The majority of the Youth Girls squad took part in the training session, which works across an age group from 13 to 18-years-old and features a number of local talent.

Football development manager for Goldfields region, Tim Shearer said the Rebels session included a mix of skill based activities and fitness work under the guidance of head Academy coach Jeff Whittaker, with the help of assistants and local footballers Will Bell and Olivia Miocic.

"Obviously we are trying to improve the skills of the girls, but we also need many of them to learn what type of running is required to play the game effectively," he said.

"Unfortunately not long after we got started there was a storm that hit the area and we took the girls off the oval once lightning became an issue.

"We then utilised the Olver Stand to do some fitness work (running the steps, etc.) followed by the Ararat Football Club giving us use of the gym for a while, which we appreciated."

The youth girls were the first to test out a variety of features that the new Alexandra Oval Reserve and Community Centre offers, including the coach's address room and large function space.

Mr Shearer said it was a privilege to be able to use the state of the art sporting facility and thanked the Ararat Rural City Council, particularly manager of tourism and community information, Julie Kilpatrick for the opportunity.

"The new James Fiscalini Pavilion is outstanding," he said.

"I've already mentioned to Rebels TAC Cup officials at how the off field faculties now make Alexandra Oval an extremely attractive option for playing TAC Cup or VFL matches in the future.

"The change rooms are currently a little bit sterile, but that is only because neither the Rats or Eagles have moved in and set them up for their own purposes yet.

"We were able to highlight to Julie a few things, like where it might be best to install whiteboards, what benches might be needed and so forth.

"The social rooms side of things is amazing too, with outstanding facilities and excellent sight lines to the oval."

The Rebels YGSA training concludes tomorrow night at Eureka Stadium in Ballarat for the Christmas-New Year period.

Fortnightly sessions will begin in early February and the group will train throughout the year until the June-July school holidays. The session on March 4 will see two or three players from the Western Bulldogs FC Women's team join in on training, which coincides with the WBFC's Australia Post AFL Community Camp in Ballarat.

Mr Shearer said the interest shown in girls' football in the Ararat region is very promising.

Sarah Anderson, Alysha Bettels and Genevieve Blake from the Ararat Storm are in the Rebels YGSA, while their Storm team mates Georgia Anderson, Lilly Dowling, Ayesha Nicholson and Carrie Slorach are part of the futures' squad.

Ella Wood from the Ararat and District Junior Football Association is also part of the futures' squad.

“To highlight the travelling some of these girls are prepared to undertake for their football, Carrie is from Navarre but plays for Ararat Storm and Alysha Bettels is a former Kyneton player who shifted to Portland,” Mr Shearer said.

“She now plays for the Ararat Storm, so is located two hours from her home club and three hours from Rebels training which she attends every session.”

Victoria Country trials for the Youth Girls National Championships in Mandurah next year commence in mid-January and all Academy girls are eligible to try out if interested.