TOPIC:

Thoughts on the scheduling of games for Saturday mornings?

It clashes with junior sport, which in our district, is played on a Saturday morning.

A woman in her 20's or 30's who has kids will generally put their needs first.

Like the men's teams, most woman's players are people in their 20's or 30's and many have their kid's playing and umpiring. Many of the women themselves are umpiring, coaching, have canteen duties, are involved in the Junior Club's administration or simply need to be there to drive their kids to and from.

Note also, that junior sport is more than junior football, and includes kids/parents involved in netball, hockey, etc as well, often meaning that both mum and dad need to be at two different venues on a Saturday morning.

The stated aim of playing all WAAFL games on a Saturday was integration and good atmosphere – who is going to be ‘integrated’ and who is going to attend grounds at 9 or 10am to provide the ‘atmosphere’?

In my Club, 30-40% of players are so affected.

Needs an urgent re-think.

Another thought is that Clubs may now find their Colts matches fixtured for 9am.

Given the problems Clubs face with getting Colts players to 'away' games (or even 'home' games) for a 10.40 start, how are they going to go with a 9am start?

Many clubs have the opposite problem Birdman being unable to secure any oval times on Sunday due to Junior football fixtures in their area.

Lots of female players also play another sport: netball & basketball on Saturday afternoon, Soccer on Sundays.

Having watched a few games last year there is way more atmosphere at Saturday games played prior to or after the men’s fixtures, than at standalone Sunday fixtures.

Time for the AFL, WAFC, state and local governments to step up and provide funding to ammo clubs for oval lighting upgrades to support the growth of women’s footy by opening up more oval usage with night fixtures

The other benefit to Saturday fixtures is club facilties such as the canteen and bar being available and the girls being able to be included in the clubs Saturday night awards and club functions.

You’re from Gosnells Birdman with 5 teams?
Should be pretty easy to fixture League, Reserves & Colts at home at normal times one week, then 3s (2:30pm) & Women’s (1pm) at home the next week...or are you complaining that the time slots don’t work cause you want all 5 games at home on the same day?

This needs to be on a sunday is my opinion. Either day is probably going to be shit i'm guessing

i'm sure plenty of the women playing also support the mens teams as trainers etc and on away games that goes out the window. The wives of players won't make to watch the partners etc. Women who work Saturday mornings can't play. At least mens reserves is 12.30 so they have chance of both working and playing.

to me it should have been on Sunday when the WAWFL play and can be supported by the men who play on a Saturday and vice versa

"Should be pretty easy to fixture League, Reserves & Colts at home at normal times one week, then 3s (2:30pm) & Women’s (1pm) at home the next week."

I know it's easy - you know it's easy - try telling WAAFL!!! We would be happy fixtures like that.

Whether or not the 5 games are conducted on the same day is immaterial. It would make for a REALLY long day though and probably not ideal.

There is certainly more atmosphere if games are played on a Saturday in conjunction with men's games, but I doubt you'll see much atmosphere at 9am!!

Our ladies are happy to play Saturday evening and we have made that very clear to WAAFL, however, every single fixture (bar one at 12.15) is on Saturday morning - they have even fixtured one 'stand alone' game at 9am!!!!

It’s staggering the decision to play Saturday mornings. My daughter plays and my club has a female side for the 2nd year. I think Friday nights was the best option. If the growth in women’s footy is so important and I’m an advocate for it I cannot comprehend the stupidity of their fixture. If they think they’re catering towards the single women playing footy then seriously who is advising the powers that be to make this decision? A third would easily be mums with children. So what happens to their child’s sport as Saturday morning is predominately dominated by kids sports? The waafl and wafc need to wake up to themselves . Provide adequate grounds that have the lighting....subsidise the clubs having to fork out huge coin to “rent” these venues for the night. We are in fierce competition with the other codes but alas the “decision “ makers have no idea.

Spoke to our women’s coach at cricket today and he thought the change to Saturdays was based on feedback from a survey that players and coaches filled in last season? Also said that he had requested a number of fixture changes which had all been approved, with 2 more changes awaiting the sign off of a new lighting project that will allow night games.

A survey was done and 11am was by far the most popular and sensible time. At our club most girls are aged 20 to 35. We have about 10 mothers in the team and all their children are younger than 6. The major demographic of the Women's league as in the men's would be 20 to 35 so there would not be many with kids over 7 or 8 surely so I think they have got it right . 11 am is by the far the best time and popular time.