By Mikayla van Loon
Mooroolbark’s women’s veterans football team have made the grand final against front runners Chirnside Park, each vying for the title on Saturday 27 August.
Coach and player Alison Fitzgerald said even though there are only three teams in the competition, with a few wins on the board, it shows how far the team has come this year.
“What it does is show the improvement from last season…but even more so for the individual growth of the girls and as such the growth of the team as a whole,” she said.
Making the final and getting some wins throughout the season, Fitzgerald said ignites some confidence and “lets you know that you’ve done everything right throughout the year.”
“Whether it’s training, different drills that you take to the girls, different challenges that you give to the girls, they’ve risen and met them and as a result, they’ve been rewarded for it.”
Fitzgerald said with the senior women playing their inaugural season and with the vets getting to play a full year, the support from the Mooroolbark Football Club has been incredible.
“I think they’re just embracing women’s football as a whole,” she said.
“They have been absolutely amazing in their support and encouragement of us.”
With access to Mooroolbark’s senior men’s coach Bret Lavers, Fitzgerald said she has been able to learn from him and pick up a few pointers throughout the season.
“I’ve learned from Bret that there’s always something to work on. If you can spot it, then you can get onto it straightaway, and you can hopefully minimize any weaknesses or anything in that team link.
“As a coach, I faced a few challenges this year, probably the biggest one is belief and confidence in yourself.
“Sometimes when things aren’t going right, you sometimes question whether you’re the right person for the job, but the support and encouragement and the backing that I’ve had from not just my team and my captain but from those outside with experience and their wealth of knowledge, reinforcing for me that I’m doing the right thing.”
The improvement individually and as a team, Fitzgerald said has been noticeable, with players “more familiar and comfortable with their position on the football field.”
“The girls have gotten super confident in themselves and what they bring to their individual roles and how it all melts together as a team effort.”
Heading into the grand final, Fitzgerald said the team is hoping for a win.
“There is that deep seated belief that if we turn it on on the day, and we play the way we have been playing, we have the chance to win it.
“It will be a close game. So it will be four quarters of very hard fought football but I’m quietly confident.”
No matter the outcome, Fitzgerald said she will be proud of her team and the competitive edge they’ve been able to develop this season while still having fun.
“I just hope it encourages more women over 35 to realise that this is doable. We’ve had girls who have never touched a ball before, let alone a football, and they just flourish.
“That team camaraderie, that support, that backing of each other, it’s something really special, we call it our tribe and it really is just such a beautiful environment to be in.
“So hopefully, not just with the success of making the grand final, people can see that over 35 team sports are still so imperative for good balance in life and all the positives that they bring.”
Mooroolbark and Chirnside Park will take to the ground on Saturday 27 August at 4:45pm at Quambee Reserve in Ringwood.
