TERANG Mortlake's first ever female football coach Tania Barbary knows she is stepping into uncharted territory but she believes she is ready for her newest mentoring challenge.
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The 47-year-old has never coached football but has experience as a leader of top grade netball sides at Camperdown and Western Lions.
But the step into the Deakin University Female Football league landscape is something that excites the mother-of-three.
"I think it's a really exciting phase for the area and we will take it one step at a time as it is learning for me and it's learning for the girls," Barbary said.
"The opportunity for something brand new and shape something new and hopefully create something that is going to be a success for the greater Terang and Mortlake area."
The police officer, who also plays and has coached netball for Kolora-Noorat, said she would need to balance her sports like her players.
"That (playing and coaching) will be the challenge but I imagine most of the girls who will be playing will also be playing netball," she said.
"That will be a challenge for them too and I see that as the pivotal role as the coach to be mindful of them playing football and netball and accommodate for the players.
"I think multiple sports compliment each other, whether it's basketball, footy, netball, tennis any sport requires hand-eye coordination and I don't discourage anyone from doing multiple sports."
Barbary said she was eager to encourage as many girls as possible from the region to take up the sport.
"I think it's an exciting time for Cobden, Timboon and the couple of teams in Warrnambool providing the opportunity for the girls of that greater area," she said.
"I'd be encouraging anyone who is from Derrinallum, Hexham, Mortlake and all around that area if they are interested to come along.
"It is an under 18 competition, and you have to be 13 years and over, but we would certainly be excited about anyone coming along.
"They can be younger than 13, although they can't play, it's never too young to start learning."
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Sean Hardeman
I'm a sports journalist for the Warrnambool Standard who covers a number of different sports across the south-west of Victoria. I enjoy watching cycling, surfing, football, soccer and Formula 1.
I'm a sports journalist for the Warrnambool Standard who covers a number of different sports across the south-west of Victoria. I enjoy watching cycling, surfing, football, soccer and Formula 1.
