Major changes to youth girls program as SDJFA and GSFLW join forces in bid to grow weekly competition

The region’s youth girls football program previously run by the Southern Districts Junior Football Association will merge with the Great Southern Football League Women’s competition.

The change aims to extend the relationship between the GSFLW and the SDJFA and improve the transition for players moving up from junior football into senior grades.

The GSFLW is seeking expressions of interest from players and volunteers to help facilitate the process for the 2025 season.

The Year 7-10 competition previously ran its own two-team competition each week under the SDJFA with some talented players moving up into the GSFLW.

Now, players should contact their local GSFLW clubs to see if they will have an affiliated youth girls side to play games before the senior fixtures.

There will not be an allocation process and it will be up to each player to select a club with scheduled games depending on player numbers and availability.

WA Football Commission Great Southern regional development specialist Jaxon Liddelow said it was unlikely all six GSFLW clubs will have a youth girls team this season, but he hoped that the competition will expand with the forecast growth of women’s football.

“There are future plans to have six teams but we’re not expecting six teams to come to the first season, we need a starting base,” he said.

“Women’s football is growing rapidly in the region and we’ve learned that previously with how popular the GSFLW has become.

“We’ve learned that players want to be apart of a club and be apart of that environment so we wanted to create a more attractive environment for players to play football.”

Depending on the player availability of each club, youth girls matches may have modified rules on a reduced-sized ground.

The SDJFA are also seeking expressions of interest from junior girls players between Year 3-6 for the upcoming season.