The GIANTS’ National Women’s League athlete talent searches have concluded with another crop of talented athletes undergoing testing in Canberra.
Sunday’s Athlete Search at the Australian Institute of Sport followed the successful Sydney trial, which saw over 50 athletes put through their paces at Tom Wills Oval.
Among the Canberra group was Canberra United and Matildas player Caitlin Munoz, who has had a lifelong interest in Australian Rules.
A member of Australia’s 2007 FIFA World Cup squad, Munoz told the Canberra Times she’d been tempted to pull on the boots for a different kind of football a number of times.
"I have got a few friends that play locally and they always ask me to jump in but I have always had so much soccer so I couldn't, but it would be interesting to see how I would go,” she said.
Munoz sees the positives in the GIANTS entry into the female sporting landscape, even if it could attract athletes away from her sport of choice.
"A lot of sports are starting to realise they are going to have to start paying female athletes in general a little bit more,” she said.
“With the AFL there is lots of talk about money being thrown around which is really good for women's sport.
"I think more females playing any sport is good regardless of money or what sport it is, it's nice to see the girls rewarded with some extra cash or just with some recognition that all athletes deserve.
"Other sports are going to have to catch up otherwise we're going to lose players to the AFL.”
The searches were a combination of skill and fitness testing, with athlete’s 2km time trial, agility test and vertical leaps all being scrutinised by the GIANTS Athletic Performance Unit.
Schmidt told the Canberra times the level of talent at both searches had been incredibly high.
"A lot of these girls have participated quite highly in other sports, so they know what the testing is all about and they always give it their all,” he said.
"It's all about pushing through to the end, not giving up, working together, and overall it's been absolutely fantastic and, fingers crossed, we can see one or two of them on the list next year."
For Schmidt – who can choose two of the athletes to fill rookie spots in the GIANTS inaugural squad – the athlete talent searches have been more than just about identifying potential players from outside of the football community.
"You might get the one or two that you do pick up in the GWS team but it does just raise awareness for AFL and female footy, and if they decide they love the game and want to play at a community level then that's a win as well."
For the Canberra Times Article CLICK HERE
