You play like a girl!..Good on you!

[wilgk]

A day at the football (Australian Rules, tackling allowed) with school this week, our girls have made it to the top 4 teams in the state after winning 2 round robin days with multiple games, then this 1/4 final game.
It was very cold and very muddy, but they were very determined and won against a more favoured opponent.
State final is coming up this week, they play a semi in the morning, then on to the grand final in the afternoon if they win.
These are a few of my favourites..

[casper]

hi Kay,
Nice shots, and nice story. I like no.2, lots of intent showing on all of their faces, and a nice shepherd from the team-mate. I assume they are winning smiles at the end, although both teams had something to smile about having progressed so far.
- Noel

[truonda]

All very nice captures, Kay! If only you were a couple steps to your left when you took that last shot!

[Donald]

Love good sports action stuff. Only thing that occurs to me is that I might want to crop in tighter around the centre of the action.

Great to see kids taking part in competitive contact sport and getting a bit of mud on their legs. That phase we went through of non-competitiveness so that people didn't feel left out - Never made much sense to me. Under the right tutelage and coaching regime even those kids who might not have great sporting talent can play their role in competitive sport as well.

[Mark von Kanel]

Some great images there Kay, well done, you have a good aptitude for sports togging!

[IzzieK]

Very exciting game, Kay -- I love the colourful rendition of the group -- the interaction between all of them especially the first and the last. All good shots. That is what I like about Aussie Rules football -- rain and mud never deter them from playing. I have been here for a good while in the US and haven't understand how their game is played here whereas when I go home for a visit I never missed a game, rain or shine. The more mud, the merrier.

[gregj1763]

All wonderful images Kay, you have the subjects nice and sharp and the colours are fantastic.
Love to see kids getting dirty and having fun with it

[wilgk]

Thanks everyone for viewing & commenting.
It was an interesting scenario, girls aged 11 or 12 & 23 players in the squad & 18 allowed on the field.
The Coach had played all the girls for some time in at least 1 game prior to this day. On this day it was 1 knockout game.
The day before she rang several parents to say, your daughter won't get on the field in this one. A very interesting study in human behaviour what responses she received. Most were fair call, good luck, she's still part of the team. One even drove to the venue 1 1/2 hours away to show support & watch...1 was not so happy.
It's a tough age, the first 'middle school' years, as prior to this it's been every child wins a prize approach, older than this, it's what Coach says goes... But at this age it can be the first time a kid & parent has had to cope with competitive selection.
Thanks again for comments.

[John 2]

That's a nice set Kay. I like them all.

[wilgk]

Thanks John 2

[Stagecoach]

A good series Kay, action, ball in the air, sharp and blurred background.

My only criticism is the reference to the pitch being muddy, watching what the kids play on here, rugby of course, a 'muddy pitch' is one that is at least 100mm of wet mud and no grass at all

[wilgk]

Ah yes Grahame, you are quite right, only 1 of this series, shows the mud, the rest look like a bowling green or golf course perfect surface don't they.
Interesting in the most recent bad drought here when it didn't rain for more than a year & we are on the coast! Water was rationed, only recycled 'grey' water from the house could be used outside on private gardens. So sports fields got none at all. The local winter sports games like this were cancelled, because the grounds were like concrete, too dangerous to tackle and fall.
Thankfully that has passed!

[Shadowman]

Nicely captured, some very energetic expressions.

[bnnrcn]

Great clear shots with nice colours Kay . Your thread reminded me my childhood