I'm here to admit I've got a bit of a girl crush on Sarah Perkins. She's the unlikely hero of the Adelaide Crows Australian Football League Women's team if you're not familiar with her story. It irks me to say it but I've become somewhat captivated by the whole competition. Four rounds in, midway through the season, and I've watched more aerial ping pong than I have in my lifetime. And I'm loving it.
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Part of me loves it because it's easy to sit on your couch and tell yourself that even now you could do a better job than half the players on the field. Not even 30 years ago, but today, if you were given a chance, I don't know much about the game but there's no way I'd take a mark in defence and then kick it straight back across my own goal face to an unmarked attacker.
I am envious, it's that simple. I want to be playing. Thank god, hockey starts today, well grading day at least. That's all it will take to pull me out of my delusion. Picking up the stick for the first time in a while.
But back to Perkins. I've been reading a lot about the plucky 23-year-old, about her inspirational weight loss story - almost 40kg in the past year and a bit - about her determination to play football. About how Crows coach Bec Goddard - a very sensible woman who played a lot of her football here in Canberra - jumped at the chance to sign her when none of the Melbourne teams would.
Then a story from ESPN's Chyloe Kurdas lobbed into my inbox, a great yarn on Perkins and her journey so far. In the story there was a fair bit from Perkins' mum Sandy. From the early days in the backyard, to her time with the Crows, how it's the happiest she's seen her daughter in a long time.
"She just looks so beautiful. She's just so young and fresh again. Even when she's walking towards you she smiles, you don't have to say anything to make her smile. She just has that constant glow about her," Sandy said.
Okay. I cried. Maybe my girlcrush is on Sandy.
There is no greater joy for a parent than to see their child happy. It's an easy thing to say. I just want my children to grow up to be happy. But we know, given the number of times we've been knocked around ourselves in our longer lives, that happiness can be elusive at times.
There is nothing I love more than to see my children happy. Whether that be a deeper longer term contentment, or caught in a fleeting happy moment, or all that happiness that comes in between if you dare to pay attention.
The moments where something ridiculous happens and every one is laughing, where a delicious meal is shared and talking is happening around the dinner table, where they notice a sunset, or are cuddling the dog, or cuddling you.
When they score a try, or stop a goal, or experience that euphoric feeling of being part of a winning team.
Where a maths problem gets solved, or an exam comes back with a good mark, or they're excited by the ideas in their heads planning for a friend's birthday.
We all have our share of moments that are not happy. There is nothing more painful for a parent than not being able to fix a problem for their child, to be unable to make their sadness fade. I'm finding it's getting harder and harder as they get older. Sometimes a hug and a bandaid don't fix a damn thing.
But then it's not my job to fix things. It's my job to give my children the skills to fix things themselves and when things are beyond fixing, and many things are, the skills to be able to deal with the situation. I just need to be there for my children if they need me.
Further on in the article Perkins was asked what has kept her going through her AFLW journey. She said she just loves the game.
"I think it's just inclusive. You don't have to be a size six to play football. You can be whatever size you want to be really. You can be whatever age. You can be whatever diversity, sexuality. It's a safe place and it's an inclusive environment." Perkins said.
"Anywhere that I've played it's been a family. It's just like being at home with mum".
Okay. I cried again. It's just like being at home with mum. I'd like be able to send my kids out into the world and have them find that space that makes them feel like that.
