But in the week leading up to the big game, she’s also working hard at her other job \u2014 teaching, and inspiring, her grade 6 students at Glen Katherine Primary School in Eltham North.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Many of Ash Riddell’s students now aspire to be footballers or teachers. (ABC News: Nico White)<\/p>\n
And those pupils, and the rest of the school community, are absolutely pumped.<\/p>\n
“It’s really cool having an AFLW player as my teacher,” says Nate, 12.<\/p>\n
“I’ve tried to watch every game I can. Ever since I’ve known her, I really like following Miss Atkinson.” (Riddell goes by her married name in the classroom).<\/p>\n
He’ll be watching the grand final on TV and hopes to one day play in the big leagues, just like his teacher.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Ahs Riddell celebrates a goal during this year’s preliminary final match against the Melbourne Demons. (Getty Images\/AFL Photos: Michael Willson)<\/p>\n
Tahli is not in the footballer’s class, but feels inspired by the AFLW player anyway.<\/p>\n
“I still watch her every game that she plays and I just love learning new skills from her,” says the 11-year-old, who wants to be a professional footballer or basketballer when she’s older.<\/p>\n
“I reckon she would be proud of herself because it’s a big achievement and it’s amazing to see a teacher at my school win a Brownlow.”<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Tahli, 11, has hopes of playing football like Ash Riddell when she’s older. (ABC News)<\/p>\n
After winning the best and fairest on Monday, Riddell was back in the thick of school life on Tuesday.<\/p>\n
“The kids were beautiful \u2014 they decorated the classroom while I was at training, and I’m certainly feeling the love from them all,” she says.<\/p>\n
“It’s nice being back here at school, being back in routine and a little bit of normality, but it’ll also be nice to go back to training [on Thursday] and see the girls and get prepped for the weekend.”<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Ash Riddell says balancing two careers is a nice mix. (ABC News: Nico White)<\/p>\n
Riddell, who has taught at the school for several years, says she’s lucky to be at a school that’s so supportive of her having two careers.\u00a0<\/p>\n
She believes it helps her performance on the field because the kids distract her from dwelling on any highs or lows of the game.<\/p>\n
Plus there’s plenty of transferable skills.<\/p>\n
“I love teaching, it’s my passion and I try and use some of those strategies to help our younger players on the field with football,” Riddell says.<\/p>\n
“If I can sort of bring them into the game and make them feel confident and safe and feel like they belong, that’s I guess my main aim.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
The Kangaroos dominated the Lions last year to claim their first AFLW premiership. (Getty Images: Quinn Rooney)<\/p>\n
“And that’s obviously the aim in teaching, that kids come to school and feel safe and welcomed and obviously learn a few things along the way, but learn how to be really good people as well.”<\/p>\n
Principal Gerard Fay says there’s plenty of excitement around the school this week, particularly after the best and fairest win by Riddell \u2014 aka Mrs Atkinson.<\/p>\n
“We knew she had a fantastic season so it brought a great hype to the school, and again just reiterated what a fantastic person she is and the role modelling she has for our students,” he says.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Principal Gerard Fay says the entire school is proud of Riddell. (ABC News: Andie Noonan)<\/p>\n
“We hope we’re having a double celebration at the school next of a best and fairest player as well as a premiership player, so we’re really excited about the weekend ahead.”<\/p>\n
Many students, parents and staff will be at the game, including 11-year-old Magnus, who’s been following the team from the beginning. \u00a0<\/p>\n
When he grows up, he wouldn’t mind being a teacher, no doubt inspired by his impressive role model.<\/p>\n
<\/p>\n
Roos fan Magnus, 11, says he feels “lucky and excited” to have the professional footy player as his teacher.<\/p>\n
For her part, Riddell loves the fact she might be inspiring the players of the future.<\/p>\n
“I obviously didn’t have that pathway growing up when I was playing, but now when I walk around on yard duty and I see just as many girls kicking a football as the boys, it really warms my heart.\u00a0<\/p>\n
“And to see them speak so glowingly and that they want to play football too.”<\/p>\n
She’s also happy to know some of her students will be in the stands, or watching on TV, this Saturday.<\/p>\n
“And they’ll tell me if I miss any shots at goal, so I’d better make sure I kick a bit straighter this week compared to last week,” Riddell jokes.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"If a crop of talented footballers happens to emerge in Melbourne’s north-east in the future, all eyes should…\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":310573,"comment_status":"","ping_status":"","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[9],"tags":[172807,74478,64,63,176108,176110,3195,176109,85],"class_list":["post-310572","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","category-sports","tag-aflw-grand-final","tag-ash-riddell","tag-au","tag-australia","tag-football-star-and-teacher","tag-glen-katherine-primary-school","tag-kangaroos","tag-kangaroos-vs-brisbane-lions","tag-sports"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/310572","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=310572"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/310572\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/310573"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=310572"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=310572"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.newsbeep.com\/au\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=310572"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}