WA Football Commission
Vale Cath BoyceMonday, July 1, 2019 - 3:58 PM
It is with heavy hearts, we announce the passing of inaugural WAWFL Life Member Cath Boyce on Saturday 29 June 2019. Cath ‘Boycey’ Boyce was a pioneer of female football in WA, volunteering in various roles across the game and giving nine years of service to the WA Women's Football League in official positions.
Cath played an integral role in creating the current school girls competition, and was a driving force in enabling WA females to play in national football carnivals. Cath’s dedication and determination to continually better our game must be recognised:
Cath played with the Melville Warriors from 1989 until 1994 (when the club disbanded) winning two premierships with the team in 1990 and 1991. After her time at Melville, Cath moved to help establish the Joondalup Jets (later to become West Perth WFC) and in 1995, Cath returned to Melville to help create the Melville Dockers with returning past players.
In 1994 Cath teamed up with Barb Hampson, to start what is now the school girls competition. The dynamic duo identified Deb White as the most appropriate person to take the reins and take control of the competition. The rest of the school girls competition is history! In the same year, Cath was a driving force behind the first WA State team to travel to Adelaide in September. To truly award her efforts in such a big year, Cath was awarded the WAWFL’s highest achievement, receiving the WAWFL’s first Life Membership. The following year in 1995, Cath introduced the Rookie of the Year award, and is why the current League Rookie of the Year award is named after her.
1998 saw Cath worked tirelessly to ensure WA had a team competing at the National Carnival. Her roles consisted of her organising travel plans, fundraising, and during the carnival acting as mentor for many of the younger girls. The following year in 1999, Cath lead the sub-committee to arrange and organise the first National Carnival to be held in WA.
Cath moved to Canberra in 2000 where she joined the Australian Federal Police and maintained an interest in the growth and development of WA Female Football, and took every opportunity to go to a game when she returned home to WA.
Cath was particularly interested by the growth at a national level and the evolution into the AFLW and saw several games that were played in Canberra. Cath was very much looking forward to the West Coast Eagles joining the competition in 2020.
Official WAWFL roles:
- WAWFL Competition Coordinator 1991-1993
- WAWFL Secretary 1994-1997
- WAWFL Vice President 1998
- WAWFL President 1999
- Inaugural WAWFL Life Member 1994
Rest in peace Cath, your efforts, drive and energy will never be forgotten. We are so grateful to have had your commitment towards our game for so many years.
