Ellenbrook Vipers Rugby Union Club is kicking off an exciting new chapter after being selected as a recipient of the WA Government’s Game On, Girls Grant – a program designed to boost participation, retention and engagement of girls aged 13 to 17 in club sport.
For the Vipers, the grant is about far more than dollars and cents. It’s the springboard for a sustainable Girls Rugby Development Program built around four key goals: growing participation, building confidence, developing leadership opportunities and creating stronger pathways for girls aged 13-17 in the local community.
The need for programs like this is clear. In WA, only 32% of women participate in weekly sport, compared to 52% of men. By the time girls reach 15 to 17, 46% have stopped playing sport altogether, compared to 30% of boys – and nationally, club sport participation drops by 60% for females after age 15, compared to 42% for males.
Game On, Girls was created to help close that gap, and this year 197 clubs across regional and metropolitan WA are sharing in $863,000 in grants to do exactly that. Ellenbrook Vipers is proud to be one of them.
Over the next 12 months, the Vipers will roll out a range of initiatives for girls in the local community, including:
- School engagement and recruitment activities
- Girls' rugby development opportunities and coaching
- Leadership and mentoring initiatives
- Community events and Come & Try opportunities
- Programs designed to improve retention and create a welcoming environment for girls entering the sport
Even before the program has officially begun, the grant has brought the Ellenbrook community together in a big way. When the club put out a call for Expressions of Interest to form a Girls Rugby Development Program Working Group, 12 volunteers stepped forward wanting to help shape and deliver the program – a strong early sign of just how ready the community is to back girls’ rugby in the region.
Club President Janine Briggs says the response has set the tone for what’s ahead.
“This grant is about much more than funding. It's about creating opportunities, building confidence, strengthening community connections and ensuring more girls can discover everything rugby has to offer. Seeing 12 volunteers step forward before the program has even begun tells us our community is ready to help make that vision a reality.”
"Growing participation among girls and young women is a core priority for RugbyWA, and clubs like Ellenbrook Vipers are leading the way. This program reflects exactly the kind of pathway-building work we want to see across every club in the state, and we're proud to back it," RugbyWA Chief Executive Officer Simon Taylor said.
Under 13s Girls Coach Chelsea Peneueta is equally excited about the identity the program can build.
“I'd love to help develop a unique identity for our girls' program by weaving cultural values into the team environment. We can build a culture centred on respect, connection, belonging and looking after one another. My vision is to develop not only better rugby players, but confident young women who feel connected to their team, their community and themselves.”
Ellenbrook Vipers is looking forward to sharing this journey over the coming months as the Girls Rugby Development Program takes shape – from the first Come & Try sessions through to seeing new leaders emerge.
RugbyWA is proud to support Ellenbrook Vipers and all Game On, Girls grant recipients as they work to give more girls across WA the chance to discover everything rugby has to offer. Stay tuned as we continue to shine a spotlight on more clubs doing incredible work in their communities.
Applications for the first round of Game On, Girls grants closed in April 2026. Clubs and community members can sign up here for updates to be notified when future funding rounds open.
