MOUNT Gambier footballer Madisyn Freeman has made a big splash with her choice to cross over to the game of Australian Rules football.
Freeman has previously made the South Australian Under 18 state side and played for Glenelg in the state-wide competition, but has now become a premiership player.
Freeman joined the Salisbury club in the Under 18 competition, before stepping up to Division 1 in the South Australia Women’s Football League, where this year she claimed a premiership with her side.
She is well known in the region for her sporting prowess, a regular in basketball and netball competitions and added the extra feather to her cap in her newest chosen sport.
Despite many previous premierships in her other sports, this one was special for the 16 year old, one she struggled to put into words.
“You can’t describe how it feels,” Freeman said.
“You just run for your team mates.
“We were down by about 19 points, so I think because we did come back, everyone had a massive adrenaline rush in the last quarter.
“But you can’t put into words how it feels .”
To add to that achievement, Freeman has just returned from the club awards, where she finished fourth in the best and fairest honours, best first year player and finals MVP.
Those awards were certainly a reward for her hard work throughout the season, with coach Richard Gray having some flattering words to say about the young rising star.
He said he was called up to the Division 1 women’s team for Round 1 of the SAWFL and immediately cemented her spot.
“Madisyn played off wing and occasionally half forward, but through the season became more confident attacking the ball,” he said.
“She was promoted to mid-field and set a high standard for the team.
“Her game in the Division 1 grand final was outstanding.
“She played a significant role in the win and narrowly missed out on best on ground.”
Freeman said the idea of football came about from kicking the ball around with her father.
He suggested they “give it a go”, with encouragement from a family friend Keith Allen,who suggested state competition.
“I played in the South East women’s league when that started, but haven’t played in the Mount Gambier one, because that clashed with the Glenelg state-wide women’s team,” Freeman said.
“I would love to have played down here, but I got asked to play up there and it is a stronger league – it is the level down from the AFLW.
“It was recommended from my state coaches it would be more beneficial to play in.”
This season her duties with Salisbury in the Division 1 competition saw players from 16 through to around 30 years of age, providing a real challenge.
But Freeman said that was no issue, with the help of her team mates invaluable.
“The bodies are a bit bigger and you get harder knocks, but I enjoy playing up there,” she said.
“The team I played with were very inclusive and passed their experience down.
“I think without those girls I probably would have found it a bit harder.”
Also on her side was her involvement with the Limestone Coast Sporting academy, which provided strength and fitness training without the need to travel to Adelaide an extra time each week.
However, her commitment still requires a trip to Adelaide each week in the season, along with other trips up for state duties.
But Freeman says it is all worth the effort, with her enjoyment of the game and the friends she has made along the way.
From here she hopes to push her sport to the next level, if the opportunity presents.
“First I want to make the Under 18 state team again this year and get to the Gold Coast and have the scouts look at me there,” Freeman said.
“I want to perform well with the Glenelg team if I make that, then just continue playing with Salisbury.
“Hopefully I can make make AFLW.”
