A team of footy-mad girls will run out in Mernda colours next season.
About 15 girls have shown interest in being part of the Demons’ first under-18 side in 2014, which will play in the Northern Football League.
The side will be headlined by Deanna Berry, an AFL Victoria representative, who returns to the club after a season away.
Mernda Football Club junior president Phil Tucker said Berry, 15, was so highly rated she could even take on an assistant coaching role with the new team.
“Deanna has played for Vic Metro at the highest level of girls football and won best on ground medals in grand finals,” Tucker said.
“She’s a really great athlete and football player.
“She’ll take on some sort of assistant coach role, or maybe if we don’t get a coach we could get a team manager and she’d play as a playing coach.”
Tucker said Berry had devised the idea for a girls team a few months ago.
“Deanna played all her Auskick and junior football at Mernda,” he said.
“It comes to an age group where (girls) can’t play with the boys anymore, so she went for a season to play girls football somewhere else.
“She rang me up in the last couple of weeks and asked if we could have a crack at getting a girls team up because she wanted to play at the Mernda Football Club.
“She was pretty much the drive behind getting the girls up and going.”
The club is looking for a coach for its girls team, as well 10 players to complete its squad.
“It will be ideal for our club as a whole to have a girls team, it just becomes more inviting for everybody,” Tucker said.
If you’re interested in joining, or want details about pre-season training, phone Phil on 0432 978 546 or email 
pltucker@live.com.au.
This article is courtesy of Leader Newspaper. The photo was taken by Kris Reichl.
