Patrick Dangerfield and Kate Darby at Mondays BioCATS session

Kate Darby’s extraordinary commitment to the community has been recognised with versatile tall claiming her third Geelong Cats Carter Family Community Champion award. 

Prespakis Crowned Geelong AFLW Best and Fairest

Darby, who earlier this year was awarded the Tom Hafey Variety Heart of Football Award, has continued her work as an excellent role model, particularly in the inclusion space. 
One of Geelong’s Pride Ambassadors, Darby helped facilitate an IDAHOBIT Football Clinic at the Club, has been an ambassador for the Peace of Mind Foundation and has assisted at the Special Schools Gala Day. 

Darby has been a regular at junior football clinics, including club visits, the All-Girls Auskick Clinic in the AFL Barwon region, the Geelong Cats Junior Member Clinic, and both the AFL Victoria Auskick Launch and Graduation clinics at GMHBA Stadium. 

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AFLW | Carter Family Community Champion Award

Colin and Angie Carter are jouned by Emily Cooke to announce the winner of this year's award.

She was also among a group of AFLW Cats to make the trip to Warrnambool for the Club’s AFL Community Camp in February and returned in October with the AFLW squad following the game against Essendon in Round 6 at Reid Oval. 

The 33-year-old also regularly visits local junior female football teams Surf Coast Suns and Armstrong Creek, sharing her expertise at training and helping with pep talks at games. 
Darby previously won the Cats’ community award in the Club’s first AFLW season, and again in Season 7, where she shared the award with Georgie Rankin. 

Geelong Cats Assistant General Manager of Football Brett Johnson congratulated Darby on her third Carter Family Community Champion recognition. 

“Kate is an outstanding human being, and it’s no surprise to see the care she shows for our players and staff extends out into the broader community,” Johnson said. 

“Her genuine interest in bringing the game to people who previously faced hurdles for participation and nurturing people’s passion for footy at all levels is remarkable. 

“On behalf of the Geelong Football Club we would like to congratulate Kate on her award, she is an excellent role model for footballers of all ages and is a very well-respected member not just at our Football Club but across the wider Geelong community.”