Crowd gathers round for Female Festival of Footy

AFL Gippsland, Latrobe Health Services and Female Football Gippsland successfully hosted the Latrobe Health Services Gippsland Gather Round Female Festival of Footy on Sunday, May 25, at Yinnar Recreation Reserve. 

The event was a vibrant celebration of girls and women’s sport, while also promoting health awareness and accessibility within the Gippsland community.

With 10 back-to-back matches across two ovals, the festival provided non-stop footy action and showcased the talent of youth girls and women, drawing strong crowds both in person and via livestream. 

Players and fans alike were inspired by AFLW stars including Gippsland’s own number one Collingwood draftee Ash Centra, Gippslanders Amber Schutte from Collingwood and Tyla Hanks from Melbourne Football Club, and newly drafted Collingwood player Georgia Knight.

“The energy on the day was incredible – seeing so many athletes and families come together to celebrate female football highlights how important it is to this community,” Female Football Gippsland’s president Graeme Smith said. 

Tim Cotter, regional manager at AFL Gippsland, agreed.

“The Female Festival of Footy united our youth girls’ and women’s teams to inspire the next generation and promote healthier lifestyles for all Gippslanders. Featuring kicking and handballing competitions, an all-girls football skills clinic, and half-time Auskick games, it was truly an action-packed day in Yinnar,” he said. 

Beyond the on-field action, the festival also provided an opportunity for attendees to take advantage of free Shane Warne Legacy Health Checks, delivered by Latrobe Health Services as part of their ongoing commitment to improving health outcomes. 

These screenings helped participants assess critical heart health indicators, such as blood pressure, heart rate, body composition, diabetes risk, and non-fasting cholesterol levels. 

More than 70 checks were completed across the day, with almost one quarter of participants recording high blood pressure readings and almost half had not had their blood pressure checked in the last 12 months.

“Regional communities often face additional challenges in accessing preventative health care, so being able to provide these free heart health checks was an important part of the day,” Chief Executive Officer at Latrobe Health Services Ian Whitehead said. 

“At Latrobe Health Services, we strive to support the long-term health and wellbeing of Gippslanders. We want people to not only enjoy the game but also walk away with valuable health insights that can make a real difference in their lives.”

Coronary heart disease remains a leading cause of death in Australia, with regional and rural areas disproportionately affected.