17 August 2023
It was a serious case of football fever at the recent Safety Bay Senior High School Women's World Cup Aspiration Day.
With the World Cup in full swing in Australia and New Zealand, students got the chance to rub shoulders with special guest, former Manchester United Ladies Captain Donna Douglas.
The event was a chance to showcase some of WA's budding soccer talent in an interschool competition, as well as providing practical skill development sessions supported by Football West.
About 70 young female athletes attended from Safety Bay, Lynwood Senior High School, South Coast Baptist College, Kelmscott Senior High School and Kalamunda Senior High School.
Students were able to learn more from Ms Douglas during a question and answer session.
Ms Douglas emphasised the importance of sportsmanship, teamwork, and personal growth while sharing stories of her own journey as a trailblazer in the women’s game.
"Success on the field isn't just about scoring goals," Ms Douglas said.
Students competing during the interschool competition.
"It's about commitment, continuous learning, and uplifting your teammates.
"It doesn't matter what boots you're wearing, but who is in the boots."
As a driving force in developing soccer at grassroots levels, Football West's skills session was a great opportunity for the students to show what they had on the field.
"Grassroots participation and high school participation are so important to the growth of the sport," Football West Club Development Manager Bianca Glanville said.
"When studying, having something like football as a release is so important for their mental health.
"The resilience and the determination they learn on the field can be transferred to the classroom and can help in their studies."