Tara Murray
Calder United took its talents to Tasmania and came out on top last week.
The National Premier League women’s side had two sides make the trip to Tasmania as part of Western United’s Festival of Football.
The week-long festival was a celebration of football in Tasmania, with United having signed a partnership with the Tasmanian government.
The festival included A-league games, curtain raisers involving Calder teams, open training sessions and community fun days.
Western United and Calder United last year formed a partnership to grow female football in Melbourne’s west from juniors through to A-League.
Calder president Amanda Stella said it was an unique experience for the group to travel interstate. They took a group of 40 on the trip.
“It’s an amazing opportunity for the girls who have worked so hard,” she said.
“In 2020 we didn’t get to play, so this is an extra reward for all the effort the girls have put in.
“It’s a good partnership with Western United working in the female football space. It was a good opportunity in Tasmania and everyone embraced it.”
Stella said United, along with the Tasmania government, Football Tasmania and the local clubs had really got behind the whole concept.
Calder played matches against Tasmanian select sides, which consisted of the best female footballers in Tasmania before Western United’s match against Wellington Phoenix on Thursday night.
Calder’s youth side won 5-0, while the women’s side won 3-0. United had a 1-1 draw.
Stella said the games had given the group some extra confidence and a game under their belts. She said the group had never played on a ground like UTAS Stadium, in another amazing opportunity for the club.
“It will help in their long term development.”
Calder arrived back in Melbourne on Friday afternoon and was back on the field on Saturday in round three of the NPLW competition.
They faced Bayside United, which was after the deadline.
Calder claimed the points in their first match, before a 3-2 loss to South Melbourne in round two.
“It’s been successful so far,” Stella said of the season.
