Breaking New Ground: Kingsway’s First Women’s Team Takes the Field
29 May, 2025
In the 2025 season, the Perth Football League welcomed a new team to the Women’s C3 Grade–Kingsway. The desire and process to form the team began in 2023, and two years later, after securing a great coach and football manager, the Kingsway Football Club were able to create their very first women’s team.
The football club tried first in 2023 to form their women’s team, but after a lengthy process were unable to secure the necessary requirements for the team. They came close again in 2024, but once again weren’t successful. However, that didn’t stop the momentum. It wasn’t until the passionate and determined A Grade Captain, Rowan Brookes, worked together with the club’s committee to put serious effort into the selection of a coach and manager to help run the team that real progress was made.
Once the coach was selected, Kingsway went into recruitment mode. They were determined to form their team and began promoting on social media, encouraging all to come and try out for the team. This marked a new and exciting phase in the club’s journey. The team was also very fortunate to have a great relationship with their junior club, and this connection proved invaluable because a number of girls had finished junior football and wanted to continue to play, and a lot of their recruits had come from the junior team.
Going from a club that consists solely of men’s teams to incorporating a women’s team can be an adjustment for anyone. However, Kingsway welcomed their players with open arms, and it has made a very positive impact on the club as a whole. This inclusive culture is evident in the way the teams are always willing to celebrate together, whether after practice or after a game, no matter where they’ve played, they will come back to the clubhouse to celebrate together.
“We were confident we had a good side, but their success to date has been something you can only dream about. We are so proud of how they play the game,” said Rob Mitchell, Kingsway Football Club President. The brilliant women on Kingsway’s Women’s team have shown just how talented they are, and just how much they wanted and deserved to be able to be a part of their own team. As a result of their hard work and dedication, they have gone undefeated so far in the first seven rounds of the 2025 season and sit second on the ladder in C3, just a fraction below Bayswater, who are at the top of the ladder.
“Our goal for this year was to ensure we have a competitive side that enjoys playing football. They have far exceeded how we expected the season might start. The obvious long-term goal is for them to win premierships,” added Mitchell.
Suppose Kingsway can keep their momentum going and keep fighting strong. In that case, they have a very good chance of advancing in Grades for the 2026 season, and showing how good they are could encourage other girls to join the team, making the possibility of a 2nd Women’s team a reality. The present has looked amazing so far for the Kingsway Women’s team, and their future is just as bright.
Written by Kerryn Wilson
