- FIFA Women's World Cup 2023 fever hits Perth
with a new interactive exhibition and oral history series at the State Library
of Western Australia
- Free public opening celebration on today
includes a panel discussion with Perth Glory captain Natasha Rigby, WA women's
soccer pioneer, and WA Football Hall of Fame Legend Sandra Brentnall
- Stories will be shared in an immersive
exhibition on a soccer pitch outside the State Library from 14 July to 28
August
With the FIFA Women's
World Cup 2023 the hottest ticket in Perth this winter, a new outdoor
exhibition is giving seasoned and not-so-seasoned soccer lovers the chance to
kick goals and learn more about the beautiful game.
Game Changers:
Trailblazing Stories from WA Women in Soccer is being held at the State Library
of Western Australia from 14 July to 28 August, with a quarter-sized astroturf
pitch and ten soccer goals providing an all-ages interactive experience.
Visitors will see and
hear a selection of stories about WA women in soccer that feature some of the
sport's pioneering women and a timeline of the development of the sport in the
State. Personal photos and other materials have been generously shared by the
women and digitised by the State Library.
A panel discussion with
experts in the field will get the Game Changers exhibition off to a winning
start today. On the panel is Sandra Brentnall, who made a name for herself on
the international soccer stage scoring Australia's first goal in 1979 and the
first hat trick by an Australian in women's international football in 1980.
Hosted by ABC's Nadia
Mitsopoulos, the panel also includes:
- Natasha Rigby: A leader in the women's game,
Natasha grew up in Margaret River in WA's South-West, playing in boys' teams.
After moving to Perth, she debuted for the women's senior team Perth Glory in
2016-17 and became Captain in 2019-20;
- Professor Sophia Nimphius: Pro-Vice-Chancellor
(Sport) and Professor of Human Performance at Edith Cowan University. Professor
Nimphius has more than two decades of experience working, influencing and
leading in sport; and
- Kris Marano: a leading soccer writer, Kris has more
than a decade's experience in international media, communications and storytelling.
Natasha Rigby and Sandra
Brentnall's ground-breaking stories are also featured in the Game Changers' ten-part
podcast series available on the State Library's website, recorded in
partnership with The Centre for Stories.
Other stories highlighted in the
series include Matildas' stalwart and
Sydney Olympian Tracey Wheeler, Katanning-born Matildas' superstar keeper Lydia
Williams, and the National Soccer League's first female referee Marilyn
Learmont.
The women's game is
growing rapidly, with more than two billion viewers expected to tune in to the
FIFA Women's World Cup worldwide.
Game Changers:
Trailblazing Stories from WA Women in Soccer opens with a public reception on
the pitch at the State Library building in the Perth Cultural Centre from 6:00
pm, followed by the panel discussion from 7:00 pm.
To register for the panel
discussion and to find out more about the month-long interactive exhibit, visit
www.slwa.wa.gov.au
Comments attributed to Acting Culture and the Arts Minister Dr Tony
Buti:
"With soccer fever in the air, this is the perfect
time to reflect on WA's incredibly rich history of producing superstar women in
soccer - not only in those who play the game, but those who advocate for and promote
it.
"We know that encouraging girls to play and keep up
a sport can be tricky, so this month-long exhibition is a great opportunity to
come along with the family and enjoy a great time with plenty of inspiration.
"Through projects like Game Changers,
the State Library continues to reflect the
diversity of the WA community by sharing the important home-grown stories it
collects, preserves and shares. The exhibition and podcasts shine a spotlight
on elite, internationally renowned sportswomen, grassroots stars and community
leaders who are using women's soccer as a community-building tool for people
with disabilities, migrants and LGBTQIA+ communities."
