Tara Murray
Women’s soccer in Melbourne’s west has received a boost, with Western United establishing a women’s development squad.
The A-League club, which has strong ambitions to field a W-League side in the near future, announced the creation of the women’s development squad last week.
United’s women’s football integration manager Amanda Stella said the club had been working on the squad for 12 months.
The program comes on the back of the club’s partnership with Calder United, the only western suburbs team in the National Premier League women’s competition.
Stella is also president of Calder United.
“Launching a women’s development squad strengthens the club’s commitment to creating an elite pathway for girls from Victoria’s west and is an important step in our W-League project,” she said.
“Western United’s dedication to female football has been demonstrated this year through the development of the partnership with Calder United, including regional and interstate trips to showcase the sport to a broad audience.”
The squad, which is for players 17 and older, will involve around 20 to 24 players and will be formed with a strong contingent of Calder United players along with other interested players.
They will train in an elite program specifically designed to their develop talents. The 12-week program will commence this month and will be based out of the Elite Football Centre in Maribyrnong.
Calder United NPLW coach Mark Torcaso and current Western United football staff will lead the program.
Western United chief executive Chris Pehlivanis said this was exciting and that the club’s W-League expansion bid is in a healthy position.
“This program continues to build our female football product, which is still very much in its infancy stage. I look forward to meeting the inaugural squad and watching them develop as Western United footballers,” said Pehlivanis.
“In terms of our W-League ambitions, we are confident in securing a W-League license in time for the upcoming 2021-22 season and we will work closely with the APL [Australian Professional Leagues] and FFA to formalise this process.”
To register your interest in the development program, email womensfootball@wufc.com.au.
