MUWFC acknowledges and respects the Wurundjeri People of the Kulin Nation, the Traditional Custodians whose lands we are fortunate to train, play and for many of us, live on. We pay our respects to all Elders past and present.
MELBOURNE UNIVERSITY WOMEN'S FOOTBALL CLUB
FAQs
Who are we?
Established in 1996, the Melbourne University Women’s Football Club (MUWFC), affectionately referred to as the MUGARS (Melbourne Uni Girls Aussie Rules Squad), is a community women’s football club. We are one of three standalone clubs under the Melbourne University Football Club (MUFC), the other two being the Uni Blues and Uni Blacks (mens' teams). We are a member of Melbourne University Sport with whom we collaborate closely and are greatly assisted by.
In 2023, we will be fielding three teams in the Victorian Amateur Football Association (VAFA) as well as working with Melbourne University Sport to field teams at the Australian University Games and other inter-varsity matches. MUWFC teams will be competing in the VAFA William Buck Premier Women's, Premier Women's Reserves and either the Women's Thirds or a Women's Division (pending VAFA decision) competitions. The VAFA William Buck Premier Women's team is be known as our ‘Seniors’, the Premier Women's Reserves team known as our ‘Reserves’ and the Women's Thirds team known as our 'Thirds'.
When do we play?
Our season will kick off from the weekend of April 15th and finish in August/September. Throughout the year, home games are (primarily) played on Sundays and away games on Saturdays. On a typical weekend, the Reserves team will play 2 hours prior to the Seniors team, allowing players and spectators to support both MUWFC teams. Players are expected to arrive at the ground 90 minutes before their match starts. Our Thirds will typically align with our Seniors/Reserves home and away schedule, however may play different teams as they sit in a standalone VAFA division. Our Seniors and Reserves have a 18 week season, and our Thirds have a 16 week season.
Club Communication
Key club communications will be shared through the following MUWFC Facebook groups and pages:
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Internal Players Noticeboard: For football-related information, only posted by club officials.
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Community Noticeboard: For the whole MUWFC community, including past players, supporters and current players. Anyone may arrange social activities, share lost and found property following matches, organise a sponsor pub meal, etc.
Training
Training is held twice a week and caters to the variety of skill and fitness levels of players at the club. Training occurs from 6pm to approximately 8pm.
Additional Costs
In addition to registration & fees, players require the following: playing uniform, mouth guard and football boots. Ambulance Cover is highly recommended. If you are injured, club officials will not hesitate to call for an emergency ambulance, regardless of your coverage status.
Purchased through MUWFC (2022 pricing):
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Playing Jumper (compulsory) - $65
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Playing Shorts (compulsory) - $25
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Playing Socks (compulsory) - $10 short socks / $11 long socks
Purchased through third parties:
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Mouth Guard (compulsory) - from $15 (we recommend seeing a dentist to get a fitted mouth guard!)
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Football boots (compulsory) - from $60
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Ambulance cover (highly recommended) - $49/year
Merchandise (optional):
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Available here
Giving back
MUWFC would not exist without the hard work of volunteers and the generous donations of sponsors. Players are expected to give back to ensure longevity for the club.
2023 Volunteer Commitment:
This year, players are required to volunteer OR organise a volunteer for a minimum of 2 games. This is to ensure we can take to the field each week, we need many hands to put three teams on the park! The volunteer can either be you or a family/friend and you will be able to select the round you would like to volunteer in. Players who do not full this requirement will not be eligible for selection in the final two rounds of the home & away season and/or finals series.
Below are some of the ways you can support the club year round:
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Game day volunteering - filling a volunteer role yourself, or recruiting friends and family to
assist with one of the many volunteer roles required for games to run smoothly.
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Committee assistance - helping with events and fundraisers, or speaking to a committee
member to see if there are any project that you may assist with.
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Coaching a Juniors team - we maintain a strong connection with the Flemington Juniors
Football Club and encourage our community to assist in the development of the Junior girls.
Please contact MUWFC President, Maddie Sheedy, to find out more.
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Supporting our sponsors - check out our Sponsor page and show your support by engaging
their business services wherever possible.
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Tell your friends - share news from our social media accounts, let friends and family know
about our website and merchandise offerings, bring a supporter along to a game.
Selection Policy
With more players than positions available in the teams each week, we have a policy in place to ensure that we are a competitive and high performing Seniors side striving for success in the VAFA William Buck Premier Women's Division, whilst developing our players across all teams. The team selection process for 2023 is detailed below to ensure transparency around player selection.
All Teams:
Players who wish to be considered for selection in any team must:
1. train at least once in the week prior to the game (unless otherwise communicated with coaching staff)
2. be financial (i.e. paid their fees or be on an approved payment plan)
3. uphold club values, policies and behaviors, showing respect and consideration for all MUWFC community members
4. fulfil the volunteer commitment (outlined in Giving Back) to be considered for finals
Seniors and Reserves Team:
A greater emphasis is placed upon performance-based selection.
The selection of the sides is the responsibility of the appointed coaching panel. This is to be based on the Coaches judgment and perception of the player’s abilities, potential, development, attitude, commitment and the need for team balance. The Committee will assist the Coaches in selecting the side if/when required.
Thirds Team:
A greater emphasis is placed upon participation and skill development.
The selection of up to 10 merit spots in the side is the responsibility of the appointed coaching panel and is based on performance merit. These 10 merit spots are to be based on the Coaches judgment and perception of the player’s abilities, potential, development, attitude, commitment and the need for team balance. The Committee will assist the Coaches select the sides if required.
Players not selected in the Seniors or Reserves team based on performance will be selected in the Thirds team, subject to their performance being considered to be in the top 10 merit spots in the team. This is to ensure development and ideally progression back into the Seniors or Reserves team in future weeks.
The selection of the remaining spots in the side is subject to a rotation system. Players not selected for Seniors or Reserves representation or in the first 10 spots of Thirds team will be rotated equally on a weekly basis.
Further Information
Administration of the rotation system will be managed by the club Football Operation Team. The club can delegate the management of the administration as required.
If you have a question that hasn't been answered here or elsewhere on our website, please get in touch via our Contact page.