NEWTOWN & Chilwell junior footballer Bridie Mitchell has spent a season showing the boys how it’s done.
The 12-year-old has created local footy history after taking out the league best-and-fairest medal in the Football Geelong under-14 division-seven competition.
It was the first time that a girl has taken out a league best-and-fairest award in a boys’ competition.
Mitchell’s win provided something for her family to smile about after the death of her uncle, David Hyland, on Saturday from complications from a burst aorta.
Mitchell, whose team is set to play a grand final against Barwon Heads this weekend achieved her win in style.
The midfielder surged to a runaway win with 31 votes, some 10 votes clear of team-mate Lachlan King.
“I don’t know why girls can’t play football with the boys at a higher level if they’re capable,” Mitchell said.
Girls can play with the boys up until under-14 level, before they graduate to the regional under—18 youth girls competition.
The year 7 Oberon High student never fumbles and brushes off sledges from opposition boys as easily as she brushes off their attempted tackles
Here father and coach, Shane Mitchell, said she had a “heart as big as an elephant” and learnt almost everything she knew about the game from clubman Paul Chrimes.
Mr Mitchell said credit for his daughter’s achievement also had to go to ll her teammates for the selfless way they payed every week.
“I reckon it’s fantastic and I hope it makes people stand up and say, ‘Girls can play footy, too’, and that’s what it’s all about, she’s out there to prove girls can play footy,” he said.
Last Modified on 19/01/2011 10:46