The International Womens’ Day Breakfast event at Avila College was a great experience. The morning was centred around past Avila student and School Captain Kerrie Brewer, who spoke about her journey in the professional football landscape. Kerrie spoke about her experience at Vibe Australia, Collingwood Football Club and North Melbourne Football Club, and how she encountered a lack of people like her in positions of power. Kerry’s speech ended with a reflection on her current position at Hawthorn Football Club as General Manager (Foundation and Community). Something that really stuck with me after listening to Kerry’s speech was the thought that being the first is always the hardest, as you have to embark on your own path. If each day you were to ride through a field of grass, with every day your path would become easier, as you would be following a set path. The difficulty comes with being the first, and in this case, in breaking the cycle of men in power in the football industry, to voluntarily go off the beaten path and make an impact. Ultimately, this breakfast was about inspiring and supporting young women to follow their passions, and providing women with equal opportunity in the workforce. I believe I speak for Keelan and Robbie when I say that this experience provided us with a great opportunity to interact with other schools in our area, and celebrate International Womens’ Day.
– Alexander Mathieson, Year 11
