Page 43 - AFL QUEENSLAND 2012 YEAR IN REVIEW

Breanna Koenen from Townsville won the Queensland Player’s Player award and Emily Bates won the Best and Fairest award. Emily Bates (Yeronga), Jordan Zanchetta (Yeronga) , Ally Anderson (Zillmere), Tayla Harris (Zillmere) and Megan Hunt (BITS) were selected in the Under 18 Youth Girls All-Australian team. Emily, Tayla and Megan were also invited to attend the week long High Performance Academy in Melbourne which featured the thirty best open women players and the ten best under 18 players.
The Sunfire Academy was established this year to assist players with their transition from primary school to club football. Thirty-five girls were selected from the Sunfire Superstars Carnival Night to be involved in the Academy which was supported by the Brisbane Lions and Gold Coast SUNS. Fifty-five girls were invited from South East Queensland for 2012/13.
In 2012, the Under 17 Youth Girls State Championships was renamed from the Under 16s to ensure a fair and just selection of the Queensland team. With six teams in the competition Southern Stars (Darling Downs, Gold Coast & Northern Rivers), Brisbane Flames (Brisbane West & South-East), Suncoast Storm (Sunshine Coast & Brisbane North), Central Coast Cobras (Wide Bay, Rockhampton and Mackay), North Queensland Lions (Cairns & Townsville) and QANTASlink Crusaders (Cape York), girls are getting plenty of exposure to representative football and great opportunities to represent their state.
JULIA PRICE
FEMALE PROGRAMS MANAGER
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