When she was growing up in regional Victoria, star football player Darcy Vescio thought her time playing the sport had to end when she turned 14 because there were no opportunities for girls.
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Now she’s preparing to take part in the AFL national women’s league next year after being selected as a marquee player for Carlton’s team.
Ms Vescio was in Warrnambool on grand final day with her current team, the Darebin Falcons, who recently won the VFL women’s grand final for the fourth time in a row.
She grew up in Wangaratta, and said she started playing football when she was five with her brothers and her dad, but had to stop as a teenager because she couldn’t keep playing with the boy’s teams.
When she was 18, Ms Vescio moved to Melbourne to study and was able to pick up the game again. She has been involved in the last few women’s exhibition matches.
“It’s awesome to see every time we play those games, the standards are lifting,” she said.
“Girls are getting access to better coaches, better facilities and the spotlight has shifted onto the women.”
Ms Vescio said when she stopped playing at 14 she didn’t think she would get the chance to play again.
She said it’s really important for girls to be able to see women playing a particular role so they can see themselves doing it too, particularly in regional areas. Ms Vescio said young women interested in playing should not hold back.
“Just give it a go,” she said. “If you love footy and you want to play footy then do it because it’s a wonderful game. There are so many pathways for women to be involved now.”
In terms of her future, Ms Vescio said her dream would be to play football full-time.
“With the league next year, I’ll be playing in that initial season so I hope it grows and eventually the league expands to a full 18-round season and teams expand,” she said. “It’s a good starting point.”
Another former Darebin Falcons player, Carly McCorkell, grew up in Warrnambool and said she found opportunities for playing football as a woman in the south-west very limited.
When she moved to Melbourne at the age of 18 to study teaching, she joined the team and played with them for four years.
Ms McCorkell said when she was young she loved playing football.
She said if opportunities had been available she would have been interested in playing football, but she pursued her interest in netball and basketball instead.
“I could have played Auskick, but it just wasn’t what the girls did,” Ms McCorkell said.
