Young West Aussie named 2023 NAB AFL Auskicker of the YearTuesday, September 26, 2023 - 11:17 AM

Pippa McTaggart, from the Mingenew Auskick Centre in Western Australia has been announced as the 2023 NAB AFL Auskicker of the Year and Captain of Team NAB AFL Auskick. 
  
Living on a grain and cattle farm in a small rural town in WA, football has always brought Pippa’s family and the local community together – training on a Wednesday evening and travelling on the weekend to play Auskick at half time during local league games. 
  
A huge West Coast Eagles fan, Pippa and her brother Blake have been to one AFL match at Optus Stadium, which happened to be Josh Kennedy’s farewell game where he booted eight goals against the Crows in Round 21 last year. 
  
Pippa simply loves football and has fun collecting footy cards and learning all the players’ stats! 

Troy Kirkham, Executive Manager Game Development and Community Football at the West Australian Football Commission congratulated Pippa. 

“It is fantastic for Western Australia that Pippa has been selected as the 2023 NAB AFL Auskicker of the Year, and is a great testament to her, her family and the local community of Mingenew,” Kirkham said. 

“Country Football is often the heartbeat of our rural communities, and it is through local footy clubs and community Auskick programs that connect local people and provide them with a place to belong, and importantly enjoy Australian Rules Football.”  

“The WAFC wants to wish Pippa and her family all the very best for Grand Final Day, and the week leading up to it, and hope that she really enjoys the experience” 

NAB recruited 12 Auskickers to join Team NAB AFL Auskick based on their enthusiasm, passion, teamwork and dedication to Auskick. Each recruit was able to select one lucky teammate to join the team; this year there is a mix of siblings, school friends and Auskick teammates all pulling on their guernsey to represent Team NAB AFL Auskick. 
  
Team NAB AFL Auskick recruits will travel from around Australia to Melbourne this week for an unforgettable three-day experience, including a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to attend the 2023 Toyota AFL Grand Final and present a medal to a premiership player.  
  
Pippa is the fourteenth Auskicker to be named NAB AFL Auskicker of the Year. Pippa will receive $5,000 thanks to NAB, plus have an AFL and AFLW player as her personal footy mentors in 2023.  
  
Always playing football in her front yard and enjoying her family’s tradition of Friday night footy and pizza, nine-year-old Pippa was blown away when Team NAB AFL Auskick coaches Joel Selwood and Tigers’ AFLW Captain, Katie Brennan, told her at the MCG she had been named the 2023 NAB AFL Auskicker of the Year. 

“NAB AFL Auskick is an amazing entry level program that provides thousands of boys and girls across Western Australia their first touchpoint with the game in a safe, fun and fair way," Kirkham said.  

“NAB have been an outstanding long-term partner of NAB AFL Auskick nationally, and I just want to recognise their ongoing support for the program, especially the NAB AFL Auskicker of the Year competition.”

 If you would like to register for the 2024 season, please visit www.auskick.com.au to find your local centre.

Photos courtesy of AFL Photos