Throughout 2023, Oceania will be featuring university clubs from around our region. All clubs are active on their university campuses and in their community. All provide opportunities for their members and unite students during their time at university.
Club of the week for 29 May is the Melbourne University Womens Football Club
The Melbourne University Women’s Football Club are a club that is dedicated to inclusion and positive mental health for all in their club and wider community and they have recently been awarded the Club Leadership award at the UniSport Australia Sports Awards.
“We are proud of the achievements of our women’s Football Club”, says Mr Rod Warnecke, Sport Development Manager of Melbourne University Sport. “Winning the Club Leadership award at the recent UniSport Australia Sports Awards highlights the great work the club members have achieved, especially in the areas of developing policy for safety, positive mental health and inclusivity, adds Mr Warnecke.
Established in 1996, the club participates in local competitions as well as the UniSport Nationals events.
In addition to participation, the club has delivered multiple significant events on campus including the highly successful Pride and First Nations rounds, where the university’s respective communities were actively invited to participate. For these rounds, the club’s teams wore specially designed jumpers/jerseys and held related events which celebrated the communities and educated the wider university community.
“The success of the Pride and First Nations rounds are really something we are proud of”, says Ms Maddie Sheedy who is President of the club. “We are really focussed on promoting inclusivity and ensuring that our club is safe and welcoming for all. The Pride round enabled us to show our support for the LGBTIQA+ community and outline that it is ok to be who you want to be”, added Ms Sheedy.
The club held the inaugural First Nations round in 2022 and will again be held in 2023. “The First Nations round is especially important for our club”, says Ms insert name. “We recognise the culture and heritage of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples and we want to celebrate this. The First Nations round is a way for us to acknowledge the history of the lands where we play and ensure that cultures and traditions are incorporated into what we do”, concluded Ms Sheedy.
For more information about the Melbourne University Women’s Football Club visit their website.
For more information about FISU Oceania and university sport in the region, contact us.
