AFL Victoria congratulates Sarah Fulton (Blackburn Junior Football Club), on being named Victoria's 2025 Chemist Warehouse AFLW Community Ambassador.
Sarah has been a driving force behind the growth of girls’ football at Blackburn Junior Football Club since the inception of the AFLW, supporting the program for over ten years. She began as a team manager and has progressed to Girls Program Coordinator and Junior Secretary.
Sarah plays an active role in welcoming new players, ensuring inclusive facilities, managing team logistics, and advocating for girls’ opportunities both on and off the field. She helped establish Blackburn’s official ‘girls round’ featuring female umpires and fosters strong relationships with other clubs to support the growth of girls’ football.
Her dedication to player development, community engagement, and leadership has helped the club’s girls program grow to over 200 players, with dedicated girls’ NAB AFL Auskick groups set to expand further in 2026.
The 2025 ambassadors from across the country are are Samantha Apps (NSW/ACT), Celine Ankers (NT), Kylie Quenon (QLD), Caroline Cowen (SA), Ellen Thompson (TAS), Sarah Fulton (VIC) and Jenna Allomes (WA).
Read more about the other ambassadors here.
As the AFLW celebrates a milestone 10th season, it’s these recipients who represent the group of passionate community members who have been instrumental in nurturing and strengthening the base of participation at the grassroots level, progressing the development of women’s football.
Selected by the AFL, the 2025 Chemist Warehouse AFLW Community Ambassadors showcase the wide variety of roles needed to power community footy: from club presidents and coaches to all-girls coordinators across all levels of footy.
Now in its fifth consecutive year, each 2025 Chemist Warehouse AFLW Community Ambassador will receive a $1,000 grant from the Women’s Football Fund to donate to the club of their choice, a networking event with AFL National Women and Girls Football Lead, 2025 NAB AFLW Premiership Cup ambassador an AFL Hall of Famer, Debbie Lee as well as a money can’t buy 2025 NAB AFLW Grand Final experience.
Thirty-five ambassadors have been recognised over four years with seven winners announced each season, with one recipient each hailing from New South Wales/ACT, Northern Territory, Queensland, South Australia, Tasmania, Victoria, and Western Australia.
Since the inception of AFLW in 2017, women and girls’ participation has grown by nearly 200 per cent. As the AFL strives for equal participation and representation in grassroots football by 2030, more than 125,000 women and girls’ are pulling on their boots for community footy.
AFL National Women and Girls Football Lead, 2025 NAB AFLW Premiership Cup Tour ambassador and AFL Hall of Famer, Debbie Lee, said the announcement of this year’s Chemist Warehouse AFLW Community Ambassadors was a powerful reminder of the people driving change in the game.
“As we mark Season 10 of the AFLW competition, it’s incredible to recognise a new group of inspiring winners through the Chemist Warehouse AFLW Community Ambassador Program,” Lee said.
“Each recipient in 2025 has made an outstanding contribution to the growth of women and girls’ football in their respective communities. Their passion, commitment and leadership create opportunity and positive experiences at all levels of the community game, from NAB AFL Auskick through to senior footy.
“I can’t wait to meet the ambassadors ahead of the 2025 NAB AFLW Grand Final and hear more about their inspiring journey.
“Thank you to Chemist Warehouse for continuing the champion this important program and helping to spotlight the many amazing people in community football.”