By Kirstie Fitzgerald
Imagine flying 21 hours across the Atlantic to a country you have never been before.
Imagine landing in that country and driving to a stranger’s house where you will be learning how to play a foreign sport you have no idea about for the next two weeks.
That was what 23-year-old Andrea De La Tore experienced when she touched down in Melbourne airport for the first time as part of the National Australia Bank (NAB) Footify experience.
Joining four other international sports fans from across the globe, NAB’s ‘Footify Fansplant' program sees passionate fans plucked from their overseas home town and dropped into the lives of AFL-crazy families who are devoted to sharing their love of the game internationally.
For Andrea, her Footifying experience has been with WRFL Umpiring Director Mark Westgarth and his family.
“I didn’t know much about my family coming to Australia, except that they love AFL,” she said.
Growing up in Barcelona, Andrea is fanatical for her national sport of handball and is known for her fast hands as the goal keeper of the first women’s handball team, but has no clue about Aussie Rules.
“All I know about AFL is something about a weird shaped ball and people tackling one another, but that’s it,” Andrea said.
Having umpired at the elite level, it’s clear Mark Westgarth and his family play by the rules, with his four sons Matthew, Aaron, Alex and Michael all donning the whites to umpire in the WRFL, while his youngest daughter Abby, enjoys following football from the sidelines.
“Although Andrea doesn’t actually live with us, it’s been great having her involved with the family and spending time with her, taking her to the football, sharing meals together and getting to know her which has been fun,” Mark Westgarth said.
Teaching her all there is to know about our game, Andrea has joined in officiating alongside the Westgarth family in multiple WRFL matches, including running the boundary and waving the flags in the goals.
“Andrea has fitted into the AFL scene really well and has enjoyed being involved in the WRFL group.
“With her handball experience as a goalie, she has a strong arm and has done really well at learning to throw the ball in from the boundary.
“As for goal umpiring, having to signal a score was good but getting into position under the flight of the ball was hard because she has no understanding of the play of the game which is vital for a goal umpire, but she did a great effort nonetheless.”
During her time learning the ropes with the Westgarths, Andrea went to the MCG National Sports Museum to meet AFL National Umpiring Director and former Richmond great Wayne Campbell.
“It was a fantastic experience for everyone involved and the promotion of umpiring in the WRFL is a great success story for the whole league.”
To see the first few episodes of NAB’s Footify experience visit http://afl.nab.com.au/what-is-footify
Last Modified on 18/07/2014 13:24