"It's been one of the best things we've ever done as a club."
Subscribe now for unlimited access.
$0/
(min cost $0)
or signup to continue reading
Hearing Bridgenorth coach and president Bobby Beams talk about the impact the women's program has had sends shivers down your spine.
"There's been hundreds of people that have come through the club that probably never would have - as in players and their connections and family and friends - had we not gone and got a (women's team) licence," he said.
This week presented as ideal to reflect on the group's progress as the Parrots are playing Old Scotch in a knockout semi-final.
The NTFAW premier game starts at 10.20am on Saturday at the NTCA Ground.
Co-captain Mikaela Clarke was there for the first pre-season runs in November 2018.
The keen hockey player had zero footy experience but loved watching the game.
"The vast majority of our team hadn't played before," she said.
"We turned up for the first training and I reckon 30-odd people came along.
"It was about having fun and we finished fourth so played finals in that first year which was exciting."
READ MORE:
She said the women's side was welcomed with open arms from the get-go.
"It's been amazing the way it's been accepted into the club," she said.
"From the very start, we've never felt like us girls were intruding or anything like that.
"We've been accepted in and it's been great. There's never been any awkwardness.
"We've just been accepted with ease and the culture is great. It's been growing year after year and keeps getting stronger."
The welcoming atmosphere has continued to this day.
The women's team's youngest player, Hannah Carr, attested to that.
The 17-year-old described the culture as inclusive, non-judgemental and as "one big family".
Carr, a talented netballer, came to the club this season after getting a couple of years of junior footy under her belt.
She enjoyed being chucked in the middle of the song briefly after her first win and has felt well-supported by her teammates.
"They make you feel welcome and get around you and encourage you," she said.
"If you do one bad thing they make you lift your head."
Emily Mckinnell, who joined the Parrots last year, also spoke highly of the culture.
Enjoying her eighth season, she's one of the team's most experienced players.
"It's such a great atmosphere and everyone gets along," she said.
"That's the best part about it. There are no divides or anything like that."
Mckinnell is often at the footy all day as her partner Billy Jack plays for the men's senior team.
"Billy and a lot of the other partners are at our games and we do the same for them," she said.
"It's really nice to have someone to bounce ideas off and someone who understands footy."
Traditions and rituals are a big part of building club culture and Grace Walker plays a major role in that at Parrot Park.
The 25-year-old is on the social committee and has organised this year's functions.
Walker, who has been at the club for three seasons, had to pivot after doing her anterior cruciate ligament during a game last year.
"I get the ins and outs of what's happening around the club," she said.
"And I feel empowered to be on the committee as a young person and adding to meetings from a young person's perspective because ultimately our football club is made up of young people.
"The functions are probably the best-suited category for me to organise which is probably related to my age.
"It's been really fun organising the functions. They're not easy some of them to organise and there are a lot of jobs and bits and bobs.
"But seeing the turnouts and people enjoying themselves - it's all worth it."
She said functions had made a resurgence in 2022.
"In previous years, I suppose with COVID as well, we couldn't have as many functions and numbers have been down," she said.
"It's good this year to see the culture lift and hopefully with more functions next year and different ones...people will continue to get on board."
Walker has also stayed involved on the football side of things as an assistant coach.
She described it as extremely rewarding.
"I've thoroughly enjoyed learning a lot about myself as a leader and upskilling myself in footy while not even playing," she said.
"As well as just trying to be a good role model for the girls."
Apart from functions, the club also gathers for players' teas on Thursday night before home games.
A unique tradition Mckinnell and Beams spoke about was that the men and women are up for player fines which are a fun part of most footy clubs.
The room is often left in stitches as the fines masters read out the monetary punishments for things like "falcons", 50-penalties and getting your mug in the paper.
Meanwhile, a ritual the women's team is big on is having tunes on in the background during training.
"We like to enjoy what we're doing and 'get that vibe up' as we like to say," Clarke said.
"With our warm-ups, training and our pre-game there's always music going.
"It's about having fun and trying not to overthink anything. Just having fun and being in the moment."
While these traditions and rituals revolve around football, for Beams there's something going on bigger than the game.
He said the thing he was most proud of was seeing the growth of his players as people, not just as footballers.
"Even the ones that have taken their football to another level, they as people have gone to another level and it's really exciting," he said.
Our journalists work hard to provide local, up-to-date news to the community. This is how you can continue to access our trusted content:
- Bookmark www.examiner.com.au
- Make sure you are signed up for our breaking and regular headlines newsletters
- Follow us on Twitter: @examineronline
- Follow us on Instagram: @examineronline
- Follow us on Google News: The Examiner