“Let's get the best out of the ladies": Meet Canberra’s new all-female AFL team | HerCanberra

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“Let’s get the best out of the ladies”: Meet Canberra’s new all-female AFL team

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Raising two children aged four and seven with her husband Darren, Olivia Beer is someone many Canberra women in their thirties can relate to.

Born and raised in the nation’s capital and now working as a public servant her story sounds familiar. Yet, despite her life looking great on paper, like many women, Olivia secretly struggles with anxiety.

But one thing’s for sure; Olivia is ready to tackle her anxiety head-on.

Now, with no prior footy experience, she has not only decided to start playing AFL, but to build her own Gungahlin Jets Division Two women’s team from complete scratch!

“Starting football, with the Jets, insane. How do I go from not being able to talk to someone and now sitting on the junior committee and most likely playing in the 2025 division two footy season?” she says.

Olivia first turned to AFL because of the “transferrable skills” that can be taken from sports like netball and basketball, which many women like herself have had a chance to play. Then, despite her inexperience, she pitched the idea for a Division Two women’s team.

The chair and senior president basically said, “Why the heck not let’s give it a go!”

And now, through Facebook posts and word-of-mouth Olivia has started to recruit players from all walks of life.

“Originally I wasn’t sure if we would be accepted, or if the culture would fit, but one thing I can confirm is the Jets seniors program is absolutely fantastic, welcoming, and willing to include all of us first-timers.”

Hearing her story is heart-warming, especially for those of us who remember when AFL for women wasn’t an option. The AFLW competition only properly began in February 2017 (yes, you read that right). Before that, girls were pushed out of the sport before they even reached their teenage years by their male teammates who would refuse to pass the ball.

Likewise, most male-dominated sports have only recently been thoroughly breached by women in the past few years, with NRLW officially starting in 2018, but (embarrassingly) a women’s Canberra Raiders team didn’t cross the field until 2023. The Tilly’s have done better though, with the team rising to widespread national fame and Sam Kerr becoming a household name after the 2023 World Cup’s record-breaking viewership of 18.6 million Australians.

And despite the still-too-recent beginnings for women in AFL, their involvement in the sport certainly hasn’t been small. In 2018, only a year after AFLW’s official start, women’s and girls’ participation in the sport grew to a whopping one-third of the country’s overall participation.

Now, for even senior first-timers like Olivia, AFL can act as a supportive space for women to grow, both mentally and physically.

“We started off by literally learning how to hold the ball and have slowly moved onto drills. They have even adapted the running program for us, shortening the distance and reminding us you can go and sit down and chill whenever you want.” says Olivia.

It is clear that the Gungahlin Jets are leading the charge in fostering a positive environment for women and girls, with the club’s motto “Let’s get the best out of the ladies”.

When asked what she would say to women curious about trying AFL but who feel too anxious about stepping out of their comfort zone, Olivia says “You’ll be glad you gave it a go.”

“Even if you never try it again. When you are anxious you can look back and say, ‘I tried it, and maybe I can push myself again.’ It takes one second to be brave, give whatever you have been dreaming of a red hot go!”

“It’s about trying something new and making new connections. It’s for the women who thought it was too late to try something new but realise they can, you can.”

You can contact the Jets about the new Division Two women’s team via their Facebook page or website.

THE ESSENTIALS

What: New Gungahlin Jets Division Two women’s team
Where: Amaroo Oval
When: Training Tuesdays and Thursdays, 6 pm.
Registration: Contact Olivia at seniors@gungahlinjets.com.au

Feature image: Kate Bernardo Photography.

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