AFL Northern Territory (AFLNT) welcomes Emily Wastle-Hopkins to the role of Manager of Community Football and Club Development.
Wastle-Hopkins started in her new role last week but was previously AFLNT's Manager of Game Development and Planning, a position she has held since August 2017 and will continue to assist with until a replacement begins. See here for the Manager of Game Development and Programs role that has just been advertised.
Starting with AFL Queensland in 2009, Wastle-Hopkins honed her skills in grassroots participation and game development programs such as Auskick and schools and also has experience on the field, after playing 10 years in the QWAFL and umpiring junior football in Brisbane.
She is a Jill Lindsay Scholarship winner, a scholarship for AFL SportsReady graduates that aims to inspire women within the football industry and promote the AFL as a career pathway for the next generation of sports administrators.
In 2018 Wastle-Hopkins laid the foundations for the transition to an NTFL Under 10s competition, a project that is coming to fruition in a few short weeks and this year she added AFLNT's strategic planning and community football futures work to her impressive resume.
AFLNT CEO Stuart Totham said he was pleased to have Wastle-Hopkins lead the community football and club development portfolio.
“Since coming from Brisbane two years ago, Emily has proven herself to be an outstanding member of the AFLNT executive team.
"She has led the organisation through the completion of community football plans throughout the Territory and has established solid connections with football-loving people right across the NT, and this role is about overseeing community football and club development throughout the whole of the Territory.
“She has leadership values, strong communication skills and a focus on results along with a clear understanding of our strategic direction in the community football space," he said.
Wastle-Hopkins said her new role was the perfect fit.
"Having spent the past 12 months working closely with some of our community football leagues and stakeholders to develop plans for the future of football within the regions I am delighted to be leading the team that is tasked with rolling these out.
"I am passionate about the growth of football across the NT and ensuring that our competitions and clubs are healthy and sustainable long into the future.
"We've got lots of exciting work coming up but right now the main focus is on the impending TIO NTFL season, which begins in only three weeks' time," she said.
