The Falcons would like to thank Darebin Falcon great, Sarah Hammond for her support of our VFLW development players this season.
Mentoring and developing the next generation.
This VFLW season saw a wide range of sponsors get around our very own Darebin Falcons. One familiar name among the VFLW Player Sponsors is a former VFLW player and life member of the Darebin Women’s Sports Club, Sarah Hammond.
An elite athlete, including competing in the Australian handball team at the 2000 Olympics, Sarah Hammond first joined Darebin Falcons in 2006. She has recalled her first role in a senior game tagging Debbie Lee, and Hammond went on to play her extremely exciting brand of footy at the Falcs until an untimely knee injury game one of the 2017 season. Hammond is a life member of the Falcons, and has been part of historic wins for the club, including 15 Grand Final appearances, 11 Flags and the Lisa Hardeman Medal for Best on Ground in the 2009 VFLW Grand Final. In 2018, Hammond took up the role of coaching the u18’s, and also returned to the field as an inaugural player in the Darebin Masters team in 2019.
Despite moving to Geelong and unable to commit as much time to coaching or playing, Hammond has maintained her interest in the development of the club. She describes the opportunity to sponsor the VFLW players as finding another way to support the club which has given her so much over the years. At the Round 4 Falcons match, Hammond was there for the debut game for #20 Julia McArdle, and her other sponsored players #23 Stephanie Elarmaly, #42 Peppa Poultney, #59 Sophia Padovano, who are all part of the squad she coached in 2018. “It made me proud to see the young players get selected for the VFLW team, they have put in a lot of hard work and it’s great to see them rewarded”.
Continuing the Falcon ethos of women supporting women.
She reflected also on the parallels with her own time at the club, and her fortune in being surrounded by the players who excelled, and never rested on their laurels. They always pushed each other to develop their best football. It was that intrinsic pressure to keep striving for their best that created such success on the field.
“There was great comradery, we had really close friendships. We all motivated each other in a way that you just wanted to be around”.
The club was not only developing excellence on the field; it was also a chance for women to be involved in sports administration, in helping out on the committee, being involved at all levels, and taking on key roles. The Falcons name has become synonymous with being a successful footy club on the field, as well as for the focus on creating a safe inclusive place, with supportive networks for younger players.
Being able to sponsor the VFLW players is another opportunity to mentor and support the future generation of Falcs, and continue to shape the unique culture of our club. Since moving away, Hammond has missed the connection with the Nest, and appreciates the opportunity to support the club. “ I’m still so proud to say that I play for the Darebin Falcons. Good luck to the girls and the whole VFLW squad for the 2021 season.”
See all our 2021 Player Sponsors on our VFLW team page.
