Spring Hills FC has become the first club in the National Premier Leagues Women’s Victoria structure to field junior teams coached entirely by female coaches – a milestone that reflects a broader transformation at the Springside Reserve-based club since joining Football Victoria’s Club Changer Program in 2023.
The achievement is one of several markers of rapid growth at the club. In 2023, Spring Hills fielded 101 female participants. By the end of the 2025 season, total club membership had grown to more than 550 players, a 28 per cent increase over two seasons, driven in large part by a deliberate investment in creating pathways for women and girls at every level of the game.
That investment has extended well beyond player numbers. The club has expanded its volunteer base, increased female representation in coaching and leadership roles, and progressed from local community competition into the Victorian Premier League and now the NPL Women’s Victoria structure, providing a sustainable pathway for young female footballers to develop within their own community club.
“The Game Changer initiative has helped our club rapidly progress female participation, both on the field and in coaching roles,” said Club President Tom Markovski. “It has provided the framework and support needed to grow opportunities for women and girls and strengthen our entire football community.”
The implications reach beyond Spring Hills. At a time when women’s football in Australia is drawing record crowds and producing players competing at the highest levels of the global game, the pipeline that feeds it depends on clubs willing to invest at the grassroots. Spring Hills’ story demonstrates that when the structures are right, the growth follows.
The club’s Club Champion, Aleks Sinclair, has been recognised for her leadership role in driving the program forward.
