WA Police to take on Deadly Sista Girlz in women’s footy match

NO matter who kicks the most goals, WA Police and the Deadly Sista Girlz will walk away winners from a football game with a difference.

Building stronger relationships is the ultimate goal when The Wirrpanda Foundations’ Deadly Sista Girlz from Yule Brook College and Sevenoaks Senior College play the WA Police Women on Wednesday.

Following last year’s successful match between Cannington Police and Clontarf College last year, Wirrapanda Foundation development manager and Deadly Sista Girlz coach Simon Nimmo approached the police to plan a girl’s game.

Police community engagement officer Matthew Sharp said the game would strengthen important relationships between the Wirrpanda Foundation, police and the broader Aboriginal community, and break down stereotypes.

“Sport is the vehicle we can use for the building of the relationships,” he said.

“As we saw from the successful Clontarf event, it’s a fantastic way of building and strengthening our partnership and relationship.

“Cultural barriers, traditional stereotypes, the ‘us versus them’ mentality, we’re wiping that away and saying we need to work in partnership for the bettering of the community,”

Detective senior constable Fiona Boucher, who will line up for the police, said the game was a great way to both establish connections with the other side and build women’s football as well.

“It gives both sides an understanding of each other, they get to learn who we really are and at the same time we get to learn who they are and their culture,” she said.

“Women’s footy is so much on the up at the moment and these girls have so much talent to give, so it breaks the gap down where we can get them into clubs and create pathways.”

Mr Nimmo echoed her sentiments and said some of his team had already expressed an interest in pursuing a career with the police.

“Police is quite a viable job for these girls and they’ve already got some interest in it,” he said.

While the game may be a friendly, both sides admitted they were quietly confident of claiming victory.

“The police keep having closed sessions so we can’t spy on them,” Mr Nimmo said.

“We’re looking forward to the challenge, we’ve got the same attitude as the girls, we want to bring the cup home and we’re definitely not going to give it to them easily,” Const Boucher said.

The game kickoffs at 6pm at Harmony Fields in Maddington. There will be a free community sausage sizzle and representatives from the police, Wirrpanda Foundation and City of Gosnells will attend.

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