UNSWFC coached by one of the best

Under the lights of the Village Green, a wonderful moment happened for our under-16 and under-18 girls' team from the UNSW Football Club - the unique opportunity to train with Team Visa athlete and Australian star Ellie Carpenter.

This once-in-a-lifetime session was a reward from the "Visa PlayOn" competition, entered by UNSWFC team member Ava Aguilar, run by Year13 and Visa aimed at emphasizing the long-term physical, mental, and community benefits of sports, making role models more visible and accessible to inspire young girls to continue participating in sports. As Ellie Carpenter gears up for the Olympics Games Paris 2024 later this month, she took time out to inspire these young athletes, delivering a powerful message on the benefits of sports and the significance of female role models.

Ellie Carpenter, who is an integral part of the Australian national team and a Team Visa athlete, shared her own experiences with the girls. "As a young girl, juggling everything in my life with my passion for sport was sometimes challenging," Carpenter reflected. "But not only has sport given me a career, it has also given me so much more – from confidence and resilience to lifelong friends.’

The coaching session, held at the Village Green, was not just about honing football skills. It was also a significant opportunity for these young players to connect with a role model who has successfully navigated the challenges they currently face. The entire squad were also lucky enough to have a Q&A session with Ellie after the training, soaking in every bit of advice and motivation she had to offer.

The timing of this initiative is crucial. Recent research by Year13 in collaboration with Visa indicates that 15 is the peak age at which Australian girls are most likely to drop out of sports. The reasons are multifaceted, including body image issues, academic pressures, and a lack of visible female role models in sports. Shockingly, 60% of young girls reported not having a female sports star to look up to. Additionally, one in five girls cannot recall seeing highlights of women's sports in the media, underscoring the need for greater visibility and representation.

Carpenter's session is part of a broader initiative to address these issues. The Year13 & Visa PlayOn platform is designed to highlight the benefits of sports and make role models like Ellie Carpenter, New Zealand footballer Claudia Bunge, and two-time Olympics Games gold medallist Dame Valerie Adams more accessible to young girls. By showcasing these athletes and their journeys, the platform aims to inspire girls to continue participating in sports and to see the wide array of opportunities that sport can offer.

The benefits of staying active in sports extend far beyond physical health. Long-term involvement in sports is linked to improved mental health, greater community engagement, and the development of skills like teamwork and leadership. However, the dropout rate for girls is almost twice that of boys, a trend that this initiative seeks to reverse.

As the girls wrapped up their session with Ellie Carpenter, they left with more than just new skills and understanding of the beautiful world game. They carried with them a renewed sense of purpose and a deeper understanding of the transformative power of women in sports.