Asher launches new book about inspirational footy lady

BELLARINE councillor and author Stephanie Asher will celebrate the launch of her new book this weekend with its leading lady – Melburnian of the Year Susan Alberti.

Ms Asher wrote an authorised biography about Ms Alberti – The Footy Lady – The Trailblazing Story of Susan Alberti – and the pair will be at Ocean Grove’s bookgrove on Saturday, December 2 between 1pm and 2pm.

Ms Asher said no tragedy or challenge had proved too hard for Ms Alberti. She said the woman from the workingclass suburbs had battled boardrooms, courts, lymphoma and adult diabetes and was one of the driving forces behind the AFL’s move into women’s football.

When her first husband was killed by a truck, Ms Alberti took over their construction business, becoming a female pioneer in the building industry.

When her daughter was diagnosed with type 1 diabetes, she embarked on a mission to find a cure.

When her beloved football club the Western Bulldogs was threatened with annihilation, she worked as vice-president to eventually be part of the executive when the club won the 2016 premiership flag.

Confronted with the exclusion of women from AFL, she battled to open the game to all and kept up the fight with money and on-ground support when others were ready to signal defeat.

Ms Asher said the book was a story of passion, generosity and a woman who would inspire you to take on the seemingly impossible and triumph.

She also said she had received great feedback about the book so far, much of it on social media.

“One fellow sent me a tweet saying he had been crying while reading it on the train and hadn’t realised he had tears rolling down his face until someone asked if he was okay!” .

Ms Asher said interested readers would include young football-playing girls, through to working-age men and women who see the barriers to women being broken down by the opportunities afforded by AFLW and the general “visibility” the profile of AFL has given women.

For tickets, head to eventbrite.com.au.