Female Participation
At Central Juniors, we believe in creating an inclusive environment where everyone has the opportunity to play, develop, and thrive in Rugby League.
With the rise of the female game over the past few years we believe that female participation at a Junior level is not just important—it’s essential, and we are committed to fostering a strong and supportive environment for female players of all ages and skill levels.
Mini & Mod Female Development
In 2024 Central Juniors became the first Regional Club in NSW to have a Girls ONLY U6 team. The ‘Sparkles’ (as they named themselves), had a brilliant first season of footy, growing and developing every single week and held their own in a strong male dominated competitive environment.
In 2025 we intend to build on this further, with half of the current ‘Sparkles’ moving up into U7s we will have an U7 Sparkles, as well as our U6 Sparkles. In exciting news our U16WT players have asked to be involved with the Sparkles development this year, and will be assisting their little ‘sisters’ at training!
We also welcome girls into all of our other mixed teams from U5s through to U12s, last year we had more females registered than ever before, and we introduced The Margaret Keelan Young Female Player of the Year Award to our Presentation day to recognise the strong female participation we have at Central.
Join Us in Growing Female Rugby League!
We invite girls of all ages to come and experience the great game of Rugby League at Central Juniors. Whether you’re new to the sport or looking to take your skills to the next level, Central Juniors is here to support you every step of the way.
Together, we can continue to grow the game, break down barriers, and inspire future generations of female players.
Interested in joining us?
International Female Development
For our International age girls (U12 – U18) The league has changed the game slightly this year, with the age groups changing to U12, U14, U16 and U18 all playing Womens Tackle (WT) We are planning on hosting teams in all of these age groups.
As we recognise the growth in the game we also recognise the need for a new way of training for our female International players. Here is our proposal for Female Development at Central Charlestown JRLFC in 2025.
1. Building a Supportive, Inclusive Environment
We are committed to creating an environment where female players feel welcomed, valued, and respected. Our coaches, staff, and players are trained to provide support and encouragement to help each participant reach their full potential—both on and off the field.
2. Pre-Season training sessions
From nutrition to physiotherapy we have our female players covered with help from the best in our community. We will start the season with a welcome meeting and information session for our female athletes (and their parents) . We will set goals for the year and talk about ways we can support them off the field with their training, recovery and physical and mental well being.
This offering is exclusive to Central Juniors players.
3. Weekly Strength & Conditioning sessions
We are still nutting out the details of this one, but we will be offering a weekly class exclusive to our Female athletes aged between 12 and 18. The classes will vary each week from strength focused, to pilates and conditioning.
4. Inspiring Role Models and Female Coaches
Not only will we continue to work closely with our senior club – the ‘Butcher Birds’ we will ensure our athletes have access to coaches, trainers and mentors that are specifically qualified in training the female athlete.
As well as being inspired themselves we hope to provide our athletes with the opportunity to mentor our younger female players. They can share their knowledge of playing in mixed competitions, assist with training of young players, or just be a friendly, relatable face to some of our new girls!
5. Organising Girls-Only Events and Tournaments
Sshh we still have to keep this one quiet!
But we plan to hold a few girl only events this season, allowing our female players to develop their skills and connect with others in a supportive, exciting atmosphere. These events will focus on fun, skill development, and teamwork, offering a safe space where girls can feel empowered in their Rugby League journey.
6. Creating Pathways for Girls and Women
We will continue to build structured pathways for girls and women from our grassroots participation through to elite and representative levels. We will ensure that at Central Juniors in 2025 every female athlete has an opportunity to progress and develop within our great game!
Join Us in Growing Female Rugby League!
We invite girls of all ages to come and experience the great game of Rugby League at Central Juniors. Whether you’re new to the sport or looking to take your skills to the next level, Central Juniors is here to support you every step of the way.
Together, we can continue to grow the game, break down barriers, and inspire future generations of female players.
Interested in joining us?