Girls can do anything, especially when it comes to physical activity.
And there’s a whole week dedicated to spreading that message to girls and women of all ages, from 12 to 18 September.
This Girl Can – Victoria is an uplifting, energetic and empowering campaign.
It’s designed to overcome the fear of judgement stopping too many girls and women from joining in and being active to improve their health.
It has a message for all girls and women, no matter their age, background, size or abilities: focus on how physical activity makes you feel, instead of on your fears.
During This Girl Can Week, physical activity providers, clubs, gyms, facilities and organisations offer fun, beginner-friendly and come-and-try events to help get more girls and women walking through their doors and trying new ways to get active.
Whether it’s walking, hiking, cycling or chasing the kids around the park, there are fun ways to
get active this spring.
This Girl Can research shows more than half of Victorian women are worried about being judged while exercising and 41 per cent of Victorian women were embarrassed to exercise in public.
They worry about being judged for how they look, how good they are or how they prioritise their time.
Local ambassadors across the state are leading the way and empowering girls and women to follow their lead.
VicHealth social marketing and communications executive manager Rebecca Ahren said they were everyday women with real stories and realistic bodies.
“We hope other women will relate to their struggles and triumphs and think ‘if she can, I can too’,” she said.
Ambassador Angela Dalla Rosa, from Burnside Heights, is taking a break from football this year, has taken up cricket in the role of captain, and also recently completed a marathon.
Angela thought she was too uncoordinated to play sport until she saw her sister run a marathon, and realised she could too.
“I alternate between absolute exhilaration and fear of making a fool of myself,” she said.
“I realised it wasn’t like I was bad at sport, it’s just that I never gave myself the chance to be any good.”
Chiquita, from Berwick, never thought she would be the kind of person to play sport, but things changed as she approached her forties.
“As I believed in myself more, I thought ‘stuff it, I’ll give that a go’,” she said.
Now outrigger canoeing – or ‘waka ama’ – connects her to nature and her Polynesian culture.
“It’s calming, you’re just looking towards the horizon, and once we get that stride, that’s when we fly,” she said.
Every time she gets active, body-positive personal trainer Natasha, from Monbulk, is blown away by how great she feels.
“There are 100 reasons to exercise and trying to look a certain way doesn’t have to be one of them,” she said.
Natasha once had doubts about running a fitness class because of how her body looked.
“I’ve had my moments where I’ve gone, ‘should I really be running a fitness class – do I look fit enough?’” she said.
“My body is my business card and it’s a bloody brilliant business card because it’s a real body – it’s not photoshopped, it’s not flawless, but it’s perfect!”
Sue, from Murrumbeena, always wanted to play Australian rules football but was repeatedly told she couldn’t – at school, by her dad and even by her daughter.
Inspired by the launch of AFLW, at 53 years old Sue finally made her footy debut.
Sue has continued to play alongside five of the women she met at the original ‘come and try’ day for AFL Women’s Masters.
“At the age of 53 I debuted. It’s liberating to be breaking that stereotype that girls can’t do it.”
She wished AFLW had been around when she was a kid, “‘cause I’d have been there in a flash”.
