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Sometimes it takes a foreigner to help you crystallize your own thoughts on Australia, to help you understand what makes Australians tick, to help you come to an enhanced understanding of your own culture.
The most recent edition of the Sunday Age ran a story on such a person: a certain Ms Pippa Grange, General Manager, Culture and Leadership, AFL Players Association.
Ms Grange was born, raised and schooled in Yorkshire, England. A life-long Arsenal supporter, she came to Australia to continue her studies, and work in the field of sports science and psychology where she was immediately introduced to the indigenous game.
It was love at first sight.
In her own words, she was immediately “enthralled”.
There were two things that she noticed about the game from the word go:
1. Its Australian-ness
2. Its inclusiveness
On the latter, Ms Grange was thunderstruck by the number of women who attended games, often seeing four generations of women from the same family, sitting together and supporting their team.
Also on the aspect of inclusiveness, she was amazed at the fact that fans of opposition fans all intermingled at game, in very large numbers, with absolutely no problem at all.
Ms Grange currently plays an important role in developing and administering policies in relation to the education of players about all matters cultural, including sexuality, drugs and alcohol and domestic violence.
The Sunday Age article itself provides a fascinating insight into her character and she comes across as an incredibly astute and intelligent woman.
As an example, the article quotes a letter she wrote to the AFL about the Ben Cousins affair, and its abandonment of that player (as far as she was concerned) “At the whim of a fearful, baying public, fuelled by panicked and over-zealous politicians and a steamrolling media”, demonstrating an understanding of that scenario not witnessed in any quarter at the time.
This is further demonstrated by this very unique, and perhaps controversial statement: “To me, he’s a genuine role model.” (referring to Cousins’ capacity to make a comeback under very trying conditions).
Pippa Grange – an inspiring and intelligent woman with incredible insights on our own sporting culture.
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