Kaslar lives dream on footy big stage
ELANORA’S Leah Kaslar will strut her sport’s biggest stage on Saturday afternoon. What footy fans won’t get to see is how damn hard she’s worked to be there.
“It’s been a pretty crazy schedule,” the Brisbane Lion said of the juggling act she’s pulled off to be part of this weekend’s historic AFL Women’s grand final against the Adelaide Crows at Metricon Stadium.
“I work 40 hours a week as an environmental scientist. One of those days I fly to Newcastle and back to do sampling at our water treatment plant.
“I drive to Brisbane four days a week for training. Each week I do about 12 hours of driving and 12 hours of training. It’s been hectic but you’ve just got to be really organised.”
She then added a few words that confirmed her Gold Coast roots: “There aren’t many hours to go surfing.”
You want to know what’s made this inaugural AFLW season so special? Spend 15 minutes with Kaslar.
Here’s a 31-year-old woman who has spent more than a decade chasing a footy around the field for the purest of reasons. Not for money. Not for endorsements. Certainly not for fame.
Simply because she loves the game.
She worked in real estate for a decade. She travelled the world for a year. As a 28- year-old, she enrolled in environmental science at Griffith University.
The one constant? Playing footy.
She found it as a teenager in Cairns. Played a few seasons in WA. Three years ago she paired with a mate to found their own club – the mighty Coolangatta Bluebirds.
Then, late last year, came the call-up every female footballer has dreamt of – a chance to play in the inaugural AFL Women’s premiership.
“We had a training session the night of the first game,” Kaslar recalled of the clash between Carlton and Collingwood that attracted almost 25,000 spectators and 900,000 television viewers.
“We watched it in the clubrooms after training and the feeling of seeing that crowd, the supporters on their feet cheering, it was incredible.”
As has been the Lions’ charge to the big dance.
Tipped to claim the wooden spoon, Kaslar and her mates have stunned all and sundry to secure a home grand final – albeit at Metricon after Brisbane’s Gabba was ruled out due to concerns about the playing surface.
Instead of being an environmental scientist yesterday, Kaslar was sleeping off a cold. Well, at least either side of photo shoots and interviews.
“The AFL didn’t put modelling into the contract,” she joked.
“I actually started my new job at the same time as this but they’ve been really supportive. They were really happy I had passions outside of work and wanted to help m me achieve in both.”
Kaslar will be paid $8750 t this season. Not much really, e especially after tax, but you won’t hear any complaints from a woman effectively b being paid to live her dream.
“To be given the opportunity t to play at this level is t the sweet thing for us,” she s said. “Now we’ve just got to p put on the show.”