Edoardo Rosso

Geography of Women's Soccer in South Australia: the Changing Spatial Organisation of the Sport in Adelaide, 1978-2006 Edoardo Rosso

This work looks closely at one of the fastest growing sports in Australia and around the world. It defines the geography of women?s soccer in Adelaide, analysing its changing spatial organisation from 1978 (year of foundation) to the present. The study area reflects metropolitan Adelaide?s dominance of the South Australian women?s soccer scene, in terms of the number of clubs and players. The research was conducted using a mix of qualitative and quantitative methods, including semi-structured interviews and correspondence with key figures of South Australian women's soccer and analysis of archive data. It addresses a topic that has not been previously researched and that relates to a conceptual framework not covered in depth by current literature. The outcome of this research establishes a link between geographical analysis and an Australian fast growing sport, and it is of interest to sport leaders and administrators, other than academics (and geographers in particular) with an interest in sports. It contributes to the theory of sports geography, particularly to the discourse of patterns of spatial inequality arising from the spatial organisation of sport.