By Abby Collins
It’s hard to believe that the Bond University QAFLW program started out as a group of students most of whom had barely even touched a footy.
Current Seniors captain, Paris Lightfoot has been there from the start.
She still shakes her head in disbelief at how a way to catch up with mates over a ball rather than a book has come so far.
“The first official year of the club was in 2015 and we were a very small uni-based team at that point,” Lightfoot said.
“Most of us had played netball or other sports, none of us had any AFL experience. We had about 9 players and often had to borrow players from other teams.
“We lost our first game by over 100 points. Maybe it was our first few games actually.”
Fast forward nearly 10 years and the club from rather humble beginnings is ready to celebrate its 100th QAFLW game this weekend.
“It seems like just yesterday we were progressing into the QAFLW,” Sam Schiport, Bond AFL board member said.
“It’s amazing to see what the players and the program have achieved so far.
“We’ve had a number of players drafted into the NAB AFLW and we are now the most successful program at introducing talent into the NAB AFLW.
“We won our first Bond University QAFLW senior premiership last year. In 100 games we have achieved so much.”
So how does a group of players with no prior footy experience become one of the most formidable QAFLW teams in the league?
The answer is nearly a decade of developing a vision and program that not only fosters great players, but also great people.
“It’s all come off the back of hard work by so many players, administrators and coaches,” Schiport said.
“Everyone has been really committed to the vision of creating a program where we not only build good players but good people.
“Everyone has really unified in our ‘four teams one club’ approach across the men’s and women’s sides.”
The first building block tackled by the club’s administrators was bringing on a coaching staff who could drive development.
“We managed to get Dave Ashkar to come on board as our coach,” Schiport said.
“He had been coaching the Gold Coast SUNS Boys Academy.
“Through a lot of hard work and structures that Dave put in place, we were able to win the Premiership in 2017 and that set us on the journey to continue growing the program into what it has become today.”
The women’s break-out year saw them enter the QAFLW league where they entered not just a senior side, but also a reserves team.
It also saw Bond University enter into a partnership with the QAFLW, becoming the naming rights partner.
“The reserves’ success is a testament to the way that the coaches and administrators have built the list,” Schiport said.
“They put a real focus on not just the top level of talent but the lower levels as well, understanding that it’s a squad mentality that wins you premierships, not just a couple of individuals.”
The success of the reserves, arguably one of the best performing Bond University teams, proved the program structure of working from the bottom up was a winning one.
Then the University introduced the Riewoldt AFL Excellence Scholarship, aiming to get talent into the squad while they completed a degree.
“In 2018 Bond brought in an AFL scholarship for Bond University students,” Lightfoot said.
“Arianna Clarke came on board through that, and we started to get more AFL talent into the program, the University started to really invest in the female space.”
The systems set up by Lightfoot, her friends and the administrators, saw to it that people who came aboard could flourish in a supportive environment, where everyone cheers on each other success.
“We look at developing the girls as players but also as people,” Lightfoot said.
“It’s the players that put in the work, utilise the environment we foster, the facilities, training and coaching, that see the most progress.
“It’s because of the relationships that players stay on, it’s just that kind of club where everyone is super close, the players, the coaches, the men’s and women’s sides.”
Bond University’s 2019 Grand Final Team
Adding to the foundations laid out for him, Andy Lovell came aboard to drive the senior side to the first premiership win.
“Andy has obviously been integral in getting the club to where it is today,” Lightfoot said.
“When he came on last year, he really helped in taking us to the next level.
“He led us to our first senior female premiership, hopefully we can back that up this season.”
Andy’s expert touch was noticed by administrators and players alike.
“Lovell has brough another level of professionalism to the program with his experience,” Schiport said.
“He is able to prepare the girls for what they are likely to experience in the AFL system if they were to get there.
“He provides them with the best opportunity to succeed at a state league level as well.
“His preparation paired with the relationships and rapport he has built with the playing group has been phenomenal and is one of the pillars for his success.”
Bond’s AFL club rooms are a testament to the hard work of all those who have walked through its doors since 2015.
On the walls visible for all to see are the many reserves premiership trophies, and now one from the senior side.
