All-girl soccer is a hit with Ballarat players

BY GAVIN MCGRATH
19 Mar, 2010 12:00 AM

SOCCER a girls' game? Totally!

Just ask the 1150 participants in this weekend's Total Girl Soccer Tournament at Ballarat Grammar School.

The annual all-girl soccer tournament, now in its sixth year, has proved a hit with female soccer players in the Ballarat area - this year, more than half the participants come from the area, said tournament

director Laurell Sommers.

"Previously we've seen a lot of metropolitan clubs coming up, which is great to see, but this year there has been a stronger emphasis on teams from the local area," Sommers said.

"We started with 11 (Ballarat) girls in 2004 and now we're at the 300 mark for Ballarat players.

"We had training on Thursday and had even more girls come. We've doubled the number of girls in under-11s.

"There are are still about 50 teams from Melbourne, but this year we have 50 to 60 from Ballarat and the western district."

The seven-a-side carnival provides competition from under-10 through to under-16 and covers all experience levels.

Sommers said the condition of the Ballarat Grammar soccer pitches were ideal for the tournament.

"That recent bit of rain has made the grounds just about perfect," she said. "The coaches from Melbourne tell us the girls can't wait to get up here. They're treating it as a pre-season camp."

Among Ballarat teams defending their titles at Total Girl are reigning under-10 champion, Ballarat Grammar, one of the favourites in under-11 division, and under-13 champion Fusion, which is back

to defend the under-14 crown.

Kick-off is at 9am today and tomorrow.

http://www.thecourier.com.au/news/local/sport/general/allgirl-soccer-is-a-hit-with-ballarat-players/1781663.aspx