LEAH French has loved footy since she was knee high to a grasshopper.
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She loved having a kick in the backyard with her Dad, but there was no youth girls competition when she was growing up so she stuck with “traditional” sports like basketball and netball.
At the start of this year the urge to play footy got the better of the 26-year-old and she joined the Bendigo Thunder in the Victorian Women’s Football League.
Basketball and netball’s loss was the Thunder’s gain. Despite only playing 10 games, French edged out star duo Grace Campbell and Emma Grant to win the club’s best and fairest award.
“I had been hanging around the club a little bit for a few years and I knew a few people at the club,’’ French said.
“I thought it was time to bite the bullet and have a crack at footy. I had a great time. There’s a great group of girls at the club and we had a lot of fun. I made the right decision.”
French dominated the opening five rounds of the season before a heavy knock in round six sidelined her for eight games.
“I had some broken ribs... and was taken off in an ambulance, so that showed me the other side of footy,’’ French said.
“It was frustrating to miss those games, but it did give me the chance to help (coach) Craig (Riddiford) on the sidelines. I learned a lot by doing that. It gave me a better perspective of what was happening on the field.”
After a tough season last year, the Thunder were much more competitive in 2015.
“It’s a credit to the club that we took a big step forward,’’ French said. “We’ve picked up players from the university and from different sporting backgrounds.”
French said the increased support for women’s footy across Australia makes it an exciting time for the Thunder and young female footballers.
“The youth girls that are coming through the system have an exciting era ahead of them,” French said.
“There’s a great pathway there and it’s something for them to aspire to.”
