TOP-AGE South Australian defender Alissa Brook has enjoyed the rise through the footballing pathways, going from interested onlooker to determined player. The South Adelaide tall is entering her top-age season, and while she has been involved in the Futures squad in 2021 and now in the Under 18s State Academy, Brook is eyeing off a spot in the Panthers’ South Australian National Football League (SANFL) Women’s side.

“I started playing football in 2019 at school,” Brook said of her journey. “I go to Victor Harbor High and we have a footy pathway. That was when it really started to pick up with the girls there, so it was kind of like ‘ooh that looks really cool’ and we all joined in.

“I also started playing at local level at Victor Harbor. From there it just built, my school coach really drove me to football. I was playing netball and he helped me make the decision and from there I started to just play better quality so then I was in the Association teams and then it went to the Port Academy and then went from there.”

From there, Brook began to make waves in the sport, developing into an athletic centre half-back who admits she enjoys using her speed to advantage. Standing at 176cm, Brook is able to move in transition with ball-in-hand, but is always looking to improve her aerial prowess, identifying that as as a “focal point” over the off-season. She credits her school coach and Panthers development coach Luke Hartley for her rise over the last few years.

“He drove me the most,” Brooke said. “I always had natural athleticism, athletic ability but he really turned it into football for me and helped me the most I reckon for my development.”

Back in the State Academy, Brook said she enjoyed working alongside so many other talented young players to be able to “get an idea of the standard”.

“Going to training, everyone was serious, everyone was wanting to be there,” she said. “It made me push myself so much harder seeing everyone else’s standards. It was really good just to be around like-minded girls who had a goal as well.”

Now training with South’s senior squad, Brook is enjoying working alongside experienced mentors such as Tiffany Copley who she looks up to at the Panthers.

“The older girls are amazing. It’s been awesome to just see how the standard really,” Brook said. “They have all so much knowledge and it all comes down, they are all so encouraging so it just makes me want to go to training and I put in as much effort as I can there purely because the environment is just amazing.”

As for her 2023 season which is fast approaching, Brook made it clear what her intention and primary goal for the year would be.

“I would love to be playing the League side for South consistently,” Brook said. “The end goal is 100 per cent to be drafted, that would be amazing. But for this year I would be amazing to make the (South Australia) Under 18s, get to travel and play against other state teams that would be perfect. Then to keep going at South and in League would be amazing.”