A desire to create a football club by women for women led to the formation of South Canberra FC in 2021 and the growth in the club since that day has been reflected in the pioneering work by their committee in securing 1* Club Changer status and being well on the way to improving even further.
Bridie Cash is President of South Canberra FC and has been with the Club since its inception, driving the club forward through its early growing pains into highly-respected part of the Capital Football Community scene.
“We wanted to create an environment where women’s needs, both physical and mental, were considered when looking at all aspects of the game – from equipment to uniforms to exercise programs specific for women,” Cash commented. “We have a strong focus on encouraging all women, at every level of the game to play football, with exactly the same resources and support provided no matter the division. We currently have 129 registered members.”
As a club that focuses on inclusivity and support for all members, joining the Clubchanger program was a no brainer for Cash and her team
“All of the things that Clubchanger helps with (building welcoming cultures and positive environments, setting up for long term viability etc.) are things that we feel very strongly about at SCFC and it’s always good to have additional resources and help,” Cash explained.
“Clubchanger has been a really useful platform as it provides us with the opportunity to track and measure our progress as a Club and also gives us access to lots of resources and modules that we wouldn’t otherwise have.
“As a relatively new club, it is so helpful to have the Clubchanger guidance on areas we should focus on as a Club to ensure our players and volunteers continue to be supported both on and off the field. We’ve also found the case studies useful, to be able to see what others are doing and what is possible for us to implement locally is a massive benefit.”
Last year was a big one for South Canberra, the club expanding to seven teams, and tasting success for the first time as the senior squad claimed the double of Capital League Women’s Division 1 League Champions and Grand Final winners, as well as helping the ParaMatildas to fundraise towards their successful FIFA World Cup trip. They also claimed the Club of the Year gong at the annual Capital Football Awards.
“While it would be nice to have a cruisy year, as the club grows, we need to make sure that our support systems and volunteers grow with it,” Cash revealed when asked about the 2025 iteration of the club.
“In 2025 we want to grow the number of Female coaches and referees within our community. We have done some early work to accredit some of the women as referees and have grown our female coaching numbers – so we need to make sure that both groups are supported with access to resources, mentors and ongoing education.
“ We are also working to strengthen our governance arrangements to ensure that our Clubs values remain strong even as we continue to grow. Consolidation of what we’ve achieved so far is incredibly important, and a big part of that is growing our coaching and officiating pool.”
With a focus on their core values and club identity, the future looks strong for South Canberra FC and their eyes are set extremely high, with the ultimate goal of having their own place to prepare for fixtures and socialise post-match.
“Ideally we would love to build a clubhouse with enough fields to allow us to grow and have a dedicated space for the club,” Cahs said. “But that may be a five year plan!” Watch this space!
