For the first time ever in the Limestone Coast, junior girls were provided a pathway to follow their dreams and play Australian rules football on a poignant Sunday morning at Blue Lake Sports Park.

At 8.30am the Under 16’s girls football competition started and with Mount Gambier’s own Adelaide Crows AFLW player Brooke Tonon sitting in the stands, the stars of tomorrow put on a show.

Led by Sheba Miller and Jasmin McKinnon, Kongorong managed to overcome the home team South Gambier in the maiden contest, while Kybybolite knocked off North Gambier where Ella Boston booted three majors in a high-scoring contest to complete the opening round.

Watching from the sidelines was Limestone Coast Women’s Football League president Sarah Ottoson-Crossling and she struggled to contain her emotions.

“Seeing the two U16 games on the field was fantastic,” she said.

“It was a moment of witnessing great potential and endless possibilities.

“The start of something exciting for our young female athletes in the region.

“I do not have a daughter playing in the competition, but I certainly felt like a proud parent.”

Although the women’s league has been in action for half a decade, Ottoson-Crossling revealed the junior league had also been in the pipeline for many years, but took a lot of effort to finally get off the ground and that she was impressed by the standard of skills shown from the youngsters.

“The Limestone Coast Women’s football League committee have been working tirelessly for the past three years to build and develop an under 16’s competition,” she said.

“There have been efforts and energy from other people in the past who saw the need for a local AFLW competition, such as Sarah Allen’s father Keith, which certainly got the ball rolling and that conversation started.

“Watching the games today was a wonderful realisation that while it has been a lot of hard work to get off the ground, there is a lot of skill and potential out there as well as local interest.

“The standard was both impressive and somewhat surprising – going on from two years ago where at our ‘Come and Try’ series, the girls were all learning, it’s now clear these players are well coached and fast learners

“As a committee, we have just got started – there’s plenty more work to do and more doors to be opened.”