Sophie Armistead made an unexpected switch from touch football to Australian Rules three years ago.
“I didn’t really play much footy when I was younger, just a bit of school footy and Auskick. Then I decided to start playing three years ago,” Armistead said.
A year later, she had taken out the Northern Territory Football League’s top honour.
“In my first season, I won the Rising Star Award and ever since then I’ve enjoyed it,” she said.
Born in Toowoomba in Queensland, the 22-year-old lived in Sydney before moving to Darwin in her early school years.
Now, Armistead is part of the inaugural Crows women’s team, and still looks and sounds like she can’t quite believe it.
Selected by the Crows with pick 55, Armistead has played three seasons for the Wanderers in Darwin and is enjoying her first AFL pre-season with the nine other NT-based players.
“I did my knee last November but recovery has all gone to plan. At the moment, the kilometres I’m doing are restricted,” she said of her modified training regime.
“I’m almost up at the same level as everyone else, but they’re just making sure I don’t go too hard too soon.”
Armistead is reserved and softly spoken, but her eyes light up when she talks about where football has taken her.
It’s not the path she had planned, growing up idolising the likes of Liz Ellis and Catherine Cox.
“I grew up watching and playing netball. When I was little, I wanted to be like them,” Armistead said.
Her dreams of playing professional sport are happening, albeit in a league that hadn’t occurred to her.
“I always wanted to do this, but now that it’s with footy, it’s just a bonus.”
Between touch football and rugby games growing up, there wasn’t much room for AFL in her family.
“My family supported rugby. I did like to watch footy but I didn’t necessarily have a team I was passionate about,” she said.
“I go for Storm. My brothers are all Broncos supports so I just decided to do something different!”
Armistead says she’s excited about the season ahead, but everything else about her says relaxed and laidback.
“I prefer midfield because I just like to run, but anywhere is good. If they want me in a position then I’ll play it,” she said.
“I like to go hard for the ball, win the ball and get it out to my teammates.”
The Crows pre-season training camp in Adelaide marked a step up on the road to Round 1.
“We’d been training before, but it was more intense. There was a bit more running and we’d do a lot of skills and a lot of gym work, so it’s all happening now.”
Armistead, an administrative officer in Darwin, is grateful that a desk job helps her conserve energy for training after hours.
As for what she’s looking forward to most in the season ahead, she’s keeping it simple.
“I think just getting around all the girls, and playing with new people.”
