Ava Muir, a 20-year-old Mandurah Catholic College alum and South Mandurah Football Club player, is a star both on and off the field.
In round eight of the PFNL women's division, Muir kicked 11 goals for South Mandurah in their game against Secret Harbour.
"I started playing footy in primary school, just with friends at lunch and I really enjoyed it," Muir said.
"In the final year of primary school, I was invited to play for the Peel Thunderbirds - who I played with for six seasons in the youth girls team."
Muir continued to play, but when COVID hit last year, it interrupted the footy season and there was no longer a reserves team.
"I went and played for Dwellingup - which was so much fun and a good experience playing at a community level."
After playing with Dwellingup, Muir decided she would join the South Mandurah Falcons for the 2021 season.
"I live in Falcon, so I thought I would join up with the South Mandurah team."
I remember when I first started always having to play with the boys - and now it has exploded and heaps of girls are playing, it's amazing
- Ava Muir
The South Mandurah women's team is coached by Solomon Daw, who is a veteran football player and passionate coach.
"I absolutely love Sol, he's a great coach," Muir said. "He was also very welcoming, along with all the girls. He will do anything to help you get further and develop your skills."
Daw described Ava as "modest" and "an absolute star".
"Ava leads the league goal-kicking," Daw said.
"She sat on the bench for the whole first quarter for rotation and then kicked 10 goals over the next two quarters."
Muir said she is thrilled with the explosion of women's footy.
"I remember when I first started always having to play with the boys - and now it has exploded and heaps of girls are playing, it's amazing."
The South Mandurah women's team are a tight-knit group, and Muir said they are close like family.
"We are all really close and supportive of each other - I love the comradery," she said.
"When I got the goals - the girls got around me all celebrating.
"I couldn't have done it without them - the midfielders got me the ball - it's teamwork."
When she's not playing footy, Muir is busy with two part time jobs and the final year of her bachelor's degree.
"I'm studying counterterrorism, security and intelligence at ECU - it's interesting and quite different," she said.
"I'm hoping to join the federal police."
South Mandurah is set to face-off against one of their biggest competitors, the Pinjarra Tigers in round nine over the coming weekend.
"It'll be a good game, I'm looking forward to it."
Samantha Ferguson
Samantha Ferguson is a journalist at the Mandurah Mail. She is an entertainment, sport, crime, community and education journalist with a special interest in investigative pieces and human interest stories.
Samantha Ferguson is a journalist at the Mandurah Mail. She is an entertainment, sport, crime, community and education journalist with a special interest in investigative pieces and human interest stories.
