The intention of this post is to shine a light on young female athletes (like Lili in the video below) striving to play professional sport; but first, some context.
I’m blessed with 4 children, 2 boys and 2 girls, all of whom have played sport, 3 at youth representative level (football, futsal, cricket), and one who played semi professionally in NZ’s top ⚽️ tier. I’ve coached girls and mixed teams, including a female U15 team to New Zealand Football's national futsal title. I’ve played competitive junior, youth and senior football, plus cricket, tennis, rugby, and Aussie Rules. I’m a fan of the Wellington Phoenix Football Club, Carlton Football Club, Warringah Rugby Club and along with all of that, I’ve been a lifelong fan of the Manly Warringah Sea Eagles. It’s heartwarming to see some of the players I’ve coached now playing for their National team and in professional ⚽️ environments. I’d like to think somewhere along the way I had a positive influence.
So, as a father of 2 daughters, a coach of female players, and as a fan of all sports, how good is it to see young Lili in the video? Lili is a northern beaches local, a fan of Manly Warringah Sea Eagles - and now a representative rugby league 🏉 player, chasing her field of dreams with the club she has supported all her life.
I understand the sacrifices young athletes like Lili and their families make to chase a dream. It takes time, money, love, and the expertise of good coaches to provide holistic support around young athletes - to grow them to be good people. Only a small percentage will play professionally, but with the right mindset, the young person will have grown through the experience, whatever their eventual career.
Manly Warringah Sea Eagles fans: you can help nurture the future of the club - by making a TAX DEDUCTIBLE DONATION to the Sea Eagles Foundation. Your donation supports the holistic life skills needed to see the 250 male and female teenage athletes in our representative pathways programs be the best human beings they can be. And who knows, maybe one day we will see young women like Lili running out on to 4 Pines Brewing Company Pty Ltd Park for Manly, at Brookie in a National Rugby League W game.
Help nurture the next generation and watch them soar with the Sea Eagles. Donate now and get in touch if you want to discuss other ways to support the future of our club.
#ManlySeaEagles #NextGen #Donate
Minerva Network Kate Olgers GAICD Deana Candelori FCA Gabrielle Curtin Romilly Madew AO FTSE HonFIEAust EngExec Hanna Clare Julie Sibraa GAICD
For Lili, as a lifelong Manly fan, “it’s a privilege to put the jersey on, it doesn’t feel real.”
Help make the dream of playing NRLW real - for Lili and other young women in the Sea Eagles pathways program. Teenage athletes in a high-performance sporting environment need lots of support. We coach technical skills, nutrition, prehab and rehab; but also mental resilience, education and employment, social skills and time management. These are the holistic life skills required to nurture the next generation of Sea Eagles.
Lili is already a good young rugby league player. We aim to help Lili and our other young athletes be the best humans they can be, regardless of their eventual career paths.
As a Sea Eagles fan, you can play your part. Help nurture the next generation by making a tax-deductible donation to the Sea Eagles Foundation. Watch them soar with the Sea Eagles.
Queries to [email protected]
#ManlySeaEagles #NextGen #Donate
CEO, Gandeeva Therapeutics and Gobind Khorana Canada Excellence Research Chair, Precision Cancer Drug Design, University of British Columbia
3moThanks for posting! The credit mostly goes to my Hoka shoes that made running a lot easier!