Local women are set to take the field in Port Lincoln Football League’s club colours for the first time on February 4 with five clubs taking part in the history making competition.

Port Lincoln Football League Women’s Competition will begin on February 4 with junior (under 16) teams playing on Centenary Oval and senior teams on the Port Lincoln High School Oval.

The league has confirmed the participation of teams from Boston, Lincoln South, Mallee Park, Marble Range and Wayback football clubs for 2022.

League football operations manager Quinn Dutschke said with the date and teams set there was a lot of excitement to see the next chapter in the development of women’s football on Eyre Peninsula begin.

“Hopefully this will be a year of growth and a great start to a club based women’s competition,” he said.

“It’s a real credit to the people we have with our clubs who are so committed to football and supporting women’s football, it’s a really positive position for us to be in at this point,.”

The players are also looking forward to the start of the competition and to compete in their club’s colours for the first time.

Zoe Proude will be one of the players wearing Marble Range’s black and white stripes, with her family having a long time involvement with the club.

Proude said she had played in Marble Range’s under 15 side previously but was excited to be a part of the first women’s team for the club.

“It feels good, especially as I didn’t think it would happen that quickly,” she said.

Shenae Miller, who will play for Mallee Park in the competition, said there was a lot of momentum from players leading into the Christmas and New Year break and should pick up again now the competition draws near.

For the players taking to the field for this year’s competition, it could mean the start of bigger things, becoming a Norwood player like Sachi Syme or even joining the AFLW ranks like Cleve’s Bella Smith at Collingwood.

Mr Dutschke said the league had been well supported by Norwood Football Club in fostering female football talent on Eyre Peninsula and with more opportunities there could be more women making a splash in the sport in years to come.

He said draft fixtures have been drawn up for the 2022 competition and would be finalised once player numbers had been assessed and assets in place had been established.

Club registration links for the women’s competition are available online at plfl.com.au/womens-football/.