How community funding led to sporting triumph: the story of the all-girls South Coast Marlins
Project: South Coast Marlins Elite Training Program
Recipient: South Coast Marlins / Kristy Beecham
Community: Far South Coast, NSW
In a historic first, the South Coast Marlins all-girls rugby league teams recently won all three of their grand final games, with support from Fire to Flourish funding that helped unite the team around strength and friendship.
Formed in 2022, the South Coast Marlins are an all-girls rugby league club with three teams: Under 13s Girls, Under 15s Girls and Under 17s Girls. The Marlins’ goal is to create a supportive environment for young women in Country Rugby League.
Managed by Narooma local Kristy Beecham, this small local league plays a central role in the sporting aspirations and social cohesion of young women far and wide across the NSW Far South Coast, with members travelling from all over – Batemans Bay down to Cooma – to train together each week.
“We don't have a clubhouse so the girls are travelling so much just to train, they’re really dedicated,” Kristy said.
The Fire to Flourish Eurobodalla program recently supported the league with funding as part of their Next Generation Youth Funding Round. This provided the teams with:
- A new South Coast Marlins Elite Training Program – a skills development program designed with and for young women on their Marlins sporting journeys and providing equal opportunity to excel as elite athletes.
- A Wellbeing Camp for players to connect with each other
- Equipment upgrades including a trailer to transport gear (essential given that the Marlins don’t have a clubhouse of their own)
- Branded marquees for game days
- Branded playing gear, training gear and bags
“The Wellbeing Camp was the icing on the cake – it was such a special time for girls who have never met to spend time together, stay together, and unite around group sessions,” Kristy said.
“It really kickstarted the later success at the grand final, because it created the friendships, strength and bonds to carry into the games. Uniting off the field means they united on the field.”
Then, on the weekend of 6–7 September 2025 after months of training, history was made for the Eurobodalla region: all three South Coast Marlin girls teams won their grand finals:
- Under 13s defeated Goulburn Stockmen, 14 to 8
- Under 15s came up from behind to defeat West Belconnen Warriors, 24 to 4
- Under 17s dug in and beat Belconnen United Sharks, 30 to 4
“Our hearts are so full, we are so proud, myself but also the girls, their families, local supporters, the coaches – everyone is so proud of how beautiful, impressive and supportive these young women are, as people but also as athletes."
The Fire to Flourish funding also guaranteed sessions with professional trainers and elite coaches to level up the girls’ fitness, wellbeing, endurance, injury prevention, and health and nutrition.
These opportunities for strength and connection are not often available to female teams, where sponsorship often lags behind local male clubs.
“The Under 13s for example, some of these kids have never been included in anything, always pushed to the wing or just not invited,” Kristy said. “But this felt like such a great team, they were all so supportive of each other, showing up at each other's games to cheer others on, and they all really loved being part of it. The families were so grateful that they were included and were made to feel welcome.’
Being the 2025 Premiers is a huge achievement for a small local league, and it means the world to the young women playing.
Kizzy Nye, Fire to Flourish Eurobodalla’s Community Lead, commented on the benefit of these sorts of projects in building social cohesion in small communities.
“Fire to Flourish has been able to provide an opportunity for grassroots programs to strengthen and enhance connection and build confidence. This kind of change is proven to make a huge impact,” Kizzy said.
“The biggest change I’ve seen in the girls is the confidence,” Kristy reiterated, “for the young women themselves but also general confidence in them from the public.”
“We’ve got more players who want to join the club next year, more sponsors, everyone has a new confidence that the South Coast Marlins can do this, they can come together and win, they have the same chance at success as everyone else.”
Supporting grassroots community initiatives such as the Marlins, with community-led funding projects as developed by Fire to Flourish, is essential for building and maintaining social capital within communities. The relationships and support networks built between the young women of the South Coast Marlins will help see them through future disasters or crises together.
Learn more about Fire to Flourish Eurobodalla’s funded projects by following them on Facebook.