Tarnee Tester selected for WAFC Development Squad
Freemantle Women's coach Michelle Cowan, Tarnee Tester, Freemantle marquee player Kiara Bowers
Tarnee Tester has spent majority of her life living in Broken Hill, however it is all about to change. Tester has been selected into the 2017 WAFC Senior Development Squad, which requires her to live and play AFL in Western Australia.
In August Tester attended the Fremantle Dockers Female Talent Search, where the staff at Freemantle encouraged her to continue with footy in Western Australia “I nominated myself for the draft after I received a lot of positive feedback from the coaches and selectors, they informed me if Freemantle didn’t pick me up that the development squad would want me.” Tester said.
The acceptance into the development squad was a shock for Tester who believed she wouldn’t hear back until late December, “I didn’t expect it to happen so quickly, I thought I would be living in Broken Hill for a little while longer. I’m pretty shocked. I have to move next month!”
The Talent Program commences on November 12th, with a mixture of skills and fitness sessions being conducted weekly up until the end of March. The program allows access for players to high-end facilities and valuable coaching staff.
Theoretical sessions on leadership, injury prevention and rehabilitation, media presence, nutrition and strength and condition will also be involved in the program.
Tester hopes to take what she can from the program and teach other hopeful players “I’m at that stage of my career where I not only want to play but I want to teach younger players and act as mentor.”
The opportunity to play AFL in Broken Hill was created by the league when they introduced a women’s competition in 2012 “I started playing AFL with the boys all the way up until Under 12’s, I was devastated when I couldn’t play footy anymore. So when AFL Broken Hill started a women’s competition I was over the moon. It has opened up a lot of pathways for women who want to play AFL professionally”
Although Tester says she will miss West Broken Hill Football Club immensely, she is excited for the greater opportunities that will come with the program “To think if the Freemantle Women’s team need an emergency, I would be in the group they would pick from is nerve racking.”
“My dream has always been to play AFL. I grew up hating that I was a girl because of the simple fact that I wouldn’t be able to play footy, but now we can do it because the AFL has brought in the AFL Women’s competition, It’s great.”
