Park’s father helped kick-start the local club, she has watched her brothers play from the sidelines and has even dabbled in umpiring.

Now the 20-year-old from Tenambit will have the chance to play for the Maitland Saints in an all-women’s team.

In a first for the city the Saints are fielding a side in the 2015 Women’s Black Diamond AFL ­competition.

It was an initiative passed down from the state governing body and follows the long-established success of the women’s league in Victoria.

The push has given the likes of Park an opportunity to participate in her chosen sport in her home town.

“I like the intensity of AFL,” she said.

“You never really stop still and there’s always something happening.

“And having this in Maitland gives women another option for playing sport.”

Park was there when dad Paul took up the ­presidency of the Saints in the club’s formative years.

The third year development studies ­student at the University of Newcastle then watched her younger brothers Jayden and Trent, now 18 and 16, run around.

After a year of umpiring, Park played in the boy’s under-14 side while ­contesting high school competitions at Maitland Grossmann, but there were no options for her after that, so she switched to soccer.

This has since changed with last year’s ­premiership-winning Saints’ girls side and the implementation of the women’s team.

“I have been waiting for this chance to come around and now here we are,” she said.

“It’s different to any other sport; there is a ­family feel at the club and it’s a lot of fun.”

The Saints are still recruiting players for the women’s team this year and will hold a come and try day at Max McMahon Oval from 5pm on Monday.

A gala day will be played on April 18 with the six-team competition proper to start on May 3.