‘The Girls are back in Yellow and Black’ was the catchcry for Caulfield United Cobras Football Club last Sunday, when the club launched its return to women’s football in the opening round of the State League 3 Women’s competition.

The Cobras have a proud history of fielding successful women teams and this season, they have launched their return to senior womens competition following an absence of three years.
Caulfield Cobras first introduced a State 3 women’s team in 2012. That team was the only team state wide to be promoted each year successively from 2012 to 2014, and to then go on and win the State 1 championship in 2014. Despite, this unprecedented success, Caulfield Cobras was not issued a Women’s National Premier League licence and hence the winning team disbanded.

New President, Theo Hronopoulos, was determined to bring the women back to the Cobras – and that’s exactly what he did.

“We all know that participation by girls in soccer is not as high as it is for boys. That’s why Caulfield United Cobras FC is so proud that they will once again field a State 3 Women’s team.”

“We have a mission to foster an inclusive, multicultural football club that engenders a sense of belonging and gender equity. We have a responsibility to our young girls playing soccer to provide exceptional role models, in young women playing soccer, so they too can aspire to continue paying the world’s greatest sport.”

The Cobras are not planning to rest on their laurels either, with Theo already planning on increasing female participation even further, with the senior women’s acting as a flagship.

” Personally I’m hoping we can attract lots of young junior girls through the junior ranks, to come and aspire and watch our senior girls play. We’re very big on female participation in football. We’ve lost that over the last 3-4 years and we really want to get that. Our dream is to have four or five girls teams.”

“Next year the goal is to introduce another women’s senior team and add junior girls’ teams. The interest and enquiries are there, the challenges will be facilities and coaches,” he said.

“I believe with the support of the community, FFV, local Councils and local politicians we will be able to overcome these issues. Our unconditional aim is to strengthen female participation in the sport and position Caulfield United Cobras as a leader of community football (soccer) in the area”.

“We want to have as many females participating at our club as possible. It’s very important that we’re gender equitable. Our vice president Helen Skouteris is very big on that…And we’re wanting females to come onto the committee and take on leadership roles at our club.”

“Soccer can be a “man’s world” in many Clubs. At the Cobras we want to make sure that soccer is enjoyed by women and men, girls and boys, without discrimination or bias. Bring on season 2018!”