Meet Tatum Geurds-Gurney, the 16-year-old who aspires to be the first AFL Indigenous female goal umpire.
Tatum is one of a group of Year 10 students who last week attended the final camp for 2015 of the Beach Energy Indigenous Youth Leadership program (IYL), coordinated by Crows Hall of Famer Andrew McLeod and his wife Rachael.
The IYL Program is just one of the Beach Energy Indigenous programs at the Club aimed at using sport to engage and educate Indigenous youth and to provide them with the experience, skills and knowledge required to seek independence, self-determination and the individual capacity in achieving their goals.
The program specifically supports students in Year 10 with school attendance, SACE completion, and improved employment opportunities and pathways.
Tatum has spent her mornings last week finishing her certificate II in Business at MAXIMA - a community organisation supporting people in their pursuit of meaningful and fulfilling work across Australia. Tatum then returned to Adelaide’s West Lakes training facility in the afternoons have to hone her life skills.
The Windsor Gardens High student says she’s eternally grateful to the Club, the McLeods and the Beach Energy Indigenous Youth Leadership program for supporting her journey.
“I would never have believed that I could have come so far in a year,” Tatum said.
“At the beginning of the year I didn’t know what my future was. I didn’t even think I’d finish school this year.
“And I now I’m planning my Year 11 subjects for next year and looking ahead, dreaming and aspiring to become the first ever AFL Indigenous female goal umpire.”
Click here to find out more about the Club’s Indigenous Programs
Tatum says the program has helped her to believe in herself, overcome her intense shyness and focus on her studies.
“I’ve found ways to cope with everyday life and now I am passing on those skills to my mum and my younger siblings, which is so cool,” she said.
“I told my mum the other day ‘I’ll be the best I can be and then you can be the best you can be too,’”
“She loved that.”
Tatum was nominated by her high school, Windsor Gardens, to take part in the Beach Energy Indigenous Youth Leadership (IYL) Program and she represented her school at this year’s Beach Energy McLeod Challenge.
In its third year, the Beach Energy McLeod Challenge is a round robin competition for Year 8/9 students held across Adelaide in May.
A lifelong AFL and Crows fan, Tatum loved watching Andrew McLeod in his playing days and now he and his wife Rachael have become mentors and close friends.
“They are the dream team,” she laughs.
“Their program has help turn my life around and I know they will continue on the journey with me as I aspire to make it as an AFL goal umpire.”
