BRENDAN LINES
LOXTON Catters’ coach Adrian Hogg is calling out for potential female football players to attend the club’s registration evening to be held tonight at Loxton Oval.
The event will be a chance for new players to meet the coach, attendees are welcome to join a scheduled training session tonight from 6pm.
Coach Adrian Hogg said any females considering taking up football should not be deterred by lack of experience.
“You don’t need to have AFL grade skills to come and play,” he said.
“It’s about coming and having a go. It’s the coach’s job to give you the skills.
“Everyone’s at a base level, because not all girls are brought up with football the same way the guys are from juniors and Auskick.
“We’re going to help with that skill level…”
Catters’ player Stef Charles said playing women’s football was all about fun.
“I love getting fit together, the social part of it, having a laugh,” she said.
“We have an awesome coach who makes training fun and teaches us how to kick a footy…
“And the girls, support you so much too, so you may as well come out and give it a shot.”
The Catters are not alone in dealing with dwindling player numbers.
An RFL plan has provision for nine-a-side games to be played this year, however Hogg is determined to fill a squad for 14-a-side games.
“The league is looking at a 14-a-side comp which is compromising to a nine-a-side where need be,” he said.
“We’ve got 13 on the books, we’re only getting half-a-dozen out to training.
“Fourteen-a-side is the goal, where I think the most interest will be to keep everyone involved.
With just weeks until the 2021 season kicks off, Hogg is still looking to fill critical numbers.
“It’s got to a point where we can’t really put down any real solid plans, because we don’t know where we’re going to be in three weeks’ time when the season opens,” he said.
“If we could get those four or five more players to commit (for this season) we’d be able make plans going forward.”