During Female Football Week 2021, Football Australia will celebrate the remarkable achievements of women throughout our football community while recognising the far-reaching benefits the game has to offer.
This profile tells the story of Matildas Active Support Founder and President Brodie Wales.
“Honestly, isn’t community the best thing about football?”
In recent times, Westfield Matildas matches on home soil have been synonymous with a backdrop of passionate fans – much of that is down to the work of Brodie Wales and the Matildas Active Support.
The group, founded in 2018, play their part in encouraging fan attendance at home and overseas international matches, organising fan catch-ups outside of fixtures and creating chants, banners and flags which provide a vibrant matchday atmosphere.
While Brodie grew up surrounded by football, it took her some time to enjoy it as a sport.
But once she was hooked, there was no turning back.
“It began with being dragged around to my brother’s games as a child and I hated the game,” she recounts.
“Then in my late teens, I started to enjoy going to watch him play (because it usually meant sitting in the sun in winter) which eventually led to something clicking and I fell in love with the game.”
While she spends most of her time cheering on her beloved Sydney FC, Brodie has also tried her hand out on the pitch and in the technical area.
“Last year I coached a local team of under 6’s – which was chaos – and I’ve played one season of six-a-side, but it is really as a fan that I contribute to the game,” she explains.
“I’ve been an A-League and W-League fan since season 1, have volunteered on match days with Sydney FC and most recently have contributed to the growth of the fan community around women’s football as a founding member of Matildas Active Support.”
