Over 150 youth girls from across the top end will converge on Northline Oval in Palmerston over the next two days to take part in the 2012 RYCO 24•7 Youth Girls Championship.
"We have girls coming from all over the top end communities including Wadeye, Groote Eylandt, Galiwinku, Maningrida, Tiwi Islands, Beswick, Katherine, and of course urban team from Palmerston and Darwin are joining in too," said AFLNT Participation and Schools Manager Rob Elliot.
The 14 sides entered into this years competition will participate in an AFL 9’s format on modified fields.
"The aim is to introduce more girls to the game of AFL but also assist those that are already playing the opportunity to develop and grow,"
"With this competition we will then look to work with those girls who are interested in taking their football further to participate in the NTFL Youth Girls Competition during the wet season," advised Elliott.
A unique element to this years RYCO 24•7 Championship is the addition of the African Girls Academy Team who will be coached by Patrick Taban a member of the African Boys Academy (as released during August).
"This is a fantastic story and the interest we have developed from the Boys Academy as flowed over to the girls who are showing just as much interest as the boys, and it is a great step for Patrick to be coaching in developing his leadership skills but also to further his knowledge of the game," said AFLNT Multicultural Development Manager Adam Moedt.
Following on from the two day top end carnival there will be 20 girls selected as the RYCO 24•7 All Stars and will receive a special commemorative Guernsey for their achievement.
"RYCO are proud to be partnering with AFLNT’s Youth Girls Programs for the third successive year. It is great that we can afford these girls the same opportunities as the boys and to assist in developing a pathway for them to succeed in football and in life," said Steve Lockwood Darwin Branch Manager for RYCO 24•7.
Central Australia will hold a similar competition with six teams in two weeks time in Alice Springs where a Central Australian RYCO 24•7 All Stars team will be selected.