Inverell player Elle Ford will travel to the Central Coast this month to play in the AFL girls State Cup.
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Joining her for the three day carnival will be Moree player Jess Maher.
Both girls were named in the Northern NSW Pathways division A team which sets them on the road to the new national women’s league if they keep going.
Elle has worked her way up through the ranks over many years of training.
She began playing AFL three years ago when she lived in Newcastle.
She moved to Inverell when her dad was relocated with his work 12 months ago.
Her mum Sonia said Elle’s goal was to ultimately play in the National Women’s League which will start in 2017. It was launched recently with eight teams.
The women’s competition will run beside the national men’s competition next year and will be televised on the same night as their games.
Elle, 16, attends Macintyre High and is interested in a career in sports psychology.
Elle is absolutely passionate about the game and wants to make a career out of it.
- Matt Crawley
She hopes to increase participation and opportunities for young females in rural remote regions in their chosen sport.
So far in 2016 she has achieved a lot.
She:trained with Inverell saints seniors and U17 boys on a weekly basis and played in Inverell Saints open women's gala games.
She was selected for NSW/ACT State Academy. training in Newcastle and was in the final 44 selected for the NSW/ACT state Swans U18 Youth Girls team with four matches played in Canberra (2), Sydney, and Wagga.
Elle also played as part of women’s open Nelson Bay team which won the hunter premiership this year.
AFL development officer Sonia Martin extended her congratulations to the two players.
“It’s a recognition of their skills and talent,’’ she said.
It’s a massive commitment, they have to travel so far.
“They both have a bright pathway if they want to continue. They are the next generation coming through.’’
AFL NSW/ACT development manager Matt Crawley said both girls had the potential to make the big time.
Jess was a tenacious “tackling machine” who was developing into a great player.
He said Elle was absolutely passionate about the game and was a strong player who read the play well and got a lot of the football.
He said they would both need to persevere and work hard but they both had the capacity to keep achieving
Scouts from all the national clubs are expected to be watching the cup games which will be held at Bateau Bay, on the Central Coast, on September 23-25.
