AFL star Katie Brennan talks sport and keeping it real
What inspired you to chase your dreams in a mostly male-dominated sport?
Football was always in my blood, it was what I did from a very young age. There were a lot of challenges along the way, like people saying ‘women shouldn’t play football’ or ‘you should change sports because there’s no future in AFL’. But it’s what I loved. It’s something that I preach, just to be yourself and do what you want to do in life, wherever it takes you. It doesn’t matter what society thinks of you or says is normal. Do what makes you happy.
What responsibility do you feel as a leader for your team?
When you’re part of a team sport, everyone has a different story and different motivations so if you can tap into that and get everyone on the same page then that just equals a more successful team. I think it’s my role to be a really positive leader and make people feel good, because that’s why we play footy.
What message do you have for girls who have a dream like yours?
Keep dreaming big. Really think about what it is that you want to achieve in life and set the bar high for yourself, then work really hard. And make sure you’re enjoying yourself because that’s when you do your best work.
Tell us about the message of the Disney campaign and what it means to you?
For me, growing up I was never the young girl who wore a dress or wanted to be a princess. I loved playing footy and I was always a tomboy. There’s other sorts of ‘princesses’ that young women can look up to and they don’t have to just be wearing dresses. It’s about making sure that young women still aspire to be strong and powerful and their own person, but they do it in their own way.
Why do you believe it’s important to redefine the term ‘princess’?
Young girls grow up wanting to be a princess and they’re in this magical land where they can be anything they wanna be. And then as they grow older, it becomes derogatory in a way for young girls to be called a princess. Like, ‘You run like a princess’ or ‘you play like a princess’. I think it is really important to change that definition. For me it’s empowering and inspiring.
