Historically, football and netball clubs were run by male dominate boards but more and more females are being elected into executive positions within clubs.
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Great Western Football Netball Club is breaking the tradition and in 2020 have three females leading the club as the executives on the committee.
The committee itself is balanced with even numbers of male to female members.
Tracey McCartney is in her third term as president at the club, a role she said was daunting when she first appointed.
"I was the only female when I joined the committee," she said.
"It was worrying being the first female president of the club when I stepped in.
"I am an outspoken person so had the confidence to speak up.
"Sometimes, I felt I wasn't taken seriously as I found my feet in the role. This season I feel I've got complete control and a lot more knowledge behind me and am looking forward to consolidating the work I've put it over the past two years."
Within the Mininera Football League, McCartney said in her terms of vice president and president of Great Western, progressively the gender change was happening at a league level.
"I would have been the first female but slowly all the clubs have women coming on board onto their committees and at an executive level," she said.
"I think it's the way clubs are going. I really think there would be more female members of a football and netball club than there would be males.
"So there's no surprise more and more females are joining committees."
Kerrie Ryan has taken on the role as secretary and Astrid Barry will continue her role as the treasurer for the second year.
Barry joined the committee with no other connection to the club besides residing in the town.
"It's good to be part of the community and the club is a huge part of Great Western," she said.
"I feel like I'm right in the middle of it and feel like I'm giving back to the community."
Barry is studying accounting in the hope to open her own business in the future and said the role appealed to give her some extra experience.
Ryan believes she was approached for the role of secretary as she was an "organised person".
"That obviously helps in that position," she said.
"I'm a retired player and this is one way I can be involved with the club but in a different capacity.
"Great Western is also running the Mininera Netball Association committee this season and I've taken on the role of secretary of that as well."
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Cassandra Langley
Rural and regional story-telling is where my passion lies. Email: cassandra.langley@austcommunitymedia.com.au
Rural and regional story-telling is where my passion lies. Email: cassandra.langley@austcommunitymedia.com.au
