{"id":132678,"date":"2023-05-27T17:02:29","date_gmt":"2023-05-27T07:02:29","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/?p=132678"},"modified":"2023-05-27T17:02:29","modified_gmt":"2023-05-27T07:02:29","slug":"dual-code-dumont-making-most-of-missed-matildas-opportunity-part-ii","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/central.rookieme.com\/afl\/2023\/05\/27\/dual-code-dumont-making-most-of-missed-matildas-opportunity-part-ii\/","title":{"rendered":"Dual code Dumont making most of missed Matildas opportunity | Part II"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

THIS is part 2 of the story of new AFLW Hawk Casey Dumont<\/a>. If you missed part one click here<\/a>.<\/em><\/p>\n\n\n\n

AFTER discussing the reasons for her move to the AFL Women’s and her experiences in Part I, Part II discusses her early beginnings and her goals for the future ahead.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Dumont was one of those kids who always liked being active, and that\u2019s where her love for sport began.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI\u2019ve always been an allrounder, so I come from a sporting family too, so Mum was always a case of \u2018let\u2019s keep you active, keep you busy\u2019 but also have the mentality of a team sport because you do have to chat and become friends with all different types of personalities, and I think just the more I did it, the more I loved it.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI think in previous interviews I\u2019ve said I hated soccer in the beginning, which is very true, but I straight away went into netball and loved it. Loved the team camaraderie, loved playing other teams and win\/lose situations. As much as I hate losing I also love so much more winning. So that passion just grew the more my mum enrolled me into more sports and it was great too because I kept saying to Mum I wanted to try all different sports, so I did all of them.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cI did netball, soccer, softball, I did athletics, basketball, you name it I\u2019ve tried it. Swimming, I\u2019m from the Gold Coast so I did Surf Life Saving as well and did all the team carnivals. So just grew from there and then surprisingly I\u2019m not bad and kept getting better with more coaching and the higher I kept getting the more my skill grew, and luckily enough I got the ability to turn professional in sport.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although these days she is well known for her exploits as a keeper, that has not been her only soccer position. Originally a centre back, sometimes \u201cfor s**** and giggles\u201d she would also venture up and have a go as a striker.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

After questioning why she was not enjoying the sport, she realised it was because she preferred to be in goals, which at that stage was not her full time position. She then decided to play in goals more and the love for the sport grew again.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

There are so many uncertainties with her Australian rules football journey even at this stage for Dumont. She does not know yet where she will play on the field or whether she will play any VFL Women\u2019s games before the AFLW season, but she is enjoying all the newness of the process.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

At this stage she is expecting to be a forward or defender, or perhaps a back up ruck, but at the moment the focus is transitioning her from a soccer player to a football player, getting the basics down pat and then building from there.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

However, she is clear in her goals for her first AFL Women\u2019s season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Although like any true competitive athlete she does want to make the team sheet for at least one round, Dumont has tried to be as realistic with her main objectives for her first AFLW season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Just to be a team player,” Dumont said. “I know I\u2019m coming in as a rookie, very new to everything. I just want to help the team as best I can and I think the best part that\u2019s making me happy is obviously with soccer I\u2019m a very big name, starting player, regular starter.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“Whereas I reckon with Hawthorn Hawks I\u2019m going to be a squad member, which you know what it\u2019s nice to have a step back but also have to really be there to drive the team. The girls who are going to play, I want to be there like \u2018hey do you need a drink? Do you need something? How can I help you to perform better? You want to reflect on the game? Sure I\u2019ll sit down with you\u201d.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

“I have multiple goals, but the biggest one is just to make sure I\u2019m the best team player that I can be. I think that\u2019s the biggest one because to be realistic I\u2019m coming in with no background, so if I set a standard of I\u2019m playing every game, I don\u2019t think it\u2019s realistic.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

She has faced a number of injuries in her soccer career to-date, but has always come back stronger for the experience. Her advice to anyone facing a similar situation is pretty straight forward.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cJust keep going, no matter what type of setback it is,” Dumont said. “I\u2019ve had them all, I\u2019ve had physical, I\u2019ve had mental, I\u2019ve had work related, I\u2019ve had coaches that have no liked my playing style for instance and have not been selected. My advice is to just keep going.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cThere is a light at the end of the tunnel, and with whatever path you\u2019re choosing there is always an end result. Some of them you may have to cut ties and start fresh and new, but there\u2019s always, always opportunities. What\u2019s that really corny quote? One door closes and another opens, it\u2019s really true and you\u2019ve always got to be out of your comfort zone. As much as it\u2019s nice to have that, more opportunities grow when you have that uncomfortable feeling and trying new things<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cWith all the injuries I\u2019ve had and the, I\u2019ll call them mental breakdowns because they were, just keep going and not to be afraid to ask for help. I was very stubborn when I was a youngster, that with my first proper two big injuries I thought \u2018I\u2019ve got this, I\u2019ll do it on my own\u201d, and I did disappear from the sporting world and thanks to nursing I was able to switch my mind away from that, but I should have asked more people for help or reached out a lot more because there are moments that just suck. \u201c<\/p>\n\n\n\n

\u201cYou can\u2019t say that it\u2019s nice the whole time, no there are days when you just do not want to get out of bed. You do not want to do that half an hour or rehab where it\u2019s basic switching on a muscle, that it\u2019s boring and you\u2019re watching it in front of the TV and doing it, but those little things matter. That\u2019s why you\u2019ve just got to keep going, you\u2019ve got to keep knuckling down, because even if unfortunately it might be a massive injury and you can\u2019t come back from it, you\u2019ve got to come back to life. You can\u2019t stay in that hidden cave of \u2018I\u2019m injured, it\u2019s not working\u2019. Life still goes on and you\u2019ve just got to find that love for something else if unfortunately your sporting career is over.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n

And do not worry soccer fans, Dumont is not fully stepping away from soccer. She has every intention of returning to the Victory next A-League Women\u2019s season.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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