South West Victorian Football Association under 16s girls coach Paul Braithwaite keeps reminding his players they are pioneers.
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Braithwaite, who is also Warrnambool Rangers women's and under 16s coach, said SWVFA would be sending a girls team to the Victorian Country Championships for the first time this year.
It's a tournament which includes representative boys and girls teams from all over regional Victoria.
"It's the first time there has been a girls team and this has been in the pipeline now for 18 months because we were trying to get one last year and we're just about there now," Braithwaite said.
"Hopefully, everything keeps going the way it is and we can get those girls there."
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Braithwaite explained SWVFA under 12, under 14 and under 17 boys teams were also going to the championships from June 12-14 in Geelong.
Girls are allowed to try out for the under 12 and 14 boys squads as there isn't a girls-only squad at those levels as per the SWVFA Facebook page.
Braithwaite added he took a girl's squad to a pre-season tournament in Bendigo in March which had teams from all over the state, including Melbourne.
"It was the first time they had ever competed at that level," he said.
"I had two teams, one finished third and one finished 10th."
He said it was a great experience for the youngsters.
"They played against tight-drilled Melbourne teams and they actually held their own so it was really positive," he said.
The representative squad is made up of girls from places such as Warrnambool, Hamilton and Portland.
"The friendships they've formed, they're really tight, it's been awesome to watch," Braithwaite said.
The coach feels the current progress is positive for the future of female soccer.
"Hopefully, establishing all this for future girls coming through - they'll see there is now opportunities," he said.
"That they can play with girls and just girls (rather than mixed) and there is a pathway and they can play at these competitions."
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