Women's

Roughly a half century ago, several astronauts walked on the moon and called it “a giant leap for mankind.”

Sydney, Australia, may as well be as far away as the moon.  And the surface of the Sydney Cricket Ground may very well be as hallowed and non-descript as that as our closest satellite rock.

And yet, when Kim Hemenway and Katie Klatt step onto the pitch this Friday night (US time), they will be making a leap of their own.  Not just for American Aussie Rules, but for all of women’s sports.

In 2013, Katie Klatt moved to Sacramento, California, to begin her career as a registered nurse at the University of California-Davis Children’s Hospital. 

Little did she know that a move to answer one calling would spawn another; this time as an Australian Rules football player.  Klatt didn’t even know about Footy until she happened upon a YouTube video of the sport. Just two years later, she has become one of the USAFL’s best defensive players, and has risen to the role vice-captain for both the Sacramento Suns and the USA Freedom national team.

Now, she’s preparing to take an even bigger leap.