Sydney Women’s AFL Rising Star

For most people, it takes years of hard work and practice to perfect how to run, kick, handball and tackle with the skill of an elite AFL footballer.

However, for Sydney University’s Steph Walker, she has managed to do just that in only her second season of playing the sport, resulting in her being the Sydney Women’s AFL Round 5 Rising Star nominee.

The Riverina product spent just one season playing for Drummoyne in the Youth Girls competition before progressing to the senior ranks, but her introduction to the sport wasn’t as conventional as most.

“I played my first game because the team was short a player and needed someone to fill in,” said Walker.

“Me and a mate just decided we wanted to play, and I’ve loved it since then.”

A gifted all-round sportswoman, Walker said that AFL was unique because it combined lots of different elements from a range of other sports.

“It’s not like other sports, I really like the fact that it incorporates bits from other sports and it has lots of little things you need to learn.

“I played soccer for a long time, rugby league, oztag and touch footy at high school, and AFL is a bit of a combination of all those sports so I really enjoy it.”

Walker’s sporting prowess has transferred seamlessly onto the AFL field, where she kicked three goals and was voted the players’ player in her debut match against the Newtown Breakaways.

Her athleticism, ability to read the game and fearless attack on the ball ensures that she is one of the players to watch out for during the rest of the 2013 season.

Walker is also heavily involved in the sport off the field, where, as a trainee development officer for AFL NSW/ACT, she is passionate about growing the game amongst young people, especially girls.

“We really try to push the idea that the women’s game is growing, it’s getting bigger, and the girls playing now need to realize that, while it’s good to play for fun, it’s really going somewhere,” said Walker.

“There’s lots more participation now, particularly at Drummoyne because we won the premiership last year, it always helps when you’re winning.

“The National Women’s Draft which was held last week is a big step in the right direction.

“The Youth Girls National Championships that were held in Shepparton recently were good because the NSW/ACT side were competitive, which is a good sign for the future.

As for her own goals, Walker has some representative ambitions set firmly in her sights, but values team success above any individual honours.

“I’d really like to play in the NSW/ACT side, I think they play every two years though, so hopefully next year I can make it.