Women’s football (soccer) in Papua New Guinea is going to reach new heights as the development strategy and vision of women’s football in PNG is being put in place by newly appointed board members of the National Women’s Premier League.
The forces behind starting the league are former women soccer players and individuals who are passionate about the sport. The all women board members comprise of Justice Catherine Davani, Jennifer Popat, business woman, Janet Sios; National Gaming Control Board chief executive officer, Imelda Agon, Dakan Doiwa and Richanda Kassman.
The concept of the league is to develop a high-level women’s competition and to encourage clubs to develop a professional approach to administrating of the game. So far, preparations are underway behind the scenes to build an elite, amateur, competitive women’s national competition in the country.
Papua New Guinea Football Association will provide K100, 000 to kick start the Women’s League while the Board will raise the rest.
The board’s emphasis is on women's football development as an important element not only in PNG, ultimately in the Oceania Region, but to address the many social issues we face.
"Domestic violence, health issues, gender bias and access to education are sometimes limited but with increasing numbers of women participating in football we can address some of these challenges.
The PNG women’s national soccer team has long held the status of being number one in the Pacific claiming four Gold medals and to compliment that status, we have to sustain the level of competition.”
PNGFA president David Chung in his remarks during the meeting said the board should drive football for women in the country with the Premier League as the flagship.
“The board is empowered under the regulation approved by the PNGFA Executive Committee and uses the regulations to develop football in all its aspects in administration, coaching and refereeing.”
Chung encourages women to manage football themselves by coaching football teams and officiate in women’s league - PNG Football Association will assist within the technical areas but the women must come forward and offer their abilities to progress and promote women’s football.
He further offered the availability of the PNG U20 Women Coach Lisa Cole, in her current capacity to offer assistance to the Board in technical capacity building in a way forward after the World Cup.
He also stated that Kimbe Technical Centre is earmarked as the centre for women’s football development – from coaching, camps and anything regarding women’s football development.
The board will have their formal meeting in the coming weeks to set out a roadmap to getting the League off the ground in 2017.