Women's Football In the ACT - Capital Football's Best Kept Secret?

This program is broadcast on 2xxfm, 98.3mhz, Tuesday 4 May 2010 at 7:00PM, as part of the Australian Community Radio Network.

We talk to two excellent Women's Premier League Coaches - Pat Mills of Belwest Foxes and Ed Hollis of Woden Valley FC. They know what they are doing and doing it well.

Why is Women's Football getting so good so fast? And no money in sight!

So time to put it out there!

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Well here is a thought - unencumbered by the prospect of riches in football beyond your wildest dreams, advataged by the one pathway that Men's Football have coveted but will never get, nor would want(particpation in a National Competition for no monetary reward of any consequence), all that is left is to play the game as good as it can be played for the game's sake. Women's Football is at its most uncomplicated in the ACT, most productive and mostly without all the tiresome mountains of bulldust that infects the men's game. In this environment, the notion that everyone should generally cooperate and get on the same developmental page seems the only sensible thing to do in the ACT. So they are doing it for themsleves!

But so much more could and should be done for Women's Football in the ACT region.

It occurrs to me that the W League will always survive, very modest and affordable in cost as it is, while the over -pampered Men's A league becomes a paradoy of itself, as it does an ever more convincing portrayl of a financial basket case. The Men in the A league wouldn't play for the money that the women play for in the W League - which is nothing like a living wage for the time they play. So who is really playing for the love of the game? And what does that say about htose that "run the game" in fortress Sydney?

I have a clear recollection of the enormous amount of work that the young players of the wider Canberra United squad, under the careful and insigthful control of Coach Juna, undertook last year from some time well before the start of the season - it was as good as a a full time footballer's workload without a full time player's salary. Not much the coach could do about it, his job is to coach.

And where are those big corporate fellas with all the dosh for the A League for Canberra bid when it comes to Women's Football ? Qucik to get their name on the register, as if this really demonstrated a passion for the game! They are probably counting their lucky stars the A League team in Canberra never happened is my guess.

If you want to see the W League game then you tune into the ABC, free to air television. If you want to watch the Men's A league well you have to pay Foxtel. Just terrific. The money was important they said and still seven of the A league clubs have had to be resusitated by the FFA. But no more money for the W League.

Well here is a low cost solution for these hardy corporate sponsors that will enable them to indulge their unswerving passion to support Football - throw a modest amount of that filthy luca at Canberra United this season. Their games can go across the nation, free to air. They have got to be the best advertising vehicle / opportunity in the ACT and around Australia.

To think that some of us want an Men's A league Youth team as a consolation prize? Well how about we value what we have - Canberra United and women's football in the ACT? Why would anyone in their right mind give us an A league Youth team when we don't have the financial support to pay the women players a living wage for the time they play in the short season that is the W league?

Its said that the W League is nothing more than an  opportunity to keep the Matilda aspirants at a suitable level of competition. Probably true and of itself a laudible outcome, but the W League is already so much more. Doesn;t the saem logic apply to the men in the A League? Hmmmm!

Women's Football in the ACT is growing fast, the pathways for talented players are working well and getting better, as Capital Football HPP, ACTAS and Clubs get on the same developmental page, act as exmplars for the FFA as they implement the National Football Curriculum, giving the women a really good shot at higher honours. Still no money, and still the football is getting better. Then there is the small but steadily increasing number of our ACT women players who are being offerred College scholarships to the US to play football, thanks in no small measure to Capital Football Assistant Technical Director, Pat McCann's extensive contacts in the USA.

So the women can compete for a college education, a superb football experience and perhaps a chance to play professional football for  much better remuneration than a living wage and so much better than the peanuts the W League or Matildas offer. And the Men get what - an A League youth team spot on something less than the dole, perhaps Europe in the some fourth division Club after you turn 18 years of age? I know who's got the better deal.

Some of our best Football every weekend now is being played in the Women's Premier League. Get to it and see for yourself.