With AFLW players still seen as part-time athletes and needing to keep their day jobs to make a decent wage, some of the lengths players have to go to in order to get to training and game days are genuinely baffling and deeply impressive.
Code Sports reported that Collingwood Magpies utility Erica Fowler had to back it up after an overnight shift this week, to train and prepare for the club’s big clash with the Fremantle Dockers.
After the Western Australian borders forced a late fixture change, the game between Collingwood and Fremantle was pulled forward to Thursday evening. This meant that players were suddenly needing to change their own plans to get to rescheduled training. For Erica, it meant going straight to training after a 14-hour overnight shift as an Ambulance Victoria paramedic.
It’s a harsh reality of female sport. I’m am extremely thankful to have the support to be able to pursue both my dreams! #paramedic #AFLW pic.twitter.com/9W26tJDXqZ
— Erica Fowler (@EricaFowler92) December 22, 2021
“Coming off a 14-hour night shift on Monday morning, to go off to a main session probably isn’t ideal preparation but you just have to roll with the punches and be open with the club and try to work the safest training plan for you in the lead-up to a Thursday game,” Erica said to Code Sport.
Erica came off her overnight shift at about 7am on Monday morning, she apparently attempted to sleep, but couldn’t settle enough to fully rest. Instead, she wound up staying awake for about 24 hours total, heading off to the last major training session before Thursday evening’s big match.
“Once you’re training you feel fine, it’s just trying to stay awake,” she said.
“It’s kind of hard to explain how you feel. You’re a bit hyped but at the same time you’re just so tired. You just try to lay low for a bit.”
Erica’s not alone in having to juggle top-level footy with a day job, which is rudely part and parcel of playing AFLW. Despite the league being in its sixth — and arguably very successful — season, it’s still only considered a semi-professional sport.
In sharing her own story, Erica tweeted that she knows of other players in the league who have to take annual leave from their own jobs to play.
Not the ideal preparation you want however, I’m not alone in this, with players using their annual leave to play over the next 11 days.
Not to mention the huge sacrifice West Coast and Fremantle players and staff have made by relocating to Melbourne. https://t.co/pjqV2ozOVI
— Erica Fowler (@EricaFowler92) January 26, 2022
“I’m not alone in this, with players using their annual leave to play over the next 11 days,” she wrote.
Erica also told Code Sport that it’s not just players who are trying to keep the league going on part-time wages, it’s a lot of the people behind the scenes too.
“It’s not just impacting players now, it’s impacting the whole competition with regards to support staff, that they’re not full time at the club as well,” she said.
Alright, it’s time. Let’s get this league to a fully professional elite sport level so AFLW players aren’t destroying themselves just trying to get the boots on every week, yeah?
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