University of Wisconsin/Madison business and sports management student Jacqueline Theiler has become the first US student to join the West Australian Football Commission on an internship.
Jacqueline, who has moved to Perth (WA) as part of an international student abroad program at Murdoch University, will work with the West Australian Country Football League in the areas of sponsorship delivery, marketing, event management and general administration duties.
In August 2007, a new group of exchange students arrived at Notre Dame University and started training with the South Fremantle Football Club. Six weeks into their training, they competed in and won a carnival in Goomalling.
Women from St Benedicts College in St Cloud, Minnesota and the University of Portland in Oregon have started a 3 month 'boot camp' footy program. The program is hosted and coordinated by South Fremantle Football Club (including a coach). The squad trains at Fremantle Oval, the home of the Dockers. It is likely that women from other colleges on Study Abroard in Fremantle will join in .
Having gone to Australia to visit friends of mine, and never having heard of Aussie Rules before, I was a little hesitant in joining a women's team. Now after having trained and played for the past 7 months I am very glad that my friend Lisa had talked me into joining with her.
When Jesse Hrudka Wartman decided to study for a semester in Melbourne, she never imagined that she'd fall in love with a new sport. However, the Melbourne University MUGARS got their claws into her and recruited her for the women's footy team. Jesse will be keeping us posted on her experiences playing footy before she returns home at the end of June. She's already looking forward to practicing with the Minnesota Morrigans before school starts in the fall.
Ryan Bartz (left) with AUG Melbourne University Captain, Lucy Puls
Ryan Bartz, an exchange student from New York, was selected in the Green & Gold Australian Women's football team at the Australian University Games late last month. Although selection is honorary as there is no international competition to play in, it is a major achievement for Bartz who had only played two games of Australian Rules football prior to the Australian University Games.
Bartz, a theatre student, arrived in Melbourne in July to complete a semester on exchange at the University of Melbourne. A college ice hockey player in New York and in her home state of California, Bartz thought to try her hand at the Australian game to complete her Aussie experience. She called the Melbourne University Women's Football Club, who was nearing the end of the home and away season. With only 2 regular games left in the season, Bartz took hold of the opportunity to have a kick and took to the field in the famous black and blue colours of Melbourne University. She immediately made an impact on debut for the Melbourne University Girls' Aussie Rules Squad (MUGARS) Division 3 side, leaving Coach, Deb 'Henry' Lawson, pleading with her to stay on permanently.
