Caroline Hammat
Home town sporting hero Sarah Allan, three-time premiership player and two-time All-Australian defender for the Adelaide Crows, returned to the local district recently as part of the team’s AFLW premiership cup tour.
The whirlwind visit, undertaken with teammate Anne Hatchard, included the opportunity for Ms Allan to visit her old schools and football club in the tour.
“It’s rewarding to get it [the cup] out everywhere, obviously taking it home was my favourite time,” Ms Allan said reflecting on the visit.
“It was really cool especially Beachport (Primary School) with the younger kids, they didn’t even really know what we were doing, some were just watching their reflection in the cup of themselves, that was cute.
“It’s quite crazy because I grew up with their parents, either they coached me or I played sport with them and I could see their faces in them.
“You realise whose kids they are, it’s quite interesting and it was kind of special.”
Meeting with an older age group at Millicent High School (MHS), the pair held a practical session with Ms Allan enjoying the opportunity to catch up with her old physical education (PE) teacher.
“It was great, Todd Watson was my PE teacher (at MHS) and now he’s the principal; he was a big part of mine and my sister Jess’ training,” Ms Allan said.
“He used to train us in the gym before school so he was really helpful along our journey.”
A visit to Hatherleigh Football Club on Thursday night proved a special night for Ms Allan who used to play junior colts for the club.
After running a session with the juniors Ms Allan stayed on for dinner at the club and enjoyed the opportunity to catch up with her old netball colleagues.
During school visits the story and journey to become an AFLW player is often told and Ms Allan acknowledged the support received from her family.
“My dad played for Centrals and got us involved at a young age; he had three girls but we all learnt how to kick a football and all played football at some point, but mum was the one organising everything,” she said.
“They both drove us countless hours to Adelaide to continue our journey in football and, thinking back, a lot of the time it was mum in the backyard kicking the football with me as well; it’s a team effort.
“They got us involved in a lot of sport and I think I get attributes from my mum, who was a state volleyballer, like being athletic and jumping, and dad’s football ability as well.”
Allan and Hatchard both work at the Adelaide Football Club as community program officers with Allan working full time in the community department promoting the sport.
“We try and get more females involved in football and any community we are a part of,” she said.
“It’s really busy but it’s good; it was a bit different in the community department through Covid so it’s great to get out and about.
“It seems the growth of it (AFLW) has just grown in the last year or so, there are so many people enjoying it.
“They (the children) grow up and see girls playing football, it’s going to be their normal and there are just as many fans that are boys as girls now, it’s great to see their smiles.”
St Anthony’s Primary School also received a visit as part of the tour after commercial partners, Millicent Toyota, gifted their visit to the school.
Also receiving unexpected visits were the workplaces of Ms Allan’s parents, Sue and Keith, and Millicent Resthaven.
