Stawell Warriors has announced it's 18 and under female football coaches for 2020.
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Melissa Bibby will take the lead role alongside Wes Illig.
The Warriors are also in talks with a number of players about the possibility of entering an open women's team into the fold, a pathway for the junior Warriors to take to continue playing football.
Warriors' female football coordinator Toni Stewart said there was a real "buzz" around the club with the announcement of Bibby on board to develop the players.
"We are really happy to have both coaches agree to come on board this season," she said.
"Wes has been around the club for a long time and has a great insight into each of the existing players within the club.
"Melissa's 'resume' and experience speaks for itself. We're very fortunate to have someone with her extensive football experience at our club."
Bibby grew up in Navarre and returned to the region in 2019.
Esteemed ice hockey and football player with a wealth of experience as an elite-level athlete, Bibby competed in seven ice hockey world championships for Australia from 2000-2011 - assistant captain from 2001-2004.
Bibby played football with Darebin Falcons in the VFL and played and coached the Western Wolves in Sydney.
In 2017, Bibby coached Fitzroy youth girls team to the grand final and coached the Darebin under-18 team in 2018.
"The club believes there is a huge opportunity to learn so much from Melissa - not just about football, but pushing through barriers and aiming for goals that can be achieved with hard work," Stewart said.
Stewart said Bibby's experience and journey through the ranks in ice hockey was inspiring.
"To learn a sport and then go and represent Australia is the kind of mindset we'd like to encourage for our players," she said.
"We hope she can inspire both our female and male footballers to strive to do their very best at everything, both on and off the football field."
Stewart said the coaches were yet to set a date for pre-season but the "wheels are in motion".
"Training could alternate between Fridays or Sundays," she said.
"We have also put out an online expression of interest for the club to contact interested players on the club's Facebook page."
At least another five to eight players are needed for the viability of a women's open team.
Stewart said if there was enough interest, the club was "really keen" to get the team up and running and continue to develop female football in Stawell.
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