Las categorías del grupo Federación Icaria (FEDICARIA)

Women's football in Australia has had many successes and has achieved much since its inception. The game has come a long way and has, as historians Hay and Murray (2014) argue, 'become established as a national and international and high-participation sport' in Australia. While there is still some way to go in achieving equal status with the men's game there are many stories of success and achievement left unheard. These victories are not only realised on the fields of international competition but are experienced throughout all participatory levels of the game. The women interviewees come from a wide cross-section of the football community and are pleased to be provided with another opportunity to voice their stories of success and celebration.

Playing for your State and Country

For many of the women involved, selection for either your home state or Australia, provides the most memorable experiences:

Getting the name out there you know and actually being recognised for representing your country because people didn’t recognise it, they didn’t understand women’s soccer, what’s that you know. (Sharon Young 14/8/13) What stands out, I think when I got my first NSW jersey and my first game was against Northern NSW, in Adelaide, the Nationals. I scored a nice goal, hit it sweetly just outside the eighteen yard box and I will never forget it. (Dalys Carmody 19/6/12)

I think there was one claim to fame. I think even one stage they beat Brazil and that was unheard of as we were a bunch of misfits. It was hard for the National team to train together because some were from Melbourne some were from Canberra, Brisbane. All over the place. (Dalys Carmody 19/6/12)

I guess, after the Nationals when you are at a dinner, I guess you know when you get your name read out that you made the National squad that is pretty special. You go and ring mum and dad up – it is pretty special. (Dalys Carmody 19/6/12)

I can remember when we went over to Perth. It was all so exciting, it was such a big deal. Three little country girls off to play in the Aussie Championships. I will always remember it. You just don’t forget things like that. Just winning the Grand Final was really neat as well. You play the Grand Final at Oaks Oval and that was big time here. Even then, men’s teams would come and watch. (Nell Perry

3/12/12)

Obviously my debut for Australia against Brazil in the pilot World Cup in China was pretty memorable and winning three championships at State level. There are millions of stories involved in all of them. It has been a wonderful journey so far. I can’t complain. (Debbie Nichols 20/7/12)

Making the Australian team in 1989, which like I never thought I would. I started late and that was pretty amazing. Um, going to Japan with the Matilda’s, that was pretty memorable and just basically a lot of people that I’ve met have become lifelong friends, that’s probably the most. (Carolyn Monk 23/7/12)

Paul, in his capacity of past-National Executive Director of the Australian Women's Soccer Association (AWSA), recalls the national team qualifying for the World Cup in 1995 as a major achievement:

I mean obviously things like getting into the World Cup. I mean that’s a pretty big achievement. Then I just think general sorts of achievements. I feel comfortable enough saying that I’ve left the game or women’s side of the game in a better state, that is to say that it has gone forward. (Paul Turner 19/7/12)

Sharon remembers an emotional victory over New Zealand, which remains special to her, as her father was a spectator on the day. Sharon was part of the first Australian team to attempt to qualify for the inaugural FIFA Women's World Cup, which was to be held in Sweden in 1991:

In outdoor it would have to be when we won against New Zealand and we were back in the race to qualify for the World Cup. I at that point I’d never seen my dad cry and he ran down to the fence and he gave me the biggest hug he’s ever given me and just handed me the Australian flag and we ran across the field and it was

just yeah, I will never ever forget that.... I suppose the acceleration for women’s soccer because there was finally a World Cup, not just the Australian team playing a country that came over. (Sharon Young 14/8/13)

Betty and Heather believe that the greatest levels of achievement can be seen in the development of the women’s game itself, while others have individual moments that remain with them:

I think the biggest success is what Mick’s related in the fact, the girls now in the premier league division have as much right as the premier league men and they have to be treated exactly the same. That is a big, big plus. (Betty Hoar 25/7/12) But yeah I mean I think just seeing a handful of women going from ten teams and no junior girls through to now where we’ve got probably 5,500 girls and women playing the sport is a tremendous thing and very, very inspiring and motivating for me. (Heather Reid 31/7/13)

Elaine is proud of her many achievements. She has been recognised by the Queensland Association as the only recipient of a dual life-membership. Her achievements as an administrator mark the importance of her contribution to the development of the women's game in Australia:

I was on the Brisbane Executive at that stage, which were men, women and juniors and all amalgamated. Life member of the Queensland Association, which also then became combined men, women and juniors. So I am the only dual life member they’ve had, life member of the men and life member of the women and then they amalgamated and the CEO rang me to ask which of my life

memberships I would like to surrender and I told him neither. I was going to use the second one to come back and haunt them if they didn’t do the right thing (laughter) (Elaine Watson 3/9/12)

But Ian Brusasko, when he invited me onto the men’s committee, I think that was a big step towards acceptance of women in the sport. Ian very nicely said to the newspaper that I was the best administrator that he’d ever struck and I think that went a long way. (Elaine Watson 3/9/12)

The simple pleasures experienced at presentation nights and receiving a trophy for your efforts throughout the year, victories in grand finals and the celebrations after success were often the best memories:

Winning a grand final in 1984, extra time won two to one. Going through

undefeated and the Rous said if we went through undefeated they’d put on a keg for us. We went down but they didn’t give us the keg but they gave us wine and whatever and I remember being very sick and all the players dancing on the tables. (Vicki Bugden 5/3/13)

Presentation night was always really good, and back then you would have a live band, you would get dressed up and have your presentations. Callan and Pa would wear a kilt to the presentations. Getting a trophy was neat too after you had worked hard. I got most consistent quite a few times. There was one season I scored over 50 goals. It would never happen now, because the standard of play is better. (Nell Perry 3/12/12)

In recognition of representation – The Commemorative Cap Some of the women who represented their country at the highest level recalled the importance of receiving a commemorative cap from FFA. The occasion provided these players with recognition and an acknowledgement of their individual achievements. Previous national representative players were presented with caps to recognise individual contributions to the national team and their role in women's football in Australia:

That was actually, that was the first thing that Soccer Australia had ever done for us, actually that was a real nice touch. That was before a double header in the Women’s W League and it was at Leichardt Oval. It was a pity they couldn’t get everyone there. It was a nice reunion of some of the girls who played. They actually gave us a few drinks, a wrap – a little sandwich, nice salad. We never ever got much from Soccer Australia. Julie Dolan presented me with the cap, which I was thoroughly happy about because in my eyes she is number one. She is probably the icon of women’s soccer. There are a few of them, she would be one of them. Cindy Heyden probably another one and another girl called Kim

Lembryk. They were just phenomenal players to me. She presented me with my cap. I was pretty chuffed about that. (Dalys Carmody 19/6/12)

While Sharon believes that the caps are a great way to recognise those who played for Australia, she is concerned that not all women who have

represented their country have been recognised:

I think the biggest thing they brought in is the caps, you know you get a number for your cap for when you came into the league but there’s been controversy about that where they’re not recognising everyone....My caps began in the ’91 World Cup side not back when I was playing at 19.... I mean my number is 65 and so they say ok I was the 65th person to wear the gold jumper, or the green and gold where that’s not right, because I wore it back when I was 19 and some other players even missed out and didn’t get a cap because they weren’t recognised in that era.

Belinda's story

Belinda reminisces about her story of achievement and success at the 2007 World Cup and 2008 Olympic games and how she was accepted by the elite women coaches and made feel welcome at the highest level of the game. She comments on how this had a positive impact on her future in the game and what it meant to her to finally achieve a childhood dream. Belinda believes that the attitudes displayed by the elite women coaches in welcoming her to the meeting would not have been experienced in a similar situation in the men’s game.

Oh, my first World Cup in China in 2007 and then the Olympic games in 2008. Just a young girl coming from Byron Bay who had an interest in football being in that environment was mind blowing. Yeah, I was amongst some of the best

female and male coaches within the game and to be sitting in a room full of female coaches at that time who had not only represented their country as players but also as coaches and won major tournaments was unbelievable. I still remember sitting around the round table as such and everyone introducing themselves. It was pretty intimidating, by the time they got to me I hadn’t played for Australia and I’d come, I’d been involved in the women’s game for a while but at a very, very

grass roots level compared to these girls. So in that environment it was, the only reason I’m here is because of a political reason. AFC wanted someone to

represent them, blah blah blah, but if it had of been the men’s game it would have been total shutdown. But in the women’s game, especially at the moment they saw that, they identified with it and they took me under their wing, and until this day those relationships are still there and I chat to them every other week regarding different football scenarios. They’re the ones who told me I should go home and start coaching a team and push myself. (Belinda Wilson 12/2/13)

I still remember as a five year old watching the Olympics for the very first time and turning around to mum and said I want to be there one day. It was as an athlete but that didn’t work out so to be there, to be a part of it, to be involved with it and to see it, it’s an amazing experience. That’s how all the BS that I went through in terms of in the administration and whatever hardships I’ve had, it didn’t matter at that point in time because of that experience, to be there. I still remember walking down the Great Wall of China and running into the Australian diving team and just seeing Australia written on the back of the shirts, knowing that I was at the

Olympics, it was just fantastic. (Belinda Wilson 12/2/13) Downplaying achievements

While many of the women interviewed are very proud of their achievements, some are modest about their individual successes and often downplay their importance. Dalys provides an example of this reaction when discussing her ability and selection to the Australian team:

I didn’t go far in my elite level, just to Brisbane.

I probably didn’t have the skill level of some of the other girls, but the fact that I was so fit, because I trained that much harder, that would be one thing.

Even today in her current employment Dalys is reluctant to acknowledge her individual level of success:

I currently work in a sports shop. Some girls, young kids would come in. I ask the kids “are you going to be the next Matilda” and I don’t like them saying it, but my bosses would say, one is serving you right now. They would say “Ohhh you

played for Australia”? I don’t like that, because I don’t feel, repping one year to me doesn’t cut it, but to these kids “that would be unreal”.

The game has seen many changes over the past decade and women have been largely accepted into the football culture. Yet some examples of women's achievements in the game not being recognised remain and, are often trivialised. This seems to be the case in Dalys’ example. Although Dalys has displayed determination, dedication and strong character traits in

achieving national representation in the game, she downplays her successes. While this may seem like humility, Dalys is conforming to a social expectation that women's achievements in male-dominated sport are often seen as less important. While Dalys commented on the positive aspects of male

involvement in her football career, her contribution to football was during a period when women's involvement was in its infancy and football was seen mainly as a men's game.