Peter Howe
Montana Ham grew up in the backyard of her family home in Hillside playing kick-to-kick, tackling and wrestling with her two older brothers and her father.
She loved playing in the mud and the rain but most of all she loved footy. Today, she is still living with that passion and doing everything possible to realise her dream of playing in the AFLW competition.
“I love football it’s in my blood,” she said. “My teammates are my extended family.
“If I am having a bad day or a rough time, I get out with my footy family and escape it by having a kick and training hard.”
The tall midfielder started footy when she was four, going to AusKick at Hillside. She was soon devastated to learn she had to wait another three years before she could tackle.
Her late father, who died six years ago, was her biggest supporter.
“My father Roy was my mentor and responsible for developing my love of football,” Ham reflects with pride.
“His love of football lives in me.”
Ham moved up the ranks playing for the Sharks’ under-10s and under-12s in the Essendon District Football League.
She was the only girl in those teams, but it mattered little as she won a league best and fairest award in under-10s.
“My teammates loved me because opposition players thought I was the easy beat and wanted to play on me,” Ham laughed,
“That didn’t last long once the game started.”
Ham moved to Keilor in 2013 to play in the first season of the Western girls under-13 competition, run by the EDFL and the Western Region Football League.
Ham’s talent was quickly identified and she was selected in the interleague teams starting when she was 12.
She made State Schools Victoria teams in both cross country and football. She was vice-captain and captain in her two years in the under-15 state football team, winning Victoria’s best player the first year and named all-Australian both years.
Having established herself as one of the stars of junior football, Ham was selected for the Western Jets’ NAB League girls team.
She has been part of the program the past three years and will be a top age player next year.
Jets regional talent manager Luke Williams believes that Ham could be a high draft pick in next year’s AFLW draft.
The 17-year-old said the training and hard work to get there doesn’t faze her.
“I have two strength and conditioning sessions to complete each week away from football training. My brother and I head to the gym in Derrimut focusing on overall strength including, upper body and core. I also complete three running sessions a week, again with my brother.”
Hams’ form with the Jets resulted in her being selected in the Vic Metro under-19 squad, just one of four bottom age players.
She played two games for her state.
“Forty girls were selected in the original training squad, thirteen were told they were certain starters in the team. I wanted to make the team so badly, I just put my head down and worked hard. I was stoked when I was selected. I had achieved my goal.”
With the NAB League season now finished, Ham has returned to play with Keilor, making her senior women’s debut.
Ham is the August winner of the Sunshine Western Region Sports Club Don Deeble Sports Star award.
Her award is sponsored by the Yarraville Club Cricket Club, Strathmore Community Bank, the Deer Park Club and Star Weekly.
If you would like to nominate a monthly winner or attend a dinner at the Medway Golf Club, please contact the club by emailing swrsportsclub@gmail.com or SMS 0408 556 631.
