By Lorraine Genia – EM TV Sports, Port Moresby
With the FIFA U20 Women’s World Cup fast approaching, football fever is hitting the shores of all regions of the country.
For the small island region of Bougainville, the code may not be the biggest, but it certainly is a favourite amongst women.
Although rugby union takes precedence over football in Buka, a group of women have managed to juggle the two codes, not professionally, but as a pastime activity.
Matilda Wababala, the current goalkeeper for the Buka women’s team heading to the ABG games, has called upon more women throughout Bougainville to be involved in the code of football.
These women currently play in Buka’s local competition, at Hutjena’s sports field.
All 22 of them will travel over to Arawa to participate in this year’s edition of the ABG Games.
With these kinds of numbers picking up the game, further development and the potential for mass participation focused programs to boost women’s participation of the code are certainly a viable option going forward.
