Collie Town SC were one of the early teams to establish themselves in the south west. Photo thanks to Ron Moss.

"Bunbury Dynamo's Ron Moss challenges Collie President, Dominic Italiano, to form a women's team to play Dynamos. These social games became the spark that ignited the interest for other clubs to come forward with ladies teams." Ron Moss, South West Soccer History (2006). Photo courtesy Brenda Bennett.

Teresa Varadi (Barbara Kozak’s sister) becomes the first President of the Western Australian Women’s Soccer Association aged just 22. Exert from Women's Soccer No Longer A Gentleman's Game

Peter Dimopoulos and Barbara Gibson join the cause for women’s soccer and Oscar Mate retires from WAWSA to focus on his commitment to the Australian Women’s Soccer Association.

The local association changes its name to the Western Australian Women's Soccer Association (WAWSA) and forms a new logo of the black swan overlaid onto the profile of Western Australia.

WA hosts the National Championships at the Lake Monger Velodrome, the second time Perth hosts. Seven teams compete, with NSW finishing champions. Admission to all grounds is 20 cents. Newspaper article from the West Australian and Jill Syson.

Bunbury Tricolore finish the season unbeaten for the second year in a row. The South West competition included Tricolore, Busselton, Dynamo’s, Collie and Bunbury City. Photo courtesy Brenda Bennett.

Ascot win the Division One title for a third year in a row, and for the fifth time in 7 years. Sharon Loveless back row on left, Jill Syson, Donna Pendreigh, Jude Pettitt, Alf Gorton (Coach), Denise Nicholaidis, Vicky Major, Martha McManus, Janice Halliwell and Janice Stott are all part of this amazingly talented team. Photo courtesy Syd Smith.

Mike Brentnall Coaches the State Team, assisted by Sharon Loveless (Mateljan). Donna (Pendreigh) Gorton was voted fairest and best for WA.

Sandra Brentnall (pictured in the Football West State Dream Team) collects a fifth WAWSA Player of the Year award in 6 seasons. The Australian international will win the award for a sixth time in 1989, when she shares the trophy with Lisa Miles.

Bunbury United play in the highly successful and long lived Busselton Carnival. Sisters such as Yvonne (bottom row second from left) and Lorraine (top row right of coach) Jones are playing alongside Brenda Bennett. Photo thanks to Brenda Bennett.

Alannah MacTiernan (middle top row)enjoys football with her club University of Western Australia. From 1975 to 1994, MacTiernan was president, secretary, treasurer and patron at UWA and later goes on to become patron of the WAWSA.

Peter Dimopoulos is elected as the third Life Member of the WAWSA after spanning two decades of service to women's soccer in Western Australia.

Sandra Brentnall coaches an Under 15 State Team at the National Titles. A young Joanne Rooney and Debbie Eve (Farrell) are selected in the All Stars team. Farrell is one of 4 Bunbury girls selected in the squad (alongside Carol Prime, Lorraine Jones and Kellie Bennett). Bunbury had less than 50 players in the local competition. Photo of Bunbury girls and Junior State Team squad (prior to team selection) courtesy Brenda Bennett.

Alf Gorton coaches the WA women’s state team competing in Melbourne. WA finished 6 out of 9 states. Sharon Mateljan Captains with Jacinta Rosebury Vice Captain. Photo courtesy Kelley Wakefield (nee Neil).

5 committee members run the WAWSA, Sally McPherson, Alan Hallett, Beryl Miles, Fred Davis and M Robinson. Photo (courtesy Penny Tanner) shows Sally in state team tracksuit on the left.

The Lou Ricci preseason carnival continued in its 11th year and the Association fielded two open age divisions in the Perth competition.

Beryl Miles is elected as the fourth Life Member of the WAWSA. Photo of Barbara Gibson and Beryl Miles (on right) in WA State Team tracksuits, courtesy Jude Pettitt.

Martyn Wells introduces Penny Tanner as a guest on the Saturday Morning Soccer Show, starting a four decade-long record of Tanners relationship with Radio Fremantle. The show becomes the World Football Programme and the longest running live soccer radio show in Australia on community radio. Photo courtesy the late Ron Moss.

A large crowd is on hand when Ashfield Dynamo take on Curtin University in a friendly at Fremantle Oval as part of a sports carnival commemorating Australia's Bicentennial. Gillian Walsh from Curtin University represents women’s soccer. Excerpt from Women's Soccer, No Longer A Gentleman's Game, Penny Tanner (1991)

The senior WA state team travelled to Newcastle, finishing 7/8 teams under Coach Graeme Millar. Sandra Brentnall is selected to play for Australia, (since retiring form State Team football in 1983), an offer she refused. Photo courtesy Stephen Frater.

A Youth Programme is overseen by Penny Tanner and Tracey Wheeler at the Esplanade on Perth's foreshore and a fresh faced Tal Karp is introduced to the WAWSA. Karp at 10-years-old, eagerly attends promotional events to support girls being involved in soccer. Newspaper article reference: The West Australian.

Morley Windmills go the league season without loss to be crowned Super League champions (the name of the highest level of Perth competition). The club also finish as Top Four Cup and Anna Senjuschenko Memorial Shield winners. This Windmills team are recognised as the state's first female only club that transformed into Northern Redbacks, until the advent of Beckenham Angels in 2000. The Morley team boasted sisters Tracey (National goal keeper) and Jackie Wheeler, both playing on the park in defensive and midfield roles due to the presence of another great goalkeeper Kerry Harris who also represented WA in goals. Morley further boasted another set of sisters and Western Australian representatives Lynda and the late Shirley Gardiner.

Perth referee Marilyn Learmont is a first choice nomination for the 1991 WWC finals in China. Photo courtesy Marilyn Learmont.

Curtin University playing Morley Windmills at Wotton Reserve. Both teams have their fair share of state team players and were highly skilled fixtures to look forward to. In this photo is Selina Holtze (Curtin- green) and Michele Matthews (Windmills- orange). Photo courtesy Penny Tanner.

Registrars Report showing the 3 women's divisions showing Fairest and Best, Runners Up and Leading Goal scorers.

Soccer is promoted by the State Soccer Body at Forest Place Perth (later the site of the Perth Fan Festival for the WWC2023). Dorsogna Cup medalist and Perth SC footballer Alan Pottier and State Representative Penny Tanner are amongst the representatives from men’s and women’s soccer promoting football to the public. Photo courtesy Penny Tanner

Tal Karp plays for Inglewood Kiev Women’s team at the young age of 12. Karp later plays for Perth Soccer Club before being snapped up by the inaugural High Performance Centre team (the pre-runner to the National Training Centre programme), Western Australia State Team, the National Women’s Soccer League and the Matildas. Photo of Inglewood Kiev courtesy Penny Tanner.

Penny Tanner is the only female Western Australian representative selected in the Australian University Team participating in the World Universities Games in Canada in 1993 with AWSA Board Member Heather Reid as Manager. Sara King, then living overseas and playing for Arsenal in goals, joined the Australian team in Canada for the tournament. King now resides in the the south west and referees the local game. Gilles Monty is the only male representative selected from Western Australia in the mens' Australian University Team that year.

Healthways became the major sponsor of the inaugural WSWA Youth League. Newspaper article: Tal Karp and Rachel Mander, courtesy The West Australian 1993

Western Australian Women's Soccer Western Australia adopt a new name ready for branding the 1993 National Championships, to be held at Gibbney Reserve, the home of womens soccer.

An under-16 State Youth State Team competes in the National Championships in Perth at Gibbney Reserve Maylands in July. A young Tal Karp, Lisa Beatty, Leanne Hill, Candice McMinn and Novella Avezzu are in the team.

Attacker Lizzy Claydon and goalkeeper Tracey Wheeler are selected in the first Australian women's squad to tour Europe. WSWA Committee Treasurer, Kerry Harris, leads the European Tour as Head of Delegation. Black and white photo at Gibbney Reserve. Lizzy on left and Tracey Wheeler on right, Photo courtesy Penny Tanner.

Shirley Gardiner coaches a Forrestfield girls team after retiring from State Team football. 'Shirl' as she was familiarly and affectionately known, was one of two footballing sisters who represented WA (sister, Lynda Gardiner). A young Nadia Poulsen is playing in the team before moving on to State team football and Queens Park SC in her later years as pne of the most promising states footballers. Shirl passed away in February, 2018.

Referee, Marilyn Learmont retires after being involved in the Dorsogna Men’s Cup Final in Perth. Photo courtesy Marilyn Learmont.

The Australian Team play their first match in 1995 as the Matildas, after SBS initially ran a competition for a new name in 1994. Amongst the suggestions are Soccertoos, Blue Flyers, Waratahs, Matildas and Lorikeets. Former WSWA Treasurer, Kerry Harris, as an Australian Women's Soccer Director, is involved in this historic rebranding decision.

Playing for Perth Soccer Cub is tall Dutch midfielder, Mirelle Van Rijbroek, who later joins the USNWT programme as part of the United States talent identification pathway. The USA are 4-time WWC winners. Mirelle is bottom row right hand side kneeling. Mirelle remembers playing as defender for one game at Perth and giving the coach, Dominic Italiano, a heart attack, by playing out of the back, subsequently she was put back in the midfield at half time.

Ian Cameron Coaches the Western Australian Under 19 State Team with Lina Merlacco as Manager. Lisa Tana Captains the side that contains Jessine Bonzas, Candice McMinn, Lisa Ward and Tal Karp.

Women’s Soccer WA appoint Kerry Harris as their Executive Officer, their first paid employee. WSWA offices reside at Perry Lakes Stadium along with WAASSA, PSF and the JSA.

Barbara Gibson, Peter Dimopoulos, Oscar Mate, Anna Senjuschenko, Sharon Loveless (Mateljan), Sandra Brentnall and Teresa White (Varadi) are inducted into the Football Hall of Fame Western Australia. Photo featured of Oscar Mate.

A Western Australian State Team is coached by state soccer Director of Coaching John Ward. Players include Luch Colangelo, Linda Kelly, Michele Matthews, Jill Walsh, Tal Karp. Photo courtesy Jill Walsh.

Aboriginal State Team and Perth SC player, Selina Holtze works with the WSWA as a Role Model promoting girls playing soccer.

The passing of George Crowe is recognised with a Memorial Shield at Gibbney Reserve Maylands. Crowe was instrumental in the early years fostering girls in soccer at the Inglewood club.

The Busselton Carnival provides the usual social highlight for men's and women's teams post season, attracting teams from all around Western Australia. Photo shows Busselton ladies at the carnival in 1998 courtesy Penny Tanner.

WA competes in the last Open Women’s National Championship in Kuala Lumpur. The AWSA recognise all players with medallions. With the advent of the National Soccer League in 1996, the prominence of the Championships reduces as a platform for talent identification and elite competition. Medal photo courtesy Penny Tanner

Collette McCallum (Gardiner) and Lisa De Vanna represent WA for the first time as teenagers in the WA State Junior Team participating in the National Under 16s Soccer Championships in July at Gibbney Reserve and gain selection in the National squad. The WA Coaching Team are Michael Gunning and Nino Sardi. Photo of WA State Junior Team courtesy Penny Tanner

Oxtoby and De Vanna are two of six WA students selected in an Under 19 Australian School squad to tour the United Kingdom, whilst attending the the Soccer Excellence Programme at John Curtin College of the Arts, along with Mia Walker, Lizzie Scott, Lindsay Jobling and Sarah Gawned. The WA team travelling to the National Championships in Canberra, placed second, coached by Wayne Basedon. Oxtoby (alongside De Vanna) later becomes the first Captain of the Western Waves and Perth Glory. She is one of only a few players of Indigenous descent to play in the W-League pre 2008, and the first indigenous player to captain her side. Lisa De Vanna makes a statement being the longest serving state representative and dual National representative over 4 years. Photo thanks to Perth Glory. Information thank to Peter Rickers, School Sports.

Beckenham Angels form as the first south of the river girls and women’s only soccer club featuring star players including Jess Lindquist, Jamie-Lee Gale, Shannon May, Katarina Jukic (Perth Glory), Ella Mastantonio and Melbourne City W League Premiership player Marianna Tabain. First team coaches included Jason Washington King and Greg Farrell. Tracey Wheeler joins Beckenham as Goal Keeper Coach. The club ends its highly successful venture in 2018.