It's a girl for Joel Griffiths

THE Newcastle Jets may have a team in the W-League but striker Joel Griffiths thinks he might steer his daughter away from playing soccer."She is going to be a tennis player," he joked last night. "To be honest she can play whatever sports she likes."The former A-League star, who is on loan to Chinese club Beijing Guoan, and wife Bianca yesterday became parents for the first time.Weighing 3.2 kilograms and 49.5 centimetres long, Gizelle Janson Griffiths was born at Newcastle Private Hospital."It beats anything I have ever achieved," a thrilled Griffiths told The Herald."Both Bianca and the baby are healthy which is the most important thing."Griffiths was by his wife's side when the baby arrived by caesarean section."I got a bit woozy at first and the doctors told me to sit down," he said."Once I heard her cry it was amazing."Griffiths will spend the next week in Newcastle before returning to China.His club side takes on the Jets in the Asian Champions League at EnergyAustralia Stadium on Wednesday but Griffiths is on suspension.The striker was the A-League player of the year in 2007-08 and helped inspire the Jets to a championship.