While women’s football is often discussed as a new sport, the women of the Pleasant Hills district have been active in various sports since the early 1900s. Early newspaper articles from 1913 reveal that the town had a sports committee that organized events and social balls, which were significant community gatherings.
The 1949 Women’s Football Team
Following the launch of the Pleasant Hills Football Club history podcast, Oriel Ridge shared a fantastic discovery: a photo of the Pleasant Hills Women’s Football Team from 1949.
Oriel, who was one of the players, remembers the team clearly. The players included Ada Grunow, Oriel Pietsch, Pearl Groch, Eunice Zelbarth, Karen Terlich, Eunice Groch, Ann Knobel, Jacquet Perrin, and one other member. Oriel recalls: “It was probably in 1949 when us girls played the boys' football team. It was fun, and they allowed us to win.”
Thank you, Oriel, for sharing this wonderful slice of local history. Go Girls!
Written by Fiona Beckett