female community umpires
  • Deliver 100 existing oval enhancement and/or lighting projects to provide more facilities for women and girls
  • Deliver 200 targeted gender-neutral player and umpire amenity improvement projects
  • Establish a new grants program to increase access to education and resources and support local women to set up new competitions, clubs and teams
  • Increase gender balanced leadership at the community club level
  • Deliver tailored transition and entry-point programs for coaching and umpiring
  • Ensure specific women and girls targets are embedded in all workplans and staff goals for AFL employees

Last month, the AFL announced players in the AFLW will receive significant pay rise, with a new collective bargaining agreement that will see their salaries increase by 94%. The new pay deal will ensure the average player salary nearly doubles, with the best paid players in the competition receiving $71,935, up from $37,155.

Related Articles

9th June 2022 - AFL’s Gillon McLachlan says new stadium key to Tasmania’s bid for 19th competition team

8th June 2022 - New QBE campaign leverages talent of AFL’s Swans and netball’s NSW Swifts

6th June 2022 - Consultancy firms engaged to further assess Northern Territory AFL club potential

2nd June 2022 - NAB extends AFLW naming rights and AFL major partnership

25th May 2022 - AFL crowds sink to lowest level in 26 years amid fans’ COVID concerns

5th April 2022 - 89% rise in AFLW club membership numbers

17th January 2022 - Swinburne University extends Richmond AFLW partnership

7th January 2022 - Sixth season of AFLW set for kick off

19th November 2021 - Maroochydore Multi Sports Complex named home ground for AFLW’s Brisbane Lions

26th August 2021 - Ongoing lockdowns sees start of AFLW season pushed back until January

23rd August 2021 - Essendon’s AFLW licence to revitalise the Windy Hill precinct

12th August 2021 - AFLW competition to expand to 18 teams for 2022/23

17th May 2021 - Construction commences on AFLW Brisbane Lions new stadium

19th April 2021 - AFLW’s 2021 season sees ongoing growth

7th April 2021 - AFLW grand final to be staged as standalone event with MCG a possible venue

12th February 2021 - AFLW reaches membership record in fifth season


Support our industry news service
We hope that you value the news that we publish so while you're here can we ask for your support?

As an independent publisher, we need reader support for our industry news gathering so ask that - if you don't already do so - you back us by subscribing to the printed Australasian Leisure Management magazine and/or our online news.

 

supplier directory

The Complete Guide to Leisure Industry Products & Services.

See the directory see all

Intelligenz Solutions

Intelligenz provides Leisure Management Software for managing all your Program Registrations, Facility Bookings, Membership Sales and POS Transactions; including detailed Reporting, automated…

read more

Access / Billing / Finance / Marketing / Technology

 
 

Myzone

Email for trade enquiries: Enquiriesapac@myzone.org  Customer support desk - Click Myzone support or go to ‘help’ on myzone app to access live support. Myzone® is the leading…

read more

Fitness / Sport / Technology / Wellness

 
 

Altitude Training Systems

ATS are global leaders in altitude training and research. From mask systems and inflatable tents to simulated altitude facilities, we help all athletes gain the competitive edge. Our…

read more

Fitness / Sport / Technology

 
 

TPEC Pool Enclosures

TPEC Pool Enclosures provide a large range of premium commercial and residential retractable swimming pool, spa and terrace enclosures throughout Australia, servicing residential, local government…

read more

Aquatics / Design / Recreation / Venues

 
 

AlphaFit

AUSTRALIAN MADE. FIT FOR PURPOSE. Based on the Gold Coast, AlphaFit is a leading manufacturer and supplier of Australian gym equipment specifically for the commercial, strength and conditioning,…

read more

Fitness / Recreation / Technology / Wellness

 
 

Fun Wheels Pty Ltd

Fun Wheels Pty Ltd are the premium dealer in Australasia for the Dutch company BERG’s commercial and domestic products. Our flagship product is their revolutionary pedal go-kart – the…

read more

Attractions / Tourism / Venues

 
 

Anti Wave Global

Anti Wave Global is the original suppliers of top performance swim, aquatic sports, leisure and pool programming equipment. Founded in 1971, Anti Wave Global is proud of its long and tested…

read more

Aquatics / Play / Sport

 
 

Links Modular Solutions

Links Modular Solutions was a leading provider of high-quality, innovative software solutions for aquatic and recreation facilities. Links Modular Solutions is now part of Xplor Technologies.

read more

Access / Billing / Finance / Fitness / Technology

 
 
 
 

get listed with our suppliers directory

Get your business noticed in our targeted directory. Viewed by 10,000 industry professionals per week!

list your business