CAVENDISH Football Netball Club is eagerly awaiting the start of the Western Victoria Female Football League (WVFFL) season, as the club’s senior women’s football team gets ready to run on the field for its first ever game.

Coming off last season when the club had an Under-18 team, the natural progression to a senior team was the next step for the Bloods, with and the senior team to be added alongside an Under-18 side again this season.

Under new senior women’s coach, Adrian Talay, the squad has been hard at work in its pre-season training, learning the skills that will take them forward in the future.

Talay has been coaching female sports for 20 years and he is excited for the progression of women’s football and his part in guiding the squad into the sport.

“We had 30 players on the books, but a few have not been able to fully commit, and we are at 22 players now,” Talay said.

“We have been training since late November and we have gradually built the skill set of these players, some of whom haven’t even played a team sport let alone football.

“I have no expectations on the players, as we are looking at building their skills within the game and then building from there once those skills are in place.

“The girls have really taken to the sport with many wanting to learn how to play in different positions after they have learnt ball skills.

“Everyone is welcome, as we train and play with an emphasis on fun, fitness, variety, and skills, so we hope to have the squad build from here.

“This is a family club, and I haven’t had to come in to build the culture as it is already here which is not the case at many clubs.”

Club president, James Huf, echoed the sentiments of his coaching and off field staff who have driven the recruitment of the players and coaches toward building this first senior women’s squad.

“We were nominated for a South West Sports Assembly award for Club of the Year, but we didn’t win, although I’m very proud where we are at as a club,” Huf said.

The Bloods will open their senior women’s season with a trip to Friendly Societies Park to take on South Warrnambool on April 14.