The first ever AFLW Youth Girls Team in Busselton finished third in the South-West AFLW Youth Girls League taking on the Bunbury Bulldogs Black on Saturday.
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The Busselton Magpies Football Club team were put together by their manager Richelle Pigott in what was a whirlwind start to their season.
Ms Piggott had finished undergoing chemo treatment and wanted to do something to give back to the community.
"I was looking for something to throw some passion, time and energy into and I had been heavily involved in junior sports throughout the years," she said.
"I have two sons so I thought I would do something different and support the girls."
In March this year, Ms Piggott scraped together a nomination just in the nick of time to get a team in the South-West Junior Football League.
"I first went down to the women's training and there were a few girls training with them and there were whispers they were really keen to get a girls team together."
They went in search for young women to join the team and ended up with 23 girls ranging from 13 years to 17 years old.
"It was awesome for a first season," she said.
The youth side are made up of players from Busselton, Dunsborough, Margaret River and everywhere in between.
"At the start of the season we had nine girls who had never touched a football who were really keen to give it a crack but had no idea what to do," she said.
"We also have Ella Roberts from Margaret River who was recently named in the All Australian Under 15 State Girls Football Competition in Tasmania.
"There is such diversity in the team, from young women who had never touched a football to others who are extremely experienced.
"We also have a diverse range of cultures in our team, different socio-economic and education backgrounds.
"It is a very diverse group of young women who have really come together with a combined passion for football and have done amazing things."
Along with coach Glenn Darby, Ms Piggott said they had focused on individual player and team development throughout the season
"It was such a year of learning some of the girls had never played before and they certainly had never played together," she said.
"The girls absolutely blew our minds because they made it to the finals, and played their first final last weekend, for a first year team it is just sensational.
"It is a massive achievement."
The team are looking for new recruits for next season, if any young women in the region who would like to play for the AFLW Youth Girls Team in Busselton please contact Ms Piggott by emailing shellbelle2016@outlook.com.au.
