A trainee sparky by day, Ebony Antonio then adds a bit of her own electricity on the track by night.
Not only has the priority selection impressed with her skills and running at training, she’s also been playing a role in building Fremantle’s future at the new elite training and administration facility at Cockburn Central West.
And she’s doing it all while working as an electrical apprentice for Programmed, Fremantle’s co-major sponsor.
From lighting to televisions and speakers in the gym, Antonio is working within a small to ensure the facility will be good to go in early 2017.
Antonio adjusts a speaker in the gym
And when her work is done, she’ll be able to reap the benefits.
“It’s going good so far, I’ve been down here for the last four weeks and to see it transform is pretty spectacular,” Antonio said.
“The facilities at the moment are looking awesome. I’m pretty lucky to be working down here and being a part of it with Programmed so we can move in there.”
Ebony’s team is currently working on a separate area owned solely by the City of Cockburn, while office furniture, air-conditioning and IT equipment is being installed on the Fremantle side.
“I’m working on both areas but the Fremantle area is currently closed off for us as the club moves in,” Antonio said.
“But we’ll be in there after Christmas installing some more TV’s, data and media connections and stuff like that.
“There’s six speakers in the gym I helped install with another tradie, and all the TV brackets are up and we’ll be installing the televisions after Christmas.
“Slowly but surely we’ll get it all done and we’ll be able to use them all come 2017."
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The facility will become the AFLW side’s primary training base as they head into the inaugural season, with the likelihood that it will host AFLW games in future seasons.
And the views of the oval are providing Antonio some inspiration as she goes about her day.
“It’s great to think that one day we will be playing games out there,” Antonio said.
“It will be a pretty spectacular spot not only for us but for the fans to come down and experience what we’re going to experience.
“The grass is almost ready to be used. Every second day there are Programmed maintenance guys out there working on the oval. It looks really good and I can’t wait to get out there and run on it.”
Antonio takes it all in on the boundary of Fremantle's new training oval
Antonio’s employer has long been a champion of gender equity, and Programmed’s managing director Chris Sutherland said he’s been thrilled to see Antonio thrive as an employee and with Fremantle.
“Ebony has a ‘can do’ attitude and positive approach to her work and is already fitting in well with the rest of the team,” Sutherland said.
“We are very interested in supporting all of the women AFL players in developing their job and career potential, particularly in trade roles where men currently outnumber women.”
Sutherland is currently part of the ‘CEOs for Gender Equity’ initiative, and spoke of the importance of ensuring equal opportunity in the industry.
His words also ring true for sport and the AFL.
“Young girls, shaped by their parents, teachers and society, in general do not chose to undertake many of these occupations which offer higher pay and greater flexibility through one’s working life,” Sutherland said.
“By the time they are in high school, many girls have already determined that they do not want to undertake opportunities that they see as non-traditional female work shaped by society and cultural norms.
“Thus we are sponsoring the Fremantle women’s team to promote a core message that women can and are doing many non-traditional female jobs.
“We want to highlight to all young girls that you don’t have to listen to your teachers or your peers and that you can become an electrician, IT technician or an engineer and take on a non-traditional female job…just like women can play AFL!”
A hard hat means hard work for Ebony Antonio
