By Tyler Wright
A young star from Monbulk has taken out the Best & Fairest award in the Under 18s girls section of the Eastern Football Netball League.
Scarlett Henderson, who plays for Emerald/Monbulk’s Deakin Uni 18B Girls side, was awarded the medal on after her team secured a grand final win.
“Last year I came fourth, so I thought that this year I wouldn’t do that great,” Henderson, 16, said.
“But then when I did, everyone else’s names got called out and I was the only one left…I was pretty shocked.”
Henderson managed to kick 27 goals throughout the season; more than anyone else in her age group, as a forward rotating midfielder.
She scored 17 votes from umpires throughout the season, with the results announced at a presentation at Crossway Church in Burwood East on Monday 21 August.
“My dad is the coach, and he wanted me either getting the ball to the forward line or just kicking goals,” Henderson said.
“In three or four games, I kicked four goals, so my main mission by the end of the season was to kick more than four; then in the grand final we actually won that and in the last minute I kicked my fifth goal.
“That was pretty great, breaking my record in the grand final.”
Henderson began playing the sport in 2021, joining the side halfway through the season in the EFNL’s junior interleague.
“Once I got into it, I just couldn’t really stop.
“I started setting goals for myself… my first goal was to get into interleague and then after only playing those three games, I got into the Under 16 future squad, but I only got to play one game for them because I did my MCL in my knee.
This year I’ve been invited back to try out for the proper team…setting the boundaries, like the goals and everything like that, and trying to break records and set myself dreams has been good and what’s kept me going.”
Despite her talent, Scarlett’s mum, Helen, said didn’t let her daughter play football for eight years.
“I had Wandin [football club] chasing her when she was about 13 years of age, was kicking the footy to friends and things, and they’d say ‘oh, my God, she’s got to play football,'” she said.
“I’d say, ‘no way am I letting my daughter play football and get injured.'”
“I was fighting a losing battle for many years until eventually I gave in, and it’s very much paid off.”
Henderson said he family has been a key support for her over the past two years.
“Mum obviously driving me to trainings every week and coming to all the games and then my dad being the coach, he would always give me tips and tell me how to improve.
“My brothers teaching me how to play football and have a kick with me on weekends…my cousins and grandpa and everyone came to my grand final.
“The support has been really great.”
Henderson said she is considering joining the seniors next year, looking to join older cousin Ruby Ross who is the teen’s “inspiration” in football.
“I’m thinking of stepping back a little bit and starting to enjoy my football more as a game instead as a career,” she said.
“I think I’m still going to go ahead with [the EFNL] and try hard there and then relax and play Seniors and have a bit of fun.”
The Emerald/Monbulk Football Club Best & Fairest awards night is set to be held on Friday 8 September at the Emerald clubrooms.
“Last year I came second in our club Best & Fairest to my cousin Ruby,” Henderson said.
“Hoping to better that on the eighth of September,” her mum added.
