As Football South Coast celebrates 100 years of women's football, former Matildas star Amy Duggan believes the local game is in safe hands for young girls.
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FSC will hold a special event to toast the milestone on Thursday night at The Grange Golf Club. Duggan, who played 27 games for Australia in the late 1990s to mid-200s and now presents for WIN News Illawarra, believes it is a substantial achievement.
"I'm super proud that the game continues to grow. I love how far we've come and what's to come in the next few years," Duggan said.
"I think it's an amazing achievement. The Illawarra had its first Matilda in Julie Porter and has since produced more homegrown stars - and now many W-League and A-League Women's players - at grassroots level in the Premier League and now at the top tier. The game is growing, the number of players increasing year on year. It's a great opportunity for girls to stay fit and healthy, and learn all the lessons football has to teach us."
However, Duggan believes there is still a long way to go for the women's game to achieve equality with men's football. She says the likes of Matildas forward Caitlin Foord play a key role in driving that growth.
"There is definitely room for growth. I'd love to see at least 50:50 (gender) participation at grass roots, more professional positions and more game time for juniors. But that all requires investment in clubs and facilities, and infrastructure," Duggan said. "Caitlin's story is awesome, she's an Illawarra local who made it all the way to the top and has stayed there and now is a full-time professional athlete. Many of my generation and those before could only dream about that. Caitlin's list of achievements is amazing and she's not done yet, and I can't wait for her to line up for the Matildas each time they take to the field. What's great is that young girls and boys can follow in her footsteps."
The centenary celebrations has also given Duggan a chance to reflect on her own time in the game.
Highlights during her distinguished playing career included winning an Australian Women's National Soccer League title with Canberra Eclipse and being part of the 1999 FIFA Women's World Cup in the US.
"That helped me see what the game in Australia could become - I always knew one day that the team would pack out stadiums," she said.
"There's not one highlight from my career, just a lot of ups and down. But I have fond memories of the friendships that I made, and our team achievements."
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Joshua Bartlett
A sporting fanatic who is keen to promote all codes in the Illawarra and abroad. Mercury's chief football reporter.
A sporting fanatic who is keen to promote all codes in the Illawarra and abroad. Mercury's chief football reporter.
