It’s a huge day for Hawthorn’s VFLW side, with the club unveiling a new skipper along with new co-major partners.
AFLW talent Jess Trend will take the captaincy reigns in her maiden season at the club, while high performance sport supplement brand Activated X Performance (AXP) and international car manufacturer Nissan have both put pen to paper on partnerships with Hawthorn’s VFLW program.
As the granddaughter of Ray Yeoman – the former Hawthorn player who notched up 74 games during the 1950s – Trend has brown and gold running through her veins.
The 29-year-old says she is thrilled at the prospect of captaining her club and is excited to impart her knowledge and experience on her younger teammates.
“I feel absolutely honoured and very proud to represent Hawthorn as the VFLW captain,” Trend said.
“I think when it comes to leadership, I bring a lot of fun and excitement, but I also know when to switch on and be the positive role model the girls need to look up to.”
According to VFLW Senior Coach Bec Goddard, Trend’s leadership qualities have been on show since the moment she arrived at Waverley Park.
“Every time Jess is around the club, she is infectious with her happiness and her excitement to be at footy,” Goddard said.
“She came into the club and immediately reflected the club’s values. She has a really strong sense of family, that was something that really struck me when I was speaking to Jess about leadership qualities.
“She’s a natural leader so I’m really excited to have her as our captain this year.”
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Meanwhile, the Hawks are thrilled to welcome AXP and welcome back Nissan into the Hawthorn VFLW family.
The VFLW players will wear the AXP and Nissan logos proudly on their guernseys, as they make their awaited return to the field following the cancelled 2020 campaign.
Goddard says the club is proud to align with such reputable brands.
“We’re so excited to be joining forces with AXP and Nissan ahead of the upcoming season,” she said.
“Both organisations are passionate about performance and finding that competitive edge, so they really are the perfect partnerships for us.
“It is incredible to see organisations like this throwing their support behind women’s sport and helping us to continually push the boundaries and drive the competition’s standards upwards.”
AXP Founder and CEO Blair Norfolk echoed Goddard’s sentiments, sharing the organisation’s excitement to be jumping on board as co-major sponsor of the Hawthorn VFLW program.
“AXP has a foundation in clinical research, creating a range of evidence-based products to support the health and recovery of athletes, so the alignment in values between us and Hawthorn Football Club is clear.
“We’re looking forward to helping the VFLW side train harder, recover faster and achieve their goals in season 2021 and beyond.”
Nissan Australia Managing Director Stephen Lester shared the company’s enthusiasm to support women’s sport through its role as co-major sponsor.
“We are proud to be partnering with the Hawthorn VFLW side for the third consecutive year,” Lester said.
“As we head into the 2021 season, we are confident that our increased commitment to the Hawthorn Football Club will assist them to achieve their objectives both on and off the field.”
Hawthorn will kick off its 2021 VFLW campaign this Sunday, as they take on the Western Bulldogs at Whitten Oval at 10am.
