We Keep Women and Girls in Football.
Every woman and girl deserves one role model who believes in her. That’s why we build community and club mentors, who support girls with the skills, tools, and presence to stay in football and develop their leadership skills.
On the heels of the Women’s World Cup 2023, football club registrations for women and girls throughout Australia have hit an influx that clubs can’t meet. That means girls are missing opportunities to play and feel well, and cities are missing the social benefits of building healthier communities.
We’re responding to this need by delivering wellbeing workshops that ensure inclusive and equitable access to play football and supporting clubs to build mentors and role models that keep girls playing.
Since 2020, we’ve been dedicated to improving the mental wellbeing of women and girls playing football, so they want to play for a season and a lifetime.
How women and girls benefit from our programs
Girls have role models and see pathways at their clubs
Women and girls learn confidence-building skills
Women in sport events create safe spaces and social connection
Women build their leadership skills and coaching capabilities
Meet our founder, Kris Marano
“Gaining Ground is the program I wish I had when I dropped out of soccer at 14.”
I started playing soccer in small town Canada when I was five-years-old. Dad would take us to the local pitch and my brother and I would kick the ball around after school. When I was 14, my coach benched me because I missed a training. He had never communicated this expectation of me, which led me to believe I wasn’t a good enough player. I dropped out for many years and didn’t start playing again until I moved to Perth from Canada and joined Fremantle City Football Club. That’s when I started to realise all the wonderful benefits soccer has given me in life: physical and mental wellbeing, social connection, and confidence to lead.
Because I dropped out of sport at such a young age, I wanted to ensure girls at my local club could have role models - to see the players they could become at their club and have women they could look up to.
One comment can lift us up, or it can bring us down and it can affect how we lead in our lives. We can guide girls and young women through that.