Well hello there :)
It has been a little under four months since I last updated this. I feel quite bad about it, especially since I have a fair bit of time to update it.
Please accept my apology if you've been waiting for it :) This post is for you!
Since we last spoke I've decided to take on my biggest challenge at Sportal.co.nz yet - I'm writing a three-part feature on the development of women's football.
Why do this, you say?
The sports media in New Zealand is very male-oriented. Of the top five sports reported, or at least seen by the masses, one of them is female-specific. Rugby, rugby league, cricket, netball and football are the main sports exposed to you guys.
That's got to change.
Obviously football isn't a gender-specific sport, but the only time Kiwis hear about the Football Ferns is when they're on the biggest stage. Considering they're one of our more succesful teams historically, is that really the only time we should hear about them?
I'm interviewing approximately 15-20 people who are all directly involved with the Football Ferns or have been in the past. I'm interviewing various members of the Football Ferns, three of which are overseas-based, coach John Herdman, an under-20 representative and an under-17 representative, New Zealand's first ever international women's football team captain in Barbara Cox, former and current New Zealand Football representatives, OFC president David Chung, FIFA U17 2008 select committee members, SPARC representatives, and the Minister of Sport and Recreation Murray McCully.
This feature is going to explore some key decisions made by NZ Football in 2008 that led to the development, it'll see whether it has since created any significant progress, and then investigate what the future is for our female footballers, from professional contracts to qualifying in a different path as the 24th-ranked Kiwi women finally get some outside attention.
I know it almost sounds like PR for NZF, but it's far from that. I don't do it for the love of NZ Football, I'm doing it for the love of football itself. The fact this hasn't been done before is also a key temptation.
It's going to take a while to craft so bear with me, you'll be here every step of the way if interested :)
Anywho, that's all for me for now. Everything else is good, shwing! Except I chose North Harbour in the opening game of the ITM Cup against Otago and we got wasted 46-29. Crap!
