Sport
7 June, 2024
The Eagles have landed
Oakey Soccer Club’s first women’s social soccer team is making history this year.
The team competes in Football Queensland’s Girls United soccer competition playing on Friday nights at the Federal Sporting Fields.
The program aims to target women who haven’t got the time to commit to the regular training and game format of club football.
Local legend Anne-Marie Tyrie is the oldest player at the age of 63.
She says the program has had a positive impact on the mums and other female volunteers at the club, many of whom do not get the chance to play.
“A lot of us have never played soccer at all,” she told the Champion.
Oakey Soccer Club President Katie Gillespie is one of the mums on the team, which is coached by Brad Setch.
“It’s pretty good, minus the injuries of being old,” she said.
“I used to play when I was about six years old and played on and off until I was about 16.
“I like this way more because it’s more social and the competitiveness is not there - it’s not meant to be at least!”
Katie says several local women have signed on having played competitively in places like Toowoomba. and other competitions.
“They were mostly looking to be able to keep playing without the competitive side of things,” she said.
The team hasn’t won a game (yet), but Katie says the social aspect of the team is one of the best parts of playing.
“It’s good to meet new people and everything
else.
“We get together three nights a week and it’s all for fun.”
Note - a previous version of this article claimed that the team was Oakey's first female soccer team. A previous team played competitively in the Toowoomba competition in the 1990s.
