Four ready for football nationals

Local youth girls stars, from left, Chloe Peers, Kristy Borg, Kara Donnellan, Alicia Heins and Chantelle Hawkins will suit up for the Victorian under-19 Australian Rules football side at the 2007 AFL Women’s National Championships in Canberra from 9 to 14 July.

By Marc McGowan
FOUR local players will be taking to the field for the Victorian under-19 Australian Rules football side at the 2007 AFL Women’s National Championships in Canberra from 9 to 14 July.
The players come from two clubs – Hallam and Narre Warren – with the former boasting Chloe Peers, Chantelle Hawkins and Kristy Borg, with the latter’s sole representative Kara Donnellan.
Hallam’s star full-forward Alicia Heins has also been named as an emergency.
Hallam youth girls’ coach Shane Bloxidge, whose daughter Naomi was in the initial extended Victorian under-19 squad, is delighted at his club’s presence in the team.
“The youth girls’ competition is really good,” he said.
“It is a great thing for the club in general, but for them to represent both Victoria and the club is exceptional.
“The entire club is just ecstatic over it. It’s been absolutely terrific.”
Bloxidge’s counterpart at Narre Warren, Wally Gasparini, was overcome with all sorts of emotions by Donnellan’s selection.
“It’s great news – relief, actually! She’s come through, which is fantastic,” he said.
This year has been an exciting time for women’s football, with the staging of the inaugural Victorian Youth Girls Championship at Casey Fields this month, and Bloxidge believes the league has come on in leaps and bounds.
“The whole profile has totally lifted. In combination with the girls playing school football, they now have somewhere else to go, especially after the age of 13,” he said.
“The whole thing is growing. Everything is all positive and the girls absolutely love it.
“Any girl or parents that are thinking about allowing their daughters to play, definitely bring them down and have a look.”