“Matilda representative and current “Australian Female Footballer of the Year” Stephanie Catley and fellow Melbourne Victory team mate and Young Matilda defender Jacqueline Vogt visited Trafalgar Victory FC to promote girls and women in football.

The girls ran an hour long training session with the TVFC Women’s squad and shared some tips upon skills and techniques. The TVFC ladies were very receptive to the advice given and all enjoyed the session thoroughly, despite the frighteningly cold conditions.

At the conclusion of the senior girl’s session, both guests then turned their attention to the TVFC SSF and junior girls. Again the national players were hands on and ran several drills and activities for the younger group. It was encouraging to see young girls from 5 to 14 taking part in the program.

At the end of the games based activities both Stephanie and Jacqueline shared part of their story of being young girls playing at various clubs and different levels of competition. All were surprised to learn that Jacqueline was in fact a Traralgon girl who played at both Traralgon City and then Churchill prior to training and playing in Melbourne.

The younger aged girls learnt that both national representatives train six days a week, including skills, weights and fitness sessions. Jacqueline had been working extra hard to recover from a recent knee reconstruction. Both players are looking towards the Asian Cup and indeed making the national team come the next Women’s World Cup.

All present appreciate the time provided by both Steph and Jackie. The girls were great ambassadors for women’s football and an inspiration for girls and women alike at TVFC. It was great to have a visit from members of the Australian national team. TVFC would like to thank both Stephanie and Jacqueline for visiting our club as well as the Trafalgar girls also who confronted cold conditions to be part of the day.

The visit was funded courtesy of a successful FFV “Girls Marketing Grant”, which specifically targets the promotion and girls in football across Victoria.”