NEW Wagga City Wanderers women's coach Sam Gray is confident the emerging youth can help the team take the next step after a tough initiation in the Canberra competition last year.
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The Wanderers finished seventh in their inaugural National Premier League ACT campaign, and know the planned ascent up the table in coming years will be a gradual one.
About half a dozen players from last year's under-17 grand final team will make the step up after being drip fed some first grade experience last season including Tia Lyons, Piper Lockley, Hannah Stevens and Maddie Emms.
"It was always going to take a season or two, it would be nice that I"m talking in a years' time about the improvement we've made and we try and do that again, that's the plan," Gray said.
"Some more local players (from Leonard Cup) have got involved as well, they've waited to see how the program went and they've decided to come on board.
"If the local clubs see we're improving the standard of women's football, the support from them is invaluable as well.
"There's a lot of girls looking to step up from under-17s last year up to seniors, and the senior players have stayed."
Gray said having a coach, assistant coach and manager for every female team at the club is a major step toward improving the program.
"Last our junior teams were able to support the seniors (by providing players) and it showed the girls what they're in for," Gray said.
"I think five of the 17s have moved up to the seniors, that's a good core of players. We've got some really experienced players around and last year was a difficult job in seniors, but hopefully we can build on it now and move forward.
"There's a few new recruits in there and we'll see how they play in the trial matches coming up, but having the backing of the club has been fantastic."
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