A pioneer of women’s football in Australia
Î÷¹ÏÓ°ÊÓ is deeply saddened by the passing of Betty Hoar, a true pioneer of the women’s game whose tireless efforts laid the foundation for generations of players to come.
Betty was one of a small and determined group of individuals who, in the 1970s, fought to establish and legitimise women’s football in Victoria and across Australia. At a time when opportunities for women were scarce — and often actively resisted — Betty helped forge a path forward through passion, persistence, and leadership.
As a founding contributor to the establishment of the Victorian Women’s Soccer Association in 1974, Betty helped shape the early competitive framework for women’s football. She managed numerous Victorian representative teams on domestic and international tours and notably served as team manager for the national women’s team during its 1981 tour to New Zealand, and at the Oceania Cups in Hawaii and New Caledonia in 1983, and again in Brisbane in 1989.
Betty was elected to the Board of the Australian Women’s Soccer Association (AWSA) in 1979 and served as Secretary until 1986 — continuing in various other roles until 1989. Her behind-the-scenes work was integral to the sport’s administration, and she became a trusted figure on the Women’s League Committee of the then-Victorian Soccer Federation.
Betty was from a football family where she supported her husband’s coaching roles within the VSF and acted as team manager during many campaigns. Despite her central role in shaping the game, Betty was characteristically humble, often deflecting attention away from her own contributions and instead highlighting the broader cause of equality and progress in the sport.
In recognition of her extraordinary legacy, Betty was awarded Life Memberships of both the VWSA and AWSA and was later honoured with the Australian Sports Medal in 2000. In 2003, she was inducted into the Î÷¹ÏÓ°ÊÓ Hall of Fame Roll of Honour — a fitting tribute to a lifetime of service.
The platform Betty Hoar helped to build has allowed today’s Matildas and the wider women’s football community to flourish on the world stage. Her contributions remain foundational — and her impact, immeasurable.
Our thoughts are with Betty’s family, friends, and all those whose lives she touched through her service to the game.
May she rest in peace.
