Croatian footballer Ana Barisic to stay in Adelaide hopeful of a SANFLW debut later this year
Facing a global health pandemic in a foreign country would be a scary pill to swallow for many. But not for this budding footballer determined to stay in Adelaide and become the first Croatian recruit to play in the SANFLW.
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Ana Barisic is more than 15,000km from her family in Zagreb, Croatia.
But being stuck in a foreign country is not really bothering Barisic because she has a dream and refuses to give up.
That dream is to play Australian rules football.
Norwood recruited the 22-year-old this year for its SANFLW campaign after seeing her play during the club’s cultural exchange trip to Croatia to help promote the game in 2018.
Barisic had progressed quickly and was a lock to play in the Redlegs’ round five clash against Central District on Friday, March 20.
She never got a chance to debut as all games were postponed because of COVID-19.
“The coaches were really happy with me which was great because I had only been here for a week and a half and was already making very good progress,” Barisic said.
“I got a phone call … telling me I was going to get a game (that weekend) but then the lockdown happened.
“I was disappointed.
“The thing with me is that I didn’t want to go back home because I was hoping the season will still start.
“I just want to play.”
Barisic, originally a keen soccer player, picked up a love for Australian rules in 2015.
Her home town had four Australian rules football clubs which were looking for players and she decided to join.
The midfielder/defender has not looked back since, travelling to Ireland, Paris and Australia to be part of exhibition games.
She credits the Redlegs, including football manager James Fantasia, for helping her stay in Adelaide.
“Norwood has been really amazing.
“They connected me to all these Croatian families here in Adelaide and they are helping me now.
“It’s a tough time for everyone to have someone away from home that they need to take care of and I think they are doing a great job.”
Barisic is the oldest of six — she has left four brothers and a sister in Croatia.
But says living abroad, chasing a dream of playing AFLW, is made easier with their support.
“They find it tough that I went away.
“But they understand and empathise with the love I have for footy so they let me go away and do that.
“Hopefully you’ll be interviewing me one day when I’m playing AFLW.”