Today an excited group of Ladder participants and alumni set foot at The Hangar and were warmly greeted by Essendon AFLW Player Development Manager and former AFLW Player, Lauren Sparks. 

Ladder’s connection with Essendon Football Club runs deep. Bomber’s legend Mark Bolton was one of our three founding members and the inaugural CEO of Ladder from 2007-2016 so this event was even more special and meaningful.  

The morning started off with a once-in-a-lifetime experience, being shown around the club facilities and learning about the history of Essendon FC. The young people were excited to sit in the meeting spaces where both the AFL and AFLW players come together as a team, as well as see the numerous fitness facilities where they train. They were also given a chance to have a kick-to-kick in The Hangar which was definitely one of the highlights from this experience.

The other highlight was watching the AFLW players train, ahead of their upcoming game and to engage with the players following their training session. 

I loved seeing how hard the girls train and how passionate they are about what they do. It was really inspiring and made me think about what’s possible if you keep pushing yourself. - Mitch, Ladder program participant 

It was such an awesome experience meeting the Essendon women’s players! They were so generous with their time and made us feel really welcome. You could tell they genuinely cared about chatting with us. - Bella, Ladder Alumni

Meeting the players gave me a whole new level of respect for women’s footy. They’re strong, talented, and super kind. It was such a positive day! - Courtney, Ladder program participant 

The young people had such a positive day and left feeling inspired, after a five-hour round trip from Morwell. For many of our young people, opportunities like this are once-in-a-lifetime. These moments create a sense of belonging, spark hope, and inspire them to believe in brighter futures as they grow into resilient, healthy adults.  

We extend our heartfelt thanks to Lauren and the Essendon FC for the inspiring day out and for their ongoing support of Ladder, our programs and young people.