When Ebony Keating first stepped into the Shepparton Youth Foyer, she had no idea where life was headed.

A teenager passionate about sport but unsure of her future, she found a support system that helped her unlock a pathway she never imagined, one that would lead all the way to the heart of Collingwood Football Club.

After moving from Melbourne to Kyabram in 2017, Ebony spent her early high-school years at St Augustine’s College.

“I wasn’t your typical learner,” Ebony said.

“Sitting still in a classroom for six hours wasn’t for me; I needed something active, something real.”

That all changed when her mum suggested SEDA College, an independent senior secondary school that blends sport with learning.

Ebony enrolled in Year 11 and 12 at SEDA in Shepparton, immersing herself in a curriculum tailored to her passions.

From working with Netball Victoria to playing and coaching at local clubs such as Undera, Numurkah and the Shepparton Saints, Ebony immersed herself in sport on and off the field.

But outside the classroom, life had its challenges.

She didn’t always know what her future held or where she’d be living — until she found a home at Berry Street’s Youth Foyer.

“Before the Foyer, I didn’t know where I was going to end up, I didn’t know what I was going to do,” Ebony said.

“But once I moved in, they helped me through school, they helped me figure out what I wanted to be.

“They’ve just always been that number-one support.”

While at SEDA, Ebony’s pathway began to take shape when a guest speaker introduced the Collingwood Sport and Business program.

“They gave us some options and one of them was with the Collingwood program,” she said.

“Next minute, I sat in an interview, did some tests, and I was in.”

Today, Ebony is an intern physiotherapist with the Collingwood Football Club, having worked her way up from the VFLW to AFLW, and now even supporting the AFL team.

“It started with me helping as a property assistant getting gear ready, setting up for training,” she said.

“Then on the way to a game, they started asking me what I wanted to do after the program.

“Not long after, I had another interview.

“They asked if I wanted to work here, like, at the Collingwood Football Club.”

It’s a role that has exposed her to elite athletes and inner-sanctum experiences.

“It’s kind of hard not to fangirl,” she said with a laugh.

“You’ve got to stay professional, but I’ve had chats with Steele Sidebottom — we talked about our Shepp connection.”

Working in the medical room sparked her interest in physiotherapy and nutrition.

“I’d watch them strap players, help them prep, and I realised this was what I wanted to do,” she said.

“Once the internship finishes, I’ll go to uni for physio and nutrition, but I hope I can keep working in the sports industry.

“People sometimes think I’m a player. I just smile, I don’t want to break their hearts.”

Youth Foyer team leader Matt Jobling said Ebony’s growth reflected the model’s power.

“Our coaching model is goal-driven,” he said.

“Whatever their goals are, education, employment, reconnecting with family, we build the support around that.”

For Mr Jobling, Ebony’s story is a shining example of what’s possible when support systems work together.

“SEDA, the Foyer, Ebony herself — it’s a collaboration that shows what’s possible when people come together to support our young people, then they get to achieve the right opportunities,” he said.

For Ebony, that support made all the difference.

“Whether it was helping with transport, housing, or just being there to talk things through, the Foyer gave me stability at a time I really needed it,” she said.

SEDA teacher Katie Heard said Ebony’s experience showed what young people could achieve with the right support.

“Ebony’s journey is a testament to her own drive and the wraparound support the Foyer and SEDA provides,” she said.

When asked what she’d say to her younger self, Ebony’s response was simple and full of wonder: “Just — wow.”

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Friday, 6th June 2025

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