In a major step towards Queensland’s best youth girls aligning with AFL club Academies in the future, AFL Queensland is pleased to announce six high level events over the first half of the 2016 season.
This Sunday, Feb 21, at Burpengary, the Queensland Youth Girls Academy will play the first of two selection trials in preparation for the seventh Youth Girls National Championships in Melbourne in early May.
Players will be assigned teams based on their talent zone similar to the boys.
A fortnight later, the teams will compete again on the same day as the boys Under 16’s & Under 18’s Academies do.
In late March, the Lions and SUNS Academies will host their aligned youth girls players for three training sessions in preparation for the National Championships.
The final event will be a third game between the SUNS and Lions youth girls at Metricon Stadium on June 4, a curtain raiser to the round 11 Gold Coast SUNS vs. Sydney Swans AFL game.
AFL Queensland Female High Performance Manager, Craig Starcevich, said these games serve more than one purpose.
“These games are not only selection trials for the Queensland Youth Girls team but also provide a connection to an AFL club Academy for each player,” Starcevich said.
“With a National Women’s League less than a year away, our youth aged Academy players now have a clear pathway to pursue AFL football as a genuine sporting career option.”
Schedule
- Queensland Youth Girls selection game 1, Brisbane Lions v Gold Coast SUNS, Burpengary, Feb 21, 1:50pm
- Queensland Youth Girls selection game 2, Brisbane Lions v Gold Coast SUNS, Burpengary, March 5, 5:30pm
- Brisbane Lions & Gold Coast SUNS Academy training sessions, March 16, 23, & 30.
- Gold Coast SUNS v Brisbane Lions youth girls, Metricon Stadium, Sat June 4, 5:10pm.
PHOTO: Arianna Clarke (Gold Coast SUNS Academy) and Tahlia Randall (Brisbane Lions Academy)
