Female Football Week is a nationwide initiative to celebrate the immense growth of women’s football at all levels of the game, and acknowledge and promote the important role women play in developing football. This week Northern Inland Football will be chatting with players, referees, coaches and volunteers and publishing #FFW Featured Profiles.
#FFW Featured Profiles
Tahli Thompson
Age: 17
Club: Kootingal – Played with them for over 5 years.
What is your position at the club? I am Co-Senior Women’s Representative (Senior Committee Member) and I am Junior President of the club (Junior Committee Member)
Do you play as well as coach? Yes. I play under 15/16s, 18’s and women’s football and also for the school opens team and absolutely love it.
What age group do you coach? I am coach of an under 9’s team.
How long have you been coaching football? I have been coaching the under 9’s team for two seasons now.
Do you share coaching responsibilities with anyone else? Yes, with my sister Milla Thompson. Milla is 15 and has been playing for Kootingal Kougars and District Football Club for 5 years. She plays for Kootingal under 15/16’s, women’s as well as the school under 15’s and opens team. Milla is Junior Female Representative (Junior Committee Member) and has recently been selected to represent Australia in the Under 15’s Futsal Team in Brazil.
Why did you start coaching? We both started coaching because we wanted to be able to contribute more for our club and the community.
What is the best thing about coaching football?The best thing about coaching is seeing the kids’ faces when they have fun, work together, score goals or win a game.
What is your greatest personal achievement as a coach? Having the opportunity to coach and to be able to watch the kids improve and learn in training and then take that to the field is so amazing.
Goals for the rest of the 2019 football season?To further develop both the skill set and ability of the players is a goal set for the rest of the season and hopefully for another few seasons.
What would you say to someone thinking about coaching football? We would absolutely encourage anyone who is thinking about coaching. It is a wonderful experience to be able to watch the players grow with skills and confidence in the wonderful games of football that we play.
Kahla May
Age: 24
Club: Tamworth Football Club
Current Competition Playing In: TDF Women’s A Division
Have you played in any NIF Representative Teams? Tamworth Women’s All Stars Team
How long have you been playing football? Since I was 5 years old.
What is your greatest personal achievement in football? Playing in the grand final every year since joining the TFC women’s team over 6 years ago. Also, being captain of the team for the last 3 years.
What is the best thing about playing football? The club and team environment. TFC is an inclusive club, providing many events for all teams to come together and support one another. The women’s team has been around since the start and many of us have played with each other for over 6 years, creating strong friendships on and off the field.
Goals for the rest of the 2019 football season? To remain undefeated and make it the grand final.
Anything else about your footballing career that you would like to share? It’s not really about my footballing career, however, a highlight of each year is our social and fundraising events. We have an annual trivia night, charity day and last year we had a 10-year reunion night. As a TFC committee member, our charity day is an important event for the club. It is great to see not only our club coming together on this day to support United in Compassion, but many from the community chipping in to support a great cause.
What would you say to someone thinking about playing football? Just have a go! It is a great team sport to be a part of!
Alicia Guest
Alicia is one of Northern Inland Football’s finest young match officials. Alicia has officiated at the NNSW State Championships in Coffs Harbour and has her sights set firmly on a TDF Men’s First Grade or NIF Premier League appointment this year. Alicia has also been awarded the Newcastle Permanent Community Referee of the Month for June.
Age: 20
How Long Have You Been Refereeing? 5 years.
What Age Division Do You Referee? Juniors – seniors. In five years, I have refereed Under 12’s up to 2nd Grade Men’s.
Why did you start refereeing? At first it was for something to do between my junior game in the morning and my women’s game in the afternoon, as well as a bit of extra pocket money. I have loved refereeing ever since.
What is the best thing about refereeing? I get to be involved in the game I love as something other than a player. It’s trying to let the players play football and letting the game flow as much possible.
Goals for the rest of the 2019 football season? My goal is to referee at the highest level of football in Tamworth. Local Men’s First Grade and Premier League.
Anything else about your refereeing career that you would like to share? I have changed a lot since I started refereeing, for the better in the way I play and in my personal life as well. I have become more confident and my self-esteem has changed since I started refereeing. I am more self-aware and I play and see the game different.
What would you say to someone who is thinking of becoming a referee? Take your time and all the advice possible. Watch other referees either online or down at your local fields – this helps a lot in becoming a better referee. Start with juniors and work your way up. Have a go, never give up!
