In celebration of their final week of program, Ladder young people were treated with a few rounds of go-karting. This fun activity was an opportunity to celebrate and reward the group for their many achievements and to continue strengthening the wonderful friendships they formed during their time in program. 

The group were surprised and incredibly thankful to be joined by Western Bulldogs AFLW player Sarah Poustie, who gave up her time and made the trip up for this activity. Sarah connected with all the participants in the short time she had, with her friendly nature and down-to-earth approach. 

“When I met her, it felt like I was talking to a friend, not just a professional athlete. She is really cool” – Taidden, 16

Sarah also had the opportunity to share her inspiring story on how she became a first-year AFLW player with the Western Bulldogs. Her openness and willingness to share about her journey, including the challenges she faced and how she overcame them, gave the participants a valuable perspective on resilience and perseverance. 

“Having someone around my age who’s made it to the AFLW really shows me that it’s possible to go after your dreams, no matter where you come from. She’s so relatable and made me believe in myself even more.” – Sharhna, 17

“I can’t believe she’s only a couple of years older than me and already playing at that level! It makes me feel like I’m closer to reaching my own goals. Seeing her reminds me that with dedication, I can do it too.” – Seth, 17

“She’s so down-to-earth, and it’s amazing to see someone my age doing what they dreamed of. You can get there if you’re dedicated.” – Konnah, 20

Players can play a pivotal role in creating meaningful experiences for Ladder program participants. Whether it's dropping in during a program outing, participating in a Q&A session or becoming a mentor, there are many ways that current and former players can get involved with Ladder. These positive experiences help build Ladder participant's confidence while learning from and creating connections with players. 

A big thanks to Sarah for taking the time from her busy schedule to connect with our program participants and join in some friendly competition!

“It was awesome to meet them all and get to know some different types of kids. 

It was super special to see the relationships Ladder has been able to build with the young people in such a short time and how much trust the young people have for them all.

Their willingness to engage with me and share things about their lives after only knowing me for two hours really highlighted to me the safe space that Ladder provides for young people to develop themselves. It was really cool to see.” said Sarah Poustie, Western Bulldogs AFLW player. 

To learn more about Ladder and how to get involved as a player, contact Sam Philp, AFL Industry Engagement Coordinator at [email protected]