As women's issues and rights come to the fore within our immediate and wider community, it is excellent to see we have our own inspiring groundbreakers within the college community.

The International Women's Day theme of 2022 (celebrated on March 8) was "Break the Bias" and year 12 student Aaliah is breaking through those glass ceilings. For some time, Aaliah has been heavily involved with local teams playing and coaching AFL, a traditionally male dominated sport. In January this year, she was appointed by AFL Tasmania in a professional capacity as one of two umpire recruitment officers on the North West.

As part of this position, she is engaged each Tuesday in the role of running workshops around the North West Football clubs in the hope of recruiting more females into the male dominated sport of football umpiring.

She is also a part of the National Female Umpiring Mentorship Program organised and run by Eleni Glouftsis (first female AFL field umpire) which came about after being selected as one of six national umpires for the 2021 Boomerang Indigenous leadership in football program. She was the only female in this program to be selected amongst a field of young men nationally.

The college is proud to see emerging female leaders like Aaliah transforming attitudes to female participation and success in sport and overcoming the challenges of living a regional area to experience these leadership opportunities. 

Aaliah pictured below in action with the ball and with North West Umpires officiating a NWFL game.