In strong signs at the start of a big year for Football Wagga, some 1300 primary school students have graced the soccer fields at Duke of Kent Oval this week.
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In four years, what started as a one-off mini-Matildas event to encourage girls has grown into two huge gala days.
Around 650 girls were in action on Thursday and close to 700 boys on Friday, for non-competitive action designed to give players a taste, and a love for, 'the beautiful game'.
"It was massive, compared to the last few years. Every year it grows but this year it got really big," Football Wagga development officer, Liam Dedini, said, with around 15 schools sending teams.
"It's awesome, seeing schools enter their whole years three and four and years five and six to play the game. There's no emphasis on winning, it's just about having fun."
The 33-degree heat might have suggested otherwise but Football Wagga hopes the gala days have a flow-on effect into registrations for the upcoming winter season.
"One hundred per cent," Dedini said. The game is growing every year and having it at this time, definitely if kids are out there having fun then hopefully they might go and sign up for a club."
It's a positive sign for the sport as Football Wagga's bold new venture starts this weekend with Wagga City Wanderers' junior boys teams embarking on their first fixture in the Canberra competition.
The under 13, under 14, under 16 and under 18 boys all take on Canberra FC at Deakin on Saturday in the opening round of Capital Football's national premier league youth competitions.
The women's and girls competitions start at the end of March.
The men's first grade and under 20s competitions kick off a week later, at Gissing Oval on April 6.
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