It seems somewhat fitting that Scarlett Kennedy was the first female to play 100 games for the Williamstown CYMS.
Part of the CYs first female senior team in the Victorian Amateur Football Association, Kennedy kicked their first goal.
She won the first best and fairest and was part of the side’s first premiership, while last year she won the club’s first female reserves best and fairest as well.
Kennedy said it was pretty special to be the first to achieve the milestone for the club.
“There are only two of us that have played since we started,” she said. “Tess Beagley will play her 100th later in the season.
“It’s been a running joke between us which one will get there first.
“It’s really special being there from the start. It’s pretty cool with the family connection with my grandfather playing there.
“The club has played a huge part in my life.”
Kennedy played junior footy in 2011 before focusing on hockey.
When the women’s team started at CYs it was the start of something.
“I went to one training session and that was it,” she said. “You look now we have two teams and juniors coming through.
“It’s very different from when I started out when we were giving away 50 metre penalties and didn’t know what we were doing.
“There’s now juniors and a large group playing in VFLW [Victorian Football League Women’s], it’s completely different to when it started.”
Kennedy said winning the premiership was special for the club and it cemented the program’s spot at the club.
She said it was a big turning point for them, with their photo etched on the club room walls forever.
Even more important have been the friendships.
“My friends are really important,” she said. “Almost all my closest friends I met here.”
Kennedy has taken on coaching the reserves side now.
She said that first game and first win as coach is up there with the memories.
“The girls have made it easy to be able to coach,” Kennedy said. “After playing footy it’s nice to be on the other side.”
As the club’s program continues to grow and progress, Kennedy said they felt they had found its place in the top flight.
She said they were up to the challenge and it was another turning point for the program.
After so many firsts, is there any more on the cards for Kennedy?
“I think that will do,” she said. “I just want to enjoy being out there.
“I haven’t kicked a lot of goals between now and then. I kicked my first in three years on the weekend.
“I might have to play more up forward.”
