State Library of Western Australia celebrates FIFA Women's World Cup 2023 with interactive exhibition

To celebrate the FIFA Women's World Cup 2023, the State Library of Western Australia has installed an interactive exhibition - Game Changers: Trailblazing Stories from WA Women in Soccer - which is giving seasoned and not-so-seasoned football lovers the chance to kick goals and learn more about the game.

Game Changers: Trailblazing Stories from WA Women in Soccer is currently on until 28th August with a quarter-sized astroturf pitch and ten football goals providing an all-ages interactive experience.

Visitors will see and hear a selection of stories about WA women in football that feature some of the sport's pioneering women and a timeline of the development of the sport in the State. Personal photos and other materials have been generously shared by the women and digitised by the State Library.

A panel discussion was held yesterday to mark the opening of the Game Changers exhibition with the panel including Sandra Brentnall, who made a name for herself on the international soccer stage scoring Australia's first goal in 1979 and the first hat trick by an Australian in women's international football in 1980.

Hosted by ABC's Nadia Mitsopoulos, the panel also includes:

• Natasha Rigby: A leader in the women's game, Natasha grew up in Margaret River in WA's South-West, playing in boys' teams. After moving to Perth, she debuted for the women's senior team Perth Glory in 2016-17 and became Captain in 2019-20;

• Professor Sophia Nimphius: Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Sport) and Professor of Human Performance at Edith Cowan University. Professor Nimphius has more than two decades of experience working, influencing and leading in sport; and

• Kris Marano: a leading soccer writer, Kris has more than a decade's experience in international media, communications and storytelling.

Natasha Rigby and Sandra Brentnall's ground-breaking stories are also featured in the Game Changers' ten-part podcast series available on the State Library's website, recorded in partnership with The Centre for Stories.

Other stories highlighted in the series include Matildas' stalwart and Sydney Olympian Tracey Wheeler, Katanning-born Matildas' superstar keeper Lydia Williams, and the National Soccer League's first female referee Marilyn Learmont.

The women's game is growing rapidly, with more than two billion viewers expected to tune in to the FIFA Women's World Cup worldwide.

WA Acting Culture and the Arts Minister Dr Tony Buti shared "With soccer fever in the air, this is the perfect time to reflect on WA's incredibly rich history of producing superstar women in soccer - not only in those who play the game, but those who advocate for and promote it.

"We know that encouraging girls to play and keep up a sport can be tricky, so this month-long exhibition is a great opportunity to come along with the family and enjoy a great time with plenty of inspiration.

"Through projects like Game Changers, the State Library continues to reflect the diversity of the WA community by sharing the important home-grown stories it collects, preserves and shares. The exhibition and podcasts shine a spotlight on elite, internationally renowned sportswomen, grassroots stars and community leaders who are using women's soccer as a community-building tool for people with disabilities, migrants and LGBTQIA+ communities."

To find out more about the month-long interactive exhibit, visit www.slwa.wa.gov.au

Images from top: National Soccer League's first female referee Marilyn Learmont at State Library of Western Australia Game Changers exhibition; State Library of Western Australia Game Changers Panel; Professor Sophia Nimphius: Pro-Vice-Chancellor (Sport) and Professor of Human Performance at Edith Cowan University  at State Library of Western Australia Game Changers Exhibition; State Library of Western Australia Game Changers 2023