CDS Vic Ambassadors Darcy Vescio and Tom De Koning paid a visit to Darcy’s community club, the Darebin Falcons, to encourage them to get involved and raise funds through AFL Victoria’s partnership with CDS Vic. Image: Luke Hemer
AFL Victoria, in partnership with Victoria’s Container Deposit Scheme (CDS Vic), is thrilled to announce AFL and AFLW players Tom De Koning and Darcy Vescio have signed on as official CDS Vic Ambassadors for 2025.
Both Darcy and Tom have strong connections to community football and share CDS Vic’s vision to help community football clubs raise funds to grow the game and protect the environment by reducing waste at the same time.
To date, two billion drink containers have been returned through CDS Vic collection points, including Alexandra Football and Netball Club in Victoria’s north-east, who have raised a remarkable $30,000.
Having grown up loving football, Darcy was told at 14 years old that they were unable to continue playing competitively in the youth boys’ competition and had to sit on the sidelines for four years before joining the Darebin Falcons at age 18, which led to them being drafted as a marquee signing for the inaugural AFLW season in 2017.
Now Darcy has gone on to become one of the most recognisable and respected players in the competition and wants to use their platform to make a positive difference at grassroots level.
“Growing up in the country, I’ve always had a real appreciation for nature…and something as simple as recycling drink containers can make a big difference to reducing litter in our communities” Vescio said.
“As footy clubs expand with the growth of more women and girls teams, raising funds for facilities improvements and additional uniforms is crucial, with the money available to clubs through the CDS Vic partnership a simple way to make a tangible impact on your local club and community”.
Tom grew up in a big family in Mount Martha on the Mornington Peninsula, where he spent as much time at the beach as he did kicking a footy around with his siblings.
Now close to reaching the milestone of 100 AFL games, he has developed a high profile amongst football fans and believes it is important to use his influence to make a positive difference in the world.
In 2024 he was adjudged a popular winner of the Spirit of Carlton Award, as voted on by the Club’s former greats, for best personifying its core values both on and off the field.
Tom said he looks forward to continuing to have a positive impact in his role as a CDS Vic ambassador.
“I’m proud to be partnering with an initiative that connects community football to a cause that I care so deeply about – protecting the environment” De Koning said.
“It’s awesome to see how something as simple as recycling a drink container can help raise money for your local footy club.”
Head of AFL Victoria, Greg Madigan commended Tom, Darcy and Alexandra FNC on their efforts and encouraged others to engage with the initiative in the lead up to the local football finals period.
“With finals and club functions happening over the next few months, there’s sure to be plenty of drink containers sitting around the clubrooms, meaning there’s no better time to ensure your club is registered with a Donation ID to maximise returns,” Madigan said.
“Alexandra FNC are a fantastic example of how small efforts can add up over time to make a big impact for your club, so don’t miss out on fundraising through CDS Vic” Madigan said.
“I’m proud to welcome Darcy and Tom as CDS Vic Ambassadors and commend them for their leadership both on and off the field. It’s great to see them using their positions of influence as elite athletes to give back to grassroots football and endorse a cause they are genuinely passionate about.”