WHEN American expat Sophia Joy Cox-Wright first watched a game of Australian Rules football, she likened it to a bunch of headless chickens running around aimlessly.
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But it didn't take long for her to become 'obsessed' with the game after joining North Wagga for this year's AFL Southern NSW Women's season.
The 24-year-old had never seen a Sherrin kicked in anger before her friends, Saints coach Brayden Skeers and his partner and fellow player Kelsey Leaver, asked her if she wanted to have a crack.
Despite being a self-professed 'terrible kicker', Cox-Wright has loved every minute of learning the game and will line up for the Saints in Friday night's semi final against Coolamon at Apex Park.
"Before I had my first training with North Wagga I'd never seen a full game of footy, it looked like people were running around with their heads cut off like chickens," she said.
"It's been a learning curve. When I first came here I thought footy here was just one thing, I didn't know there was rugby and sevens and everything else.
"I've always been into basketball and athletic stuff, but have never played any real contact sport at all, so it was very confronting and a different experience to anything I've played."
New Yorker Cox-Wright flew into the country about three years ago, just before the COVID pandemic hit. She met Wagga-based partner Patrick Nyatoro when studying in Byron Bay, and he was on a bucks party.
That lured her to the city, and she has relished the physical nature of the game missing in female American sports.
"People are always asking 'do you play gridiron?' and I say 'what's that?', I'd never heard it called that before," she said.
"Female contact sport isn't really a thing back home, so it's been great to be able to do it here.
"I've always been into basketball and athletic stuff, but have never played any real contact sport at all so it was very confronting and a different experience to anything I've played.
"I play in defence as now I've got used to tackling, I quite enjoy it. The hardest part was learning how to take a tackle, and not feel like you're going to die or have to go to hospital.
"Even though I think women's footy is still expanding, it's so awesome how regional places like Wagga really champion it."
Even though she's still learning the craft and "won't kick a goal any time soon", Cox-Wright has enjoyed its inclusive nature.
"I've only played one season for North Wagga, but I'm definitely going to wear their jersey until I die," she said.
"They're amazing girls to play for and the emphasis is all about the culture. Win or lose it's all about how we get on with each other and help each other on the field.
"It's something I really appreciate, not really knowing what I'm doing."
FRIDAY'S SEMI FINAL SCHEDULE
MCUE v East Wagga Kooringal at Mangoplah Sportsground (6.20pm); GGGM v Turvey Park at Ganmain Sportsground (6.30pm); Collingullie-Glenfield Park v Charles Sturt University at Crossroads Oval (6.30pm), North Wagga v Coolamon at Apex Park (6.30pm)
