New Female Football Ambassadors announced
AFL NSW/ACT is pleased to announce the signing of five Female Football Ambassadors to promote female football within the region.
The AFL NSW/ACT Female Football Ambassadors include 2017 GWS GIANTS AFL Women’s team members, Maddy Collier, Erin McKinnon, Nicola Barr, Clare Lawton, and Mai Nguyen.
Following the success of the inaugural AFL Women’s competition, AFL NSW/ACT recognises the importance of nurturing the vast appetite for female football within the state and territory.
The group has been selected by AFL NSW/ACT as they embody the spirit of which AFL Women’s is about – passion, sportsmanship, determination, and the desire to leave a legacy for the next crop of female footballers.
Identified as role models within the industry, the Ambassadors are also local AFL NSW/ACT Talent Pathway graduates and their involvement in the program, is aimed at showing prospective AFLW players from the region that they too, can make it in professional football.
AFL NSW/ACT Female Football Manager, Hannah Davis says that having such high calibre Female Football Ambassadors speaks volumes for where female football is heading within the region.
“There was a huge demand for player appearances from schools, leagues, clubs and from around the regions following the AFLW season,” says Davis.
“With the tremendous growth of Female Football in the region, the need to establish an AFL NSW/ACT Female Football Ambassador Program, which goes above and beyond the AFLW CBA (Collective Bargaining Agreement), has become evident.
“AFL NSW/ACT has established a structure, which ensures player appearances support relevant participation outcomes wherever possible, in our key regions and growth focus areas.
“This is also a great opportunity for the players to build their own profile within the community, as they encourage more females to participate in AFL and inspire future generations of AFLW players.”
AFL NSW/ACT Female Football Ambassador, Maddy Collier was recently awarded the 2017 Jill Lindsay Scholarship. This will provide Collier the opportunity to travel to regional towns and promote AFL, encouraging more young girls into the sport.
“I am really excited to be able to take the female game to young up-and-comers around my home region,” says Collier.
“AFL is a great way to keep fit, meet new people, and to push yourself in a challenging way. I can’t wait to encourage female participation across the state and territory.”
