TRANSCRIPT
There's a sense of determination about this team.
The Fitzroy Lions train between two Melbourne public housing blocks, and it's a source of joy for these young footballers.
Thanks to corporate partnerships they're able to provide fee-free registration.
Aisha Mohamd is one of the players.
“It's like we're playing as a community and friends and it's like we're family because it's very fun.”
The price of joining a local team is something the club's founder, Abdulmalik Abdurahman, knows from personal experience.
“It will get to a point where you can't afford to play anymore, and you can't even go up to your parents and ask anymore. You know they can't afford it and you don't want to make them feel bad because I'm sure a lot of parents don't want to say no to their kids. And as a reasonable kid, I don't want to put my parents in that position as well, so you've just got to think out of the box, saying alright, what can I do, how can I still enjoy football without giving my parents some sort of headache.”
The cost of joining a team varies from sport to sport.
Fewer than 70,000 girls played AFL as of last year, with a median annual cost of $125 to participate.
There were more than 17 thousand girls playing football... but the cost to participate was far higher, at 200 dollars.
It's the same price to play netball…the most popular team sport for girls.
Football Australia told SBS ...
"It is crucial to understand the factors influencing the cost of participation, which include access to facilities, coaching, referees and officials,. The numbers show football as a sport of choice not only for its global appeal but also for its competitive cost structure at grassroots level."
The Lions get more than 200 children on the pitch every week, and now, they're experiencing the 'Matildas effect'.
And they're loving it.
AMANI: "It meant a lot to me because it's one of my happiest days due to how fun it was. Seeing other soccer players have fun means a lot to me."
SHUKRIA: "You just never want to give up. And seeing them play makes me want to play."
Coach and committee member Hayley Truskewyzc says the club has added more than 70 children to a waiting list to register.
"I don't think there's been this sort of hype around football at this age that I've ever seen and I think it's wonderful for these girls to see that can be valued and worth something in this space."
And she says female players need to start being celebrated because the next generation of Matildas starts here:
"They're not as celebrated yet in this sport, sadly. At the Matilda's level yes, but how are we going to get these girls into the Matildas? Well, it starts at the grass roots and it starts with valuing our players all the way through."
Initiatives like this one, promising to deliver the next superstar in women's football.
