Claire Clutterham (Sturt, Australian Labor Party) Share this | Hansard source

On Saturday 23rd May 2026, I attended the South Australian National Football League Women's clash between the mighty Norwood Redlegs and the North Adelaide Roosters. Despite putting on a solid fourth quarter, the Redlegs fell just short, going down to North by nine points. It was an honour to be invited to toss the coin before the start of the match but an even bigger honour to have been invited to the prematch event, which was a brunch to remember the legacy and contribution of Redlegs legend Ashleigh Young, who passed away too soon in December 2023 at the young age of 31.

Ashleigh, for whom the Ashleigh Young Scholarship is named, was an outstanding contributor to not only the Norwood women's footy program but to growing sport for women and girls. Ashleigh was one of those people for whom nothing was too much trouble when it came to the Redlegs and when it came to inspiring young women, building their confidence and teaching them that you can have resilience, determination and strength at the same time as empathy and compassion. To be able to harness all of these characteristics as Ashleigh Young did, and then to be determined to use those skills to empower other women and girls, is the calling card of a true leader, which Ashleigh was. Her legacy will live on through the scholarship, which continues her mission through the Marjorie Jackson Nelson Program to support professional learning opportunities for women in sport. Vale, Ashleigh Young.

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