Girls should try multiple sports: Perry

Commonwealth Bank Southern Stars allrounder Ellyse Perry has encouraged female athletes to play multiple sports as the women’s domestic landscape continues to rapidly evolve.

Perry is an accomplished cricketer and soccer player having represented Australia in both sports (18 matches for the Matildas, 142 for the Southern Stars), and says as more women’s teams become a viable lifestyle option, female athletes shouldn’t restrict themselves to one sport if possible.

“I think at the moment there’s a number of positives to the amount of opportunity female athletes are getting in Australia now, and if that means playing two sports then I think that’s a really great thing,” Perry said today at the landmark sponsorship deal announcement by Commonwealth Bank.

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“Other girls are studying, some are still working, so there’s plenty of opportunity to have a balanced life in that sense.

“I think down the track what would be wonderful if it (cricket) was a full time professional sport for not only the national players but also at a domestic level for the state players.

“That’s certainly possible but I think it needs to happen slowly and in a manner that’s sustainable too.

“I think the opportunity for women and young girls to play sport is greater than it ever has been and that’s only get bigger.

“The way it is at the moment is really great and really positive.”

While four female cricketers will play in next year’s Women’s AFL – Jess Cameron, Emma Kearney, Kristy Lamb and Delissa Kimmince – Perry can only see the positives that will come out of the code-hopping, for both sports.

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“For players like Jess Cameron, Emma Kearney, Kirsty Lamb in the Vic Spirit squad and someone like Delissa (Kimmince) … I think it’s wonderful for them,” Perry said.

“It just gives them more exposure to elite sport. I’m sure they’ll bring things back to cricket from their experiences with AFL and vice versa.

“There’s a real collaboration aspect to it as well. It just makes better athletes too.”

Perry also confirmed with a grin that she hasn’t been contacted by an AFL club, with her athleticism not quite translating to Aussie Rules.

“They (AFL clubs) must have seen me play our Southern Stars hybrid game in warm-up and got a pretty clear idea,” she laughed.